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The shocking a moment a pregnant road rager runs down a cyclist

This is the shocking moment a cycle courier was sent flying into a tree by a pregnant road rage driver after he confronted her about using her mobile phone behind the wheel.

Justine Henshaw-Bryan, 25, told Damien Doughty to “f*** off” and gave him the finger after the pair nearly collided as she spoke on her handset.

Enraged at her response he then kicked her wing mirror at the next set of lights. She then chased him in a Ford Fiesta after he turned down a sidestreet to escape.

The car rammed into an “exceptionally scared” Mr Doughty, 38, who went flying off his racing bike and into a tree in Stoke Newington, north London, while she drove off.

He was left in intensive care having suffered internal injuries, including a broken hand, punctured lung and a severe laceration to his liver, after the collision on February 10 last year.

Ms Henshaw-Bryan now faces up to five years in prison.

Justine Henshaw-Bryan faces up to five years in jail. Photo: Supplied
Justine Henshaw-Bryan faces up to five years in jail. Photo: Supplied

She denied causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and said her ex-boyfriend had grabbed the steering wheel, causing the car to swerve into the cyclist, a claim he denied.

But a jury rejected her defence, and convicted her after three hours and 12 minutes of deliberations.

Henshaw-Bryan, who is the sole carer for her mother, broke down in tears as the verdict was returned, and her distraught mother had to leave the court.

Nigel May, prosecuting, said the maximum sentence was five years, and there was a mandatory minimum two years disqualification from driving.

Opening the case, he told jurors: “It involves two episodes of what is usually known as ‘road rage’.

Mr Doughty was cycling home along Stoke Newington High Street from a meditation meeting at about 9pm.


Suddenly a car pulled out of a side road on his left and almost struck him, and they both stopped, Wood Green Crown Court heard.

The cyclist said he saw the driver on her phone, which she quickly hid.

Mr May said: “He says that he gave her a disapproving look, and mouthed words like, ‘come on, you are on your phone’.

“He was hoping for an apology, but instead she raised the middle finger of her right hand, and mouthed ‘f*** off’ in reply.”

Giving evidence, Mr Doughty said: “I was really irate. I was like, I can’t believe you are putting people in danger and you are not even willing to hold your hands up and say sorry.”

Justine Henshaw-Bryan told the victim to 'f*** off' before the near collision. Photo: Supplied.
Justine Henshaw-Bryan told the victim to 'f*** off' before the near collision. Photo: Supplied.

He saw the car at a red light further up the road, and in a “moment of madness” kicked the wing mirror, then rode off.

Mr Doughty said: “Quite quickly, I realised the car was chasing me. It was getting very, very close.

“Realising how close the car was, really feeling like it was going to knock me off, I took a sharp left. I was going 20, maybe slightly more.

“I thought the car wouldn’t be able to get round that corner at the same rate to catch me.”

Asked how he felt, he said: “Exceptionally scared. You can hear the engine revving really close to you.”

Damien Doughty went flying and ran into a tree while Justine Henshaw-Bryan drove away. Photo: Supplied
Damien Doughty went flying and ran into a tree while Justine Henshaw-Bryan drove away. Photo: Supplied

He turned into a side road to escape but he was followed and rear-ended, which sent him flying into a tree.

Mr Doughty said: “I crumbled into a heap on the floor, and I am in extreme amounts of pain, the most pain I have ever felt in my life. I couldn’t breathe.

“I knew I hadn’t just been winded. I could feel it was something much worse than that.”