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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Ryan Merrifield

'Childlike' disabled woman who waved cyclist in front of car shouldn't be in jail - family

The family of a disabled and partially-blind woman jailed for manslaughter claim the judge "effectively ignored" her vulnerabilities.

Auriol Grey, 49, was locked up for three years earlier this month after telling cyclist Celia Ward, 77, to "get off the f****** pavement" before the pensioner veered into the road and was fatally hit by a car.

Grey's brother-in-law Alisdair Luxmoor said the family is supporting her appeal against the sentence.

He described Mrs Ward's death as a "tragic accident" and the defendant's loved ones were left "horrified" by what happened.

Mr Luxmoor said Grey was "treated as if she was able-bodied" and questioned the decision to send her to prison.

Celia Ward with her husband David (Cambridgeshire Police / SWNS)
Grey was jailed earlier this month (Cambridgeshire Police / SWNS)

Speaking to The Times he said: "Then there was the horror at the thought of her being sent to [prison].

"How can you put a disabled person in a place like that?

"The judge basically treated her as if she was able-bodied...the onus was put on her to get out of the way of the cyclist."

Mr Luxmoor said Grey's family is "desperately sorry" for Mrs Ward's loved ones.

Video grab of the moment Grey confronted cyclist Mrs Ward (Cambridgeshire Police / SWNS)
Mrs Ward veered into the road and was hit by a car (Cambridgeshire Police / SWNS)

Grey also suffers with cerebral palsy and cognitive issues which restrict her mobility.

She has been described as being "childlike" and reclusive, having lived in special accommodation funded by a charity.

Mrs Ward was riding her bike on a path in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on October 20, 2020, when she was killed.

Footage of Grey's police interview shows her telling officers "I can't remember" when asked what happened.

Grey failed to wait at the scene (PA)

"I think that the bike may have, if it swerved, onto the road," she said.

Asked if she touched Mrs Ward or her bike during the incident, Grey replied: "Only in a vague way."

She added that she had touched the cyclist "lightly".

Grey said she'd told Mrs Ward to "slow down" but claimed she couldn't remember why she'd then shouted the expletive at her.

Grey during her police interview (CPS / SWNS)

Officers questioned why she didn't remain at the scene after Mrs Ward was struck by a car in the road and said she "didn't know" she had to.

Grey's lawyer Miranda Moore KC told the judge prior to sentencing her client risked losing her home if she was jailed.

She said: "She has nobody to support her apart from a friend and no family support at all. She has no financial support at all other than state benefits.

"If she goes to prison today she would lose her home and has no one to store her possessions. She doesn't know what would happen to them."

The judge said Grey's actions were "not explained by disability".

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