Moment woman swears at cyclist, 77, who veered into road and was killed by car
Watch: Moment woman swears at cyclist who veered into road and was killed by car
This is the shocking moment an angry pedestrian swore at an elderly cyclist – who then fell into the road and was killed by an oncoming car.
Auriol Grey, 49, gestured in a "hostile and aggressive way" towards retired midwife Celia Ward, 77, who then veered into the road.
Grey, of Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, has now been jailed for three years after she was convicted of manslaughter.
A video shown to Peterborough Crown Court captured the moment Grey shouted at Ward to "get off the f***ing pavement".
Moments later Ward appears to wobble off the pavement into the carriageway in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, where she is struck by a VW Passat.
The court heard the two women passed each other in opposite directions on the pavement of the town's ring road pavement on 20 October, 2020.
The prosecution claimed Grey was "angered by the presence of a cyclist on a footpath".
Prosecutor Simon Spence KC said Grey shouted at Ward and "gestured in a hostile and aggressive way towards" her, causing her to fall off the bike and into the road where she was hit by an oncoming car.
Jurors heard the vehicle had no chance to stop or take avoiding action and Ward died at the scene.
The court heard Grey left prior to emergency services arriving and went to Sainsbury's where she bought groceries.
In police interview, Grey, who has cerebral palsy, told officers she was partially sighted and described the pedal cycle as travelling "fast" in the centre of the pavement.
She stated she was "anxious that I was going to get hit by it", adding she "may have unintentionally put" out her hand to protect herself.
But after being shown the CCTV footage, interviewing officer Detective Sergeant Mark Dollard asked her why she said what she said, to which she responded: "I don't know."
The court was told police could not "categorically" state whether the pavement was a shared cycleway.
Judge Sean Enright, sentencing Grey to three years in prison, referenced her cerebral palsy, telling her that “these actions are not explained by disability”.
After Grey’s conviction, Detective Sergeant Mark Dollard said: "This is a difficult and tragic case.
"Everyone will have their own views on cyclists, pavements and cycleways but what is clear is Auriol 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 am pleased with the verdict and hope it is a stark reminder to all road users to take care and be considerate to each other.”