In October 2020, Auriol Grey, 49, was walking on a sidewalk in Cambridgeshire, a county in England, when Celia Ward was cycling towards her on the same sidewalk.
Grey was found and arrested at her Huntingdon home. And when talking to the police, she said she had disabilities and trouble seeing and was afraid the bike would hit her.
On Thursday, Grey was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to three years in prison.
Joe Giddens/PA Images/Getty
Ward’s husband of 53 years, David Ward, shared a heartbreaking statement after the sentence, per the police release.
“After 53 years of happy marriage, Celia was taken from me in a most horrific way, leaving me with only my memories. She was kind, calm, careful, cheerful and competent in all that she did. Her death has caused me great suffering. We relied on each other, shared the same sense of humor and outlook on life, and enjoyed each other’s company. I miss her terribly.”
She continued of her late mother, “It’s easy to say how wonderful my mum was… she was passionate about her family and always there to help and support us. She was of a generation that made and mended, kept a spotless house and always put others first. Her death has marred what should have been some of the most enjoyable times for us as a family. We can never forget the past two and a half years, but it’s now time to start remembering the wonderful memories and times we had with mum, and hopefully find some peace.”
Celia Ward husband David Ward.Cambridgeshire Constabulary
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In surveillance footage of the incident,Grey is heard yellingfor Ward to “get off the [expletive] pavement,” per BBC.
Though police didn’t confirm if the sidewalk was a shared cycleway during the trial, Judge Sean Enright, who sentenced Grey, confirmed that it indeed was.
After Ward fell into the street, an oncoming car had “no chance to stop or take avoiding action,” jurors were told, according to the outlet. Grey fled the scene before first responders arrived and went to the local supermarket Sainsbury’s to get groceries.
The judge said that Grey was “territorial about the pavement” and “resented” Ward for riding on it.
AP
The judge noted that “consideration of other road users is the lesson of this tragic case.”
The driver who struck Ward also testified and said they feel terrible about what happened, noting that there is “always a piece of me that feels guilty” and her world has “turned upside down,” BBC reported.
Grey’s lawyer, Miranda Moore KC said “there was no intention to cause harm or an obvious risk of harm” and said she plans to appeal her client’s sentencing.
Moore did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
“This is a difficult and tragic case,” said investigator and Detective Sergeant Mark Dollard in the police release. “Everyone will have their own views of cyclists on pavements and cycleways, but what is clear is Grey’s response to the presence of Celia on a pedal cycle was totally disproportionate and ultimately found to be unlawful, resulting in Celia’s untimely and needless death. I hope it is a stark reminder to all road users to take care and be considerate of each other.”
source: people.com
