A DRIVER who left a man with life-changing injuries after trying to overtake a lorry has been found guilty of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Gilbert Chendjou-Tamba was found guilty by a jury of causing serious injury to Karl Taylor by driving in a dangerous manner.

Chendjou-Tamba, aged 41, of Langley Drive, Deane, will be sentenced on September 1.

He was given conditional bail and was banned from driving until further notice.

He was driving home from work in Wigan Road, Westhoughton, at about 11.20pm on May 7 last year, when he approached a lorry ahead of him.

The court was told that conditions were dry at the time, although the road was wet because of earlier rain, and that there was good visibility with ample street lighting.

Adam Pearson, the driver of the 55ft long lorry who had been making a delivery at a Wilkinsons shop in Wigan, was driving at 30mph, the speed limit for the road.

The court was told that Mr Pearson saw Chendjou-Tamba's Toyota Corolla move out from behind him to take over, but he then heard a loud bang and stopped his lorry, to find that the car and the motorbike had collided.

Mr Taylor was "flung onto the pavement" as a result of the crash, and it was feared he may not survive.

His injuries were described as "life changing", leaving him with several broken bones, and a head injury leaving him with lasting effects on his memory and personality.

Mr Taylor spent three months in hospital, and more time undergoing rehabilitation, Bolton Crown Court was told.

Prosecuting, Catherine Cundy said that Mr Taylor was also on his way home from work, and that his headlight was on and appropriately dipped, and that he was wearing a high visibility jacket.

Chendjou-Tamba had claimed that the motorbike had no lights on at all, and that he believed it was safe to overtake the lorry.

Ms Cundy said it was not necessary for Chendjou-Tamba to overtake the lorry, because it was already travelling at the maximum speed for the road.

Addressing Chendjou-Tamba, Judge Timothy Stead said: "I am adjourning your case for sentencing on September 1. In the meantime, you are disqualified from holding or obtaining a licence.

"In ordinary language, you are banned from driving from now until that date.

"I am not giving you any indication as to what will happen on September 1. All of the court's powers remain open."