A motorist who knocked councillor Paul James off his bicycle has been found guilty today of causing his death by careless driving.

Lowri Ruth Powell, aged 44, will be sentenced in early October after being warned the maximum penalty was five years in jail.

She was granted bail meanwhile to allow time for a probation officer to prepare a report on her for the sentencing judge.

Yesterday (Monday) Christopher Allan Jones, aged 40, of Tynycae, Devils Bridge, was cleared of a similar charge.

Both Powell and Jones had denied the accusations and stood trial at Swansea crown court.

The jury heard how on 11 April last year Mr James, aged 61, had been cycling along the A487 from Bow Street towards Aberystwyth while training for a charity bike ride.

He was wearing a yellow top with reflective stripes and a yellow helmet and Powell should have been able to see him for a minimum of 14 seconds if she had been driving at the maximum permitted speed.

Powell, of Maes yr Efail, Penrhyncoch, agreed she had “clipped” Mr James with the wing mirror of her Ford Galaxy with such force the mirror was ripped off.

Jones then ran over Mr James in his Vauxhall Vectra.

Both drivers told the jury they had been dazzled by sunlight at the time.

Jim Davis, prosecuting, said the Highway Code made it clear that if drivers could not see properly they were obliged to slow down or pull over.

Powell, he argued, must have known that a cyclist was in the road even if she had been dazzled.

After the majority verdict went against Powell Judge Geraint Walters said such offending was “hugely tragic” and caused immeasurable harm.

“No sentence can undo the harm that has been caused to the family of Paul James. Nothing I can do will bring him back,” he added.

Judge Walters said the offence called for a driving ban but he would decide that issue at the sentencing hearing.