Driver who made 'gun' gesture at Jeremy Vine in road rage row faces jail

An irate driver who made a gun gesture at BBC presenter Jeremy Vine and threatened to knock him out in a road rage incident is facing jail today.

Shanique Syrena Pearson, 22, was caught on camera as she jumped out of her car and began hurling foul-mouthed abuse at the 51-year-old TV star.

Mr Vine caught the incident on a helmet camera he uses while cycling from his home in Chiswick to BBC Broadcasting House in central London.

He told Hammersmith magistrates court he feared for his safety during the confrontation, as Pearson pushed his bike and told him: “If I hit you I could have been done for murder".

District Judge Timothy King today found Pearson guilty of driving without reasonable consideration for other road users, and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.

She had already admitted driving an unlicensed vehicle.

Pearson, who has a number of previous convictions including assaults and theft, rolled her eyes and shook her head as the decision was announced.

The 22-year-old single mother left court with a jacket over her head and told the press outside: "I'm not happy."

"I have no doubt you intended Mr Vine should believe immediate unlawful violence would be used against him given you made threats to him", said the judge.

"You swore, shouted, and refused to allow Mr Vine to respond to points you made, and you placed your hands on his bike."

He found Pearson had made the gun gesture and beeped her horn because she was impatient that he was not moving out of the way for her car.

"Mr Vine's manner of cycling was perfectly appropriate", he added.

The court heard Pearson was given a suspended prison sentence for causing actual bodily harm and assault in 2012 and may now face a jail term.

At trial, Pearson said Mr Vine was "a bit crazy" when they first encountered each other as he cycled along Hornton Street in Kensington on August 26 last year.

Pearson tooted her horn as Mr Vine's bike pulled in front of her, then she made a gun gesture at the TV presenter through the window of her Vauxhall Corsa.

She was filmed getting out of the car and shouting: "Why the f*** would you stop in front of a car? You don't respect your f****** life. Move your bike, move your bike."

When Mr Vine tried to explain he was keeping away from her car, Pearson kicked and pushed his bike and told him: "If I hit you I could have been done for murder".

Mr Vine told the judge he believed he was "dealing with a violent person" and said he tried to calm her down.

"I was quite scared about what was going to happen", he said.

Moments later Mr Vine tried to take a picture of Pearson's car when she stopped at a red traffic light, but she got out and told him: "If you take a picture of my car again I'm going to knock you out because that's my personal belongings. Don't f****** take a picture."

During her trial, James O'Keeffe, defending, said Pearson was "shocked and angry" when Mr Vine stopped abruptly in front of her.

He suggested the TV presenter may have mistook her putting her middle finger up for a gun gesture, and accused him of using a racial stereotype.

Mr O'Keeffe also suggested Mr Vine had posted the video to attract attention to his Facebook page.

Pearson, of Vauxhall, south-west London, denies driving without reasonable consideration for other road users and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.

She pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle without a valid tax disc.

She will be sentenced at a later date at Isleworth crown court.