A Chessington man accused of trying to kill his two autistic sons has been found guilty of attempting to murder one of them.

The Old Bailey jury heard the 47-year-old man allegedly strapped his children, aged five and six, into a car and drove to a remote country lane in Surrey in April last year.

There he doused them in diesel and hit the eldest boy with a car jack, but did not go through with starting a fire.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, did not take to the witness stand during the trial, but his defence claimed this should not be held against him.

The jury heard the man flagged down a passer-by and said: "You've got to come, I've hurt one of my kids. I have tried to commit suicide".

The dad, a house husband who worked part-time, had been married to his wife for eight years.

On the night of the attack, the boys' mum told her husband she "hated him and didn't want to be with him".

The man denied two counts of attempted murder.

He was cleared of trying to kill his younger son, aged five, but found guilty of attempting to murder the older brother.

The man has been remanded in custody for psychiatric reports. No date has been set for sentencing.