Emily Brown, pictured here in April, hit Stuart Crowther from behind as she was driving her two children home while six times the drug drive limit

A single mother who mowed down a cyclist with her car as she drove her two children home while more than six times the drug drive limit has been jailed for a year.

Lettings agency worker Emily Brown, 32, was high on cocaine and not wearing her glasses when her VW Golf hit Stuart Crowther from behind during the evening rush hour.

Mr Crowther, 58, who was wearing reflective clothing but no helmet was thrown over the windscreen and roof of the car and was left with serious injuries including a fractured skull.

Ten months on from the 25mph collision in Oldham, Greater Manchester, last October 11, he still suffers from dizziness and concentration problems and has not been able to return to work as an HGV driver.

Brown, from Royton, Greater Manchester, later failed a roadside drug test for cocaine and subsequently failed a standard eye test of reading a registration plate from 20 metres away.

Police said in one test she was only able to read a number plate from 13 metres away.

Brown said she had been taking cocaine 48 hours before the incident as it was the sixth anniversary of the deaths of her premature born twins and claimed she did not think it would still be in her system.

Tests suggested she had taken the drug as little as 12 hours before the crash due to the cocaine metabolite in her system.

She claimed the accident occurred when she became distracted by her daughter attempting to turn on the car radio.

At Minshull Street Crown Court Brown, whose daughters are aged 5 and 13, wept as she was jailed for 12 months after she admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and drug driving.

Sentencing Judge Bernadette Baxter told Brown: 'I accept you did not appreciate that the drugs would still be in your system but it's obvious to those using class A drugs recreationally that there is a risk as regards your ability to drive sometime after consuming.

'You have expressed genuine remorse, you are a valued member of staff at work and you suffer with depression, and have been self medicating with cannabis and cocaine following the death of your twin babies. I have also been told your daughter has been having problems at school.

'But you need to face your responsibilities as a mother. I am fully aware you have suffered a bereavement but you are responsible for your children and they are not responsible for your actions. There was significant risk to life by your own driving. He has suffered life changing injuries.'

Brown, pictured here in January, was jailed for one year and banned from driving for four and a half years

The hearing was told the the incident occurred at a road junction after Brown had been out with the children and the father of one of the girls for a family meal at a restaurant.

Prosecutor Mr Simon Blakebrough said: 'She was not wearing her glasses which was a requirement on her driving licence and that evening at around 6.50pm Mr Crowther was cycling home from work.

'He had just started cycling from a road junction when he was struck from behind - he was not travelling fast and he was clearly visible to oncoming drivers.

'The collision caused him to be thrown onto the windscreen of the VW Golf, onto the roof of the vehicle and subsequently onto the road. The victim was was wearing reflective and clothing, his blue jacket had reflective panels on it. The bike has lights on that were illuminated.

'She had failed to have regard for obvious road users, had drugs in her system and was not wearing her glasses as instructed.'

Mr Blakeborough said Brown underwent a road side drug test and tested positive for cocaine. A sample of blood was analysed and showed she had 332 milligrams of the cocaine metaboliser Benzoylecgonine (BZE) in 100 mililitres of blood - the legal limit being 50mg.

Mr Crowther spent three weeks in hospital, where he suffered a number of seizures and was admitted to an intensive care unit where he was treated for severe traumatic brain injury, soft tissue injury to the shoulder and a fractured right ankle. Although he is recovering from his injuries he is still undergoing treatment.

Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester, pictured, heard that Brown had been taking cocaine 48 hours before the incident as it was the sixth anniversary of the deaths of her premature born twins

Brown, who has a clean driving record, gave no comment in police interview.

Her lawyer, Rachel Shenton, argued in mitigation that Brown felt genuine remorse and that it was not actual cocaine in her system but the metaboliser which put her over the limit.

She also noted that Brown did not drink any alcohol at the family meal so she would be able to drive her young daughters home.

Miss Shenton said: 'She genuinely believed that she was safe and she would never have driven, not just for the safety of her children but for the safety of others, if she had believed so. She simply would not do it.'

It was raining at the time of the accident and Brown became distracted by her daughter trying to turn on the radio.

Miss Shenton also argued that although Mr Crowther was wearing a shirt with reflective properties, his shorts were dark and he was not wearing a helmet.

After the accident Brown called 999 herself and waited with the injured cyclist.

Miss Shenton added: 'She really bitterly regrets this and not just for herself but for Mr Crowther. She has two daughters, and neither of them know about this case. She has been unable to tell them. She told me that she simply won't be able to tell them that Mummy is not coming home. The impact on her children will be enormous.'

Brown was also banned from driving for four and a half years.