Woman who caused cyclist’s death loses bid to appeal against sentence

CCTV footage showed Auriol Grey, 49, shout at retired midwife Celia Ward in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
Auriol Grey (Joe Giddens/PA)
PA Wire
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A woman who shouted and waved aggressively at a cyclist, causing her to fall into the path of an oncoming car, has lost a bid to appeal against her three-year sentence for manslaughter.

CCTV footage showed Auriol Grey, 49, shout at retired midwife Celia Ward to “get off the f****** pavement” in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, causing her to fall into the road.

Grandmother Mrs Ward, 77, of Wyton, Cambridgeshire, died after she was struck by a car on October 20 2020. Grey, who has cerebral palsy, denied manslaughter but was found guilty after a retrial at Peterborough Crown Court and was jailed for three years in March.

She launched a bid to overturn the sentence, arguing it was “excessive” and that an autism diagnosis secured after her trial may have made a difference in her case.

But Mr Justice Griffiths, sitting with Lord Justice William Davis and Judge Neil Flewitt, refused to grant permission for Grey to appeal against her sentence, concluding it was “not arguably manifestly excessive”.

At the sentencing hearing in March, Judge Sean Enright said Grey’s actions in the moments before Mrs Ward’s fall “are not explained by disability”.

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

Mrs Ward’s widower, retired RAF pilot David Ward, said the “clip of Celia’s last moments will haunt me forever”.

Auriol Grey court case
PA

“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.

He said that he did this to be closer to family, including their daughter Gillian Hayter.

Ms Hayter told of her mother’s “senseless and needless death lying in the road without those who loved her”.

The driver of the car, Carla Money, who was with her two-year-old daughter at the time, said that her life was “turned upside down” by what happened.

Miranda Moore KC, mitigating for Grey, said she holds the opinion that cyclists should be on the road where the pavements are narrow.

“There was no intention to cause harm or an obvious risk of harm,” she said.

Auriol Grey court case
PA

In a statement released through police after sentencing, Mr Ward said: “After 53 years of happy marriage, Celia was taken from me in a most horrific way, leaving me with 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 humour and outlook on life, and enjoyed each other’s company.

“I miss her terribly.”

Her daughter Gillian added in a statement released through police: “Celia Ward was my mum, mother-in-law to my husband and much-loved grandmother to my son, but most importantly, the love of my father’s life.

“Her untimely death has turned our world on its head and there isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t wish I could pick up the phone to ask her advice, celebrate the special events in our lives or just tell her how much I love her.

“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.”

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