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Emma Way: #Bloodycyclists Twitter post driver 'cyberbullied' | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A motorist convicted of driving offences after tweeting about a collision with a cyclist says she has been cyber-bullied because of the post. | A motorist convicted of driving offences after tweeting about a collision with a cyclist says she has been cyber-bullied because of the post. |
Emma Way, 22, from Norfolk, was found guilty at Norwich Magistrates' Court of failing to stop after a collision and failing to report an accident. | Emma Way, 22, from Norfolk, was found guilty at Norwich Magistrates' Court of failing to stop after a collision and failing to report an accident. |
She was cleared of driving without due care and attention. | She was cleared of driving without due care and attention. |
Way said that following the "stupid" #bloodycyclists tweet there had been lots of "malicious messages". | Way said that following the "stupid" #bloodycyclists tweet there had been lots of "malicious messages". |
Magistrates heard that police only became aware of the collision on 19 May because Way, from Watton, tweeted "definitely knocked a cyclist off his bike earlier. I have right of way - he doesn't even pay road tax!" using the hashtag #bloodycyclists. | Magistrates heard that police only became aware of the collision on 19 May because Way, from Watton, tweeted "definitely knocked a cyclist off his bike earlier. I have right of way - he doesn't even pay road tax!" using the hashtag #bloodycyclists. |
Cyclist Toby Hockley, from Norwich, suffered bruising and minor damage to his bike in the incident near the village of Rockland All Saints, Norfolk. | Cyclist Toby Hockley, from Norwich, suffered bruising and minor damage to his bike in the incident near the village of Rockland All Saints, Norfolk. |
Appearing on ITV's Daybreak programme earlier, Way said that she regretted the Twitter post but did not believe the collision was her fault. | Appearing on ITV's Daybreak programme earlier, Way said that she regretted the Twitter post but did not believe the collision was her fault. |
She said: "I am 22, so not generalising on 22-year-olds sometimes you do just put things and it's not actually intended. | |
"I was quite angry at the mannerism of the cyclist on the road. My point of view is that he was on my side of the road - that's not the way you drive so I find that quite disrespectful." | |
'Stupid tweet' | 'Stupid tweet' |
Way, who said she did not receive a fee for the appearance, was sacked from her job as a trainee accountant with Norwich-based Larking Gowen after the tweet. | Way, who said she did not receive a fee for the appearance, was sacked from her job as a trainee accountant with Norwich-based Larking Gowen after the tweet. |
The court heard she has now got a new job. | The court heard she has now got a new job. |
She had previously described her tweet as her "biggest regret" and rated it "11 out of 10" on the stupidity scale. | She had previously described her tweet as her "biggest regret" and rated it "11 out of 10" on the stupidity scale. |
She told the programme: "I lost my job in accountancy and I've received really malicious threats and stuff off people... cyberbullying and stuff, so it has been quite bad." | |
Her solicitor, Simon Nicholls, added that it had been a difficult case to defend. | Her solicitor, Simon Nicholls, added that it had been a difficult case to defend. |
"It's challenging enough defending people at the best of times but when they appear to have admitted it on cyberspace as well, it was tricky," he said. | |
Mr Hockley said he felt the tweet was "stupid". | Mr Hockley said he felt the tweet was "stupid". |
Magistrate Martin Cliffe fined Way £337 and ordered her to pay £300 in costs. He also ordered that seven penalty points be added to her licence. | Magistrate Martin Cliffe fined Way £337 and ordered her to pay £300 in costs. He also ordered that seven penalty points be added to her licence. |
Way had about 200 Twitter followers when she sent the message and used to tweet daily. She has since quit the social networking site. | Way had about 200 Twitter followers when she sent the message and used to tweet daily. She has since quit the social networking site. |