A van driver has been cleared by a jury of dangerously causing the death of two elderly men in a collision.
Michael Lawrence, 20, denied causing the deaths, by dangerous driving, of motorist Dennis Kenney, 86, and his passenger Charles Freckleton, 76, on the afternoon of October 5 last year.
A jury of eight men and four women found him not guilty.
They were told he had already pleaded guilty to lesser alternative counts, of causing the two deaths by driving carelessly, on Troon Way, Rushey Mead, for which he will be sentenced on December 19.
Lawrence was released on bail, pending the preparation of a pre-sentence report.
During the trial, Leicester Crown Court was told the collision happened at the Troon Way traffic-light junction with Nicklaus Road.
The prosecution alleged that Lawrence, whilst travelling towards Hamilton, went through a red light and failed to see Mr Kenney's approaching Toyota Yaris turning right, into Nicklaus Road.
After the collision, Lawrence, of Austin Rise, Netherhall, Leicester, fled the scene and cancelled the insurance on his Ford Transit Connect van, in an effort to "get away with it."
He told the jury he then had second thoughts and went to the police station later the same day.
Lawrence told the jury he went through the junction when the light was on green, not red.
He thought Mr Kenney was going to give way and let him through, but claimed the Toyota unexpectedly turned in front of him.
Lawrence also claimed his foot accidentally went onto the accelerator instead of the brake and he made "a mistake."
Giving evidence, he said: "If I could have stopped, I'd have stopped, but I couldn't."
He said he then ran away "in shock."
Neil Bannister, prosecuting, alleged Lawrence was "distracted" either by his two passengers or was trying to annoy the Mondeo driver behind him, who had been reluctant to let him move into his lane earlier in the journey.
Mr Kenney, of Thomson Close, Leicester, died in hospital two days later, on October 7, and Mr Freckleton, of Oliver Street, Wigston, passed away on October 11.
After the hearing, their relatives paid tribute to the two "healthy and active" pensioners, who died in the collision on their way home from visiting an art exhibition.
Both were described as doting grandfathers.
There will be a full report of the tribute from their loved ones in the Leicester Mercury on Monday.
