The Land Rover driver who caused the Selby rail disaster was facing jail last night - as The Northern Echo discovered that virtually nothing has been done to prevent a repeat tragedy.

Builder Gary Hart, who fell asleep at the wheel before plunging down an embankment and into the path of a high-speed train, was convicted by majority verdicts on ten counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

But as he left court to be sentenced later, experts were already warning that urgent action was needed to improve the scandalous state of the region's railway bridges before disaster strikes again.

Survivors, and families of the victims, called for Hart -who was described by police as "a mobile catastrophe just waiting to happen" - to be jailed for ten years.

There were emotional scenes at a packed Leeds Crown Court, where relatives of the ten men killed burst into tears as the jury's verdicts were read out after nearly 12 hours of deliberations.

Hart, of Strubby, Lincolnshire, sat with his head in his hands as the judge, Mr Justice McKay, told Hart: "You stand in peril of going to prison and going to prison for a substantial period."

The judge then told father-of-four Hart he was releasing him on bail but warned him not to "raise his hopes" as a prison sentence was inevitable in a case of such "enormity and magnitude".

Hart, who had denied all ten charges, will be sentenced next year.

Afterwards, relatives of the victims spoke of their relief that the trial was over - and their anger towards 37-year-old Hart, who had shown "no remorse."

The widow of GNER chef Paul Taylor branded Hart an "arrogant liar" and said he fully deserved whatever sentence awaited him.

Lee Taylor, 47, of Longbenton, Newcastle, said: "He is a bare-faced liar who has shown no remorse at all - he has shown no concern for the bereaved. He came over as unfeeling, cold and arrogant, as if the court case was an inconvenience to him.

"That was the worst part - he did it, he knew he did it and he tried to hide it."

Julie Shakespeare, whose husband Robert was also killed, said ten years would be an appropriate sentence. Choking back tears, she said her life since the crash had been "a living nightmare".

Mrs Shakespeare added: "I do think when anybody gets behind the wheel when they are tired, there is a risk of a tragedy."

And Mary Dunn, whose husband Stephen would have celebrated his 40th birthday today, said: "I'm just relieved it's all over and myself and the boys can get a hold of life from now on."

Detective Superintendent Peter McKay, North Yorkshire Police's senior investigating officer, said Hart could have avoided the disaster.

"Gary Hart was convicted on the clearest of evidence. He was a mobile catastrophe just waiting to happen. He could have avoided these deaths.

"When you see what misery he has caused and the relatives are facing Christmas without their loved ones, do you want to ask me where my sympathies lie?"

He added: "Although drink-driving has now become unsociable, it's about time that we accept that people driving in a 'sleepified' state should also be social outcasts."

Hart left the court looking drained and shocked, as he walked hand-in-hand with his wife, Elaine. He hugged a member of his family before being driven away without making any comment.

The 12-day trial heard how Hart's Land Rover, which was towing a trailer and Renault car, veered off the M62 and ended up on the East Coast Main Line.

Moments later, it was hit by a GNER express train travelling at 117mph. The express derailed and smashed head-on into a freight train laden with 1,600 tonnes of coal in the tragedy on February 28.

Six passengers and four rail employees died in the crash. A total of 76 people were treated in hospital.

At first, mechanical failure was suspected and there was a wave of sympathy for Hart - who was even invited to a service of remembrance for the victims.

But when investigators painstakingly pieced together Hart's Land Rover, smashed into more than 70 pieces by the impact, they could find no evidence of any damage prior to the crash.

Then evidence emerged that the workaholic Hart had fallen asleep at the wheel after spending hour after hour on the night before the tragedy chatting to Kristeen Panter, whom he had "met" eight days earlier through an Internet dating agency.

GNER said last night it would never forget the events of February 28 which "cruelly came only four months after the tragedy at Hatfield".

The company added: "Our thoughts continue to be with those who suffered and continue to suffer.