Auriol Grey, a 49-year-old woman with cerebral palsy, has been sentenced to three years in prison for the criminal manslaughter of Celia Ward, a retired nurse who died after falling into the path of an approaching car. The incident occurred on October 20, 2020, in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, after Grey angrily yelled at Ward to “get off the f****** pavement” while riding her bike on the sidewalk. According to security footage, Ward tumbled into traffic and was struck by a car, leading to her death.
After a retrial at Peterborough Crown Court, Grey, who had rejected the charge, was found guilty of manslaughter. Judge Sean Enright, who sentenced Grey, stated that Grey had no mental disorder or learning difficulties and that the pavement was 2.4 metres wide at the relevant point, describing it as a “shared path on the ring road.”
While many people have misconceptions about the legality of cycling on pavements, both Section 72 of the Highway Act 1835 and the Highway Code prohibit cyclists from riding their bikes on sidewalks. The punishment for violating this law is an immediate £30 fixed penalty notice fine under Schedule 3 and Section 51 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988. Repeat offenders or those who endanger pedestrians or others may face prosecution.
