A motorist has failed in her appeal against conviction for threatening and abusing BBC presenter Jeremy Vine as he was cycling in west London last year.

Shanique Syrena Pearson, 22, was convicted in February of driving without reasonable consideration and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour following her run-in with the Radio 2 presenter in August on Hornton Street.

During the appeal hearing today (Tuesday) at Isleworth Crown Court, Mr Vine, who also presents shows including Crimewatch and Eggheads, denied trying to improve his media profile by exaggerating the road rage incident in Kensington .

Footage filmed on his helmet cam captured 22-year-old Pearson hurling abuse, and kicking and pushing the cycle .

Appeal: Shanique Pearson

Mr Vine says she also made a gun sign to him, leading to accusation from Pearson’s lawyer James O’Keeffe that Mr Vine had “racially stereotyped her as a black person” and was looking to “promote himself”.

Mr Vine had given evidence during the trial at Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court , and speaking at the appeal in Isleworth, said he felt afraid during the altercation and that Pearson did make a gun sign towards him.

He had been cycling to work from his Chiswick home on August 26 last year when he stopped after being honked at by the driver of a black Vauxhall Corsa behind him.

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In the video clip Pearson, from Vauxhall in south London, can be heard swearing at Vine, who tries to explain he was riding down the centre of the narrow street to avoid car doors.

He said: “I felt threatened. I felt I was in danger. I felt I was dealing with a violent person.

“None of that was clear to me when she was in the car. It became clear through this incident as she assaulted, abused and threatened me.”

He said he did not remember being physically assaulted, but said Pearson pushed and kicked his bike, adding that it had acted as “a shield”.

Jeremy Vine: 'Personal safety trumps any uploading'

He refuted a suggestion by Mr O’Keeffe that he had posted the footage online as a way of “promoting himself”, saying “personal safety trumps any uploading”.

The long-time broadcaster also rejected a suggestion he had racially stereotyped Pearson “as a black person with a gun”.

Responding to Mr O’Keeffe he said: “I don’t think there’s any cause for you to play the race card as you’ve just done.”

Pearson, wearing a grey velour tracksuit and white trainers, admitted she used inappropriate language and pushed the bicycle, but said she did not assault him and simply wanted him to move out of the way of her car.

She also denied making a gun shape with her hand, saying she stuck her middle finger up at him and had felt threatened when he cycled up to the passenger window of her car.

She told the court: “I know he saw me put my middle finger up because he smiled so I know he’s not telling the truth about that.”

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Footage of the incident was uploaded to Mr Vine’s Facebook page where it was viewed by more than a million people. The court also heard it had received 15million views across the internet.

Pearson had also admitted driving without a valid licence on the day of the incident.

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