#Bloodycyclists Twitter post driver Emma Way guilty Published duration 19 November 2013

media caption Emma Way told the BBC in May this year that her tweet was "stupid"

A woman who posted a message on Twitter about knocking a cyclist off his bike has been found guilty of two charges related to the incident.

Emma Way, 22, clipped cyclist Toby Hockley with her car in Norfolk in May.

She then tweeted: "Definitely knocked a cyclist off his bike earlier. I have right of way - he doesn't even pay road tax! #Bloodycyclists."

Norwich magistrates convicted her of failing to stop after an accident and failing to report it, which she denied.

Way, of Watton, was acquitted of driving without due care and attention.

She was ordered to pay a £337 fine, £300 in costs and was given seven points on her licence.

'Biggest regret'

She said: "The tweet was spur of the moment. It was ridiculous and stupid and I apologise to all cyclists.

"It is the biggest regret of my life so far."

The court heard Mr Hockley suffered bruises and minor damage to his bike in the incident at Rockland All Saints on 19 May, when he was riding in the 100-mile Boudicca Sportive with his friend Jason [Jay] Sexton.

Describing the trial as a relatively routine case of driving without due care and attention, prosecutor Stephen Poole added: "Why it becomes notorious is because the suspect went home and tweeted.

"It was that tweet which has put this into the public arena."

'Loud crunch'

Mr Hockley said: "A car came around the corner, narrowly missing Jay.

"The car was heading over to my side of the road.

"I was hit on the leg by the wing and on the arm by the wing mirror and tried to slam on my brakes to regain control."

He said there was a loud crunch and he was knocked into a hedge.

Claiming the collision was Mr Hockley's fault, Way said she had been driving at 15mph and her road positioning was as far to the nearside as possible.

"Afterwards I looked in my mirror," she added.

"I did not think he was injured - if I did I would definitely have stopped."

The court heard she lost her job as an accountant as a result of the tweet.

Way refused to comment as she left court, saying she had signed an exclusive television deal.