Pedestrian jailed for manslaughter of cyclist fears she will be bullied in prison, friend claims

Auriol Grey fears she will be taunted for her disability, friend claims

A pedestrian who shouted and waved her arm aggressively at a cyclist, causing her to fall into the path of an oncoming car, is afraid she will be bullied by inmates in prison, her friend has revealed.

Auriol Grey, 49, shouted at retired midwife Celia Ward to “get off the f****** pavement” in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. It caused the 77-year-old grandmother to fall into the road, where she was fatally struck by a car.

Grey denied manslaughter but was found guilty after a retrial at Peterborough Crown Court and was jailed for three years.

A friend of Ms Grey, who has cerebral palsy, has now spoken out about her fears of being bullied in jail.

The friend, who asked to remain anonymous, told the MailOnline that she is “dreading” going to prison.

He said: “She is in the medical unit at a holding jail but is worried that when she starts mixing with the other female prisoners or is moved elsewhere she will be the victim of bullying which has happened her whole life.

“She is a good person, a lovely person and is very remorseful for what happened but because of her disability people are not very nice to her. They are horrible.”

Auriol Grey shouted and waved her arm aggressively at retired midwife Celia Ward (PA)

Ms Ward, of Wyton, Cambridgeshire, died from her injuries after being struck by the car on 20 October 2020.

Judge Sean Enright, sentencing Grey on Thursday, said: “These actions are not explained by disability.”

He said that Grey, of Huntingdon, had no mental disorder or learning difficulties, and that the pavement was 2.4m wide at the relevant point, describing it as a “shared path on the ring road”.

Celia Ward died after falling from her bike into the path of an oncoming vehicle in Huntingdon (PA)

Ms Ward’s widower, retired RAF pilot David Ward, said in a statement read to the court by prosecutor Simon Spence KC that the “clip of Celia’s last moments will haunt me forever”.

“Rarely a day goes by without thinking of her and our happy life together but I can so easily burst into tears, as I have on so many occasions,” he said.

He said they met in 1965 and in their retirement enjoyed playing golf and seeing the world on cruise holidays.

“I miss her terribly and after a year and a half on my own felt the need to sell our house of 34 years, and relocated to a retirement village near Romsey (in Hampshire),” he said.

Detective Sergeant Mark Dollard, who investigated, said: “This is a difficult and tragic case.

“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 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.

“I want to take the time to acknowledge Celia’s family and thank them for their patience and dignity throughout the entirety of the investigation and trial.”