A man who deliberately drove a car at a group of people, killing to one of them, has been convicted of manslaughter.

Riyaz Adam, 25, of Pearcroft Road, Leytonstone, appeared at the Old Bailey charged with murder, attempted murder, and perverting the course of justice.

Following a trial, today (Thursday, November 28) was found guilty of manslaughter after the jury returned not guilty verdicts for murder and attempted murder.

Adam had pleaded guilty to the perverting the course of justice before the trial started. He will be sentenced on Wednesday, December 4, at the same court.

The jury were unable to reach a decision on his co-defendant Jack Bush, 23, of Oakdale Road, Leytonstone.

Constantin, originally from Romania, was driven at and hit by a car while he was out in the early hours of Sunday, May 5, celebrating a christening.

The court heard how Adam drove a Toyota Prius to High Road in Leytonstone to meet Bush.

As he pulled up, Bush, who was drunk, was apparently fighting with a group of men and it was at this point that Adam decided to use his car as a weapon, and swerved into the group.

Adam then made a three-point turn. The car was facing back towards the group for a second time and driven back and right into them and struck two of the men.

Police were called at 12:40am to reports of a car in collision with two pedestrians and both Constantin and his friend were taken to hospital by the London Ambulance Service. Constantin died on Tuesday, May 7.

He had been thrown onto the bonnet and hit the windscreen. Adam accelerated away with the 51-year-old victim still on the bonnet, before steering in a left to right motion to shake Constantin off the car.

He then travelled about 20 metres along the road before coming to rest in the middle of the road.

A post-mortem examination at Walthamstow Mortuary on Thursday, May 9, found that Constantin had suffered severe blunt force trauma to his head, face and chest.

Constantin’s friend who had also been at the same christening, suffered sprains and bruising to his right wrist as a result of being hit by the Toyota.

The Toyota was dumped at a secluded location near Snaresbrook, a matter of a few miles away. Its registration plates had been replaced with Y reg plates, and the car was found by officers later that same morning, around 11:30am. Adam later admitted being one of two men seen changing the plates.

Enquiries into the car were complicated by the fact that Adam was a disqualified driver and the Toyota had been registered under false details. However, the two were identified as suspects.

Search warrants were executed on Friday, 10 May but neither party was located until Tuesday, May 14, when Bush handed himself in to police, and Adam the next day.

Adam was charged with murder, the attempted murder of Constantin’s 32-year-old friend and perverting the course of justice in relation to the attempts to conceal the identity of the Toyota.

Bush was charged with perverting the course of justice, but consistently denied being present when the number plates on the Toyota were changed.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Wrigley, said: “Adam drove not once, but twice at the group. His actions were deliberate and meant to cause serious harm, despite his claims to the contrary.

"Constantin was the victim of a callous and frighteningly swift course of action, for which he paid the ultimate price. He had multiple injuries which were not survivable. His family have been stoic throughout this process and I would like to recognise their courage.