A PONTYPOOL carer has been found guilty of dangerous driving by a jury after a road rage incident in which she chased and crashed into another car.

Caroline Hamer, 37, of Sunnybank Road, was on trial at Cardiff Crown Court for dangerous driving after an incident with another driver on the A4042 in Cwmbran in June last year.

She denied the charge but on Tuesday a jury unanimously found her guilty.

During the trial, the court heard, the witness John Gooding, a bathroom fitter from Cwmbran, said Hamer chased him aggressively in her Mercedes, cut in front of him before braking sharply, and caused a crash.

The pair had met just minutes earlier on a narrow bridge on Chapel Lane where there had been a stand-off - which Hamer claims lasted two minutes - as to who could pass over the bridge first.

Mr Gooding, driving a silver Ford Fiesta, said Hamer was speeding towards the bridge and refused to give way. But Hamer says she was already on the bridge when Mr Gooding sped towards her and blocked her way.

During the trial, a transcript of a police interview with Hamer was read out to the court in which she claimed it was Mr Gooding who caused the accident.

She told police: “He must have realised it was my car and I didn’t realise it was him until I looked in my mirror and he was giving me all hand signals, putting his fingers up.

“He pulled up to the side of me. As he was passing me he hit my car. He hit the driver’s side, which took my steering out. He went speeding off down the road.”

Hamer said that Mr Gooding’s manner of driving was “disgraceful” and she was frightened by him and “felt bullied”.

Sarah Waters, defending, said Hamer had been driving appropriately on Chapel Lane and Mr Gooding had spat at Hamer out of his window and swore at her.

The defence also claimed the damage to Mr Gooding’s car, the fact he left the scene of the accident on the A4042 and also that he didn’t ring the police immediately suggests he caused the crash. But he replied: “You’re making stuff up. It’s not true. It’s far from the truth.”

Prosecutor Mr Hewitt said Mr Gooding’s partner feared for her safety and what might have happened. He said: “The conclusion is she [Hamer] did that deliberately for what had happened at the bridge.”

Hamer will be sentenced next month.