04 March 2023 , 12:53
822
0
A vulnerable woman jailed for causing the death of an elderly cyclist after swearing and violently gesturing at her risks losing her home.
Auriol Grey is estranged from her family and is said to have just one friend amid reports she led a "sad and lonely" life beset by chronic health problems.
The 49-year-old suffers from cerebral palsy, is partially blind and has cognitive issues.
On Thursday she was sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of the manslaughter of Celia Ward, 77, who she told to "get off the f***ing pavement" before the cyclist fell into the road.
The startled pensioner was subsequently struck by a car and killed during the incident in October 2020 in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
Obsessed mum accused neighbour of running brothel and threatened to kill her
Grey gestured violently and shouted at a cyclist causing her to fall into the road (Cambridgeshire Police / SWNS)
Celia Ward with her husband David (Cambridgeshire Police / SWNS)Grey's lawyer has now warned her client is at risk of losing her home.
Miranda Moore KC said Grey "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."
Grey had lived alone for 17 years in an adapted home in the town, relying on state benefits.
Video grab of the moment Grey confronted cyclist Mrs Ward (Cambridgeshire Police / SWNS)Her ground-floor flat is managed by a charitable trust that helps disabled people to live independently.
Neighbours said she was seen as a "loner" and was often bad tempered.
Winston Ward, who lives opposite Grey told MailOnline: "We have paper thin walls and sometimes I heard her having heated phone conversation with people, telling them to F*** off!
"I never knew who she was talking to but it was on the phone because she never had any visitors."
Mrs Ward fell in front of an oncoming car and was killed (PA)Mr Ward, 60, who is confined to a wheelchair added: "She was a bit of a loner and only had one friend."
He described Grey's daily routine as consisting of going for a walk at 8am, but she would always leave her front door slightly ajar.
'My son's a drug lord - he's threatened to kill me but I still love him'
Another unnamed neighbour added that life for her was "hard" - as it is for all the roughly 20 residents in the block - but "that doesn't mean you can't have a laugh".
A source also told the MailOnline Grey "occasionally" spoke to her mum on the phone.
Grey stood trial at Peterborough Crown Court (PA)Her older sister Genny died two years ago, though it is understood they rarely had any contact.
During her trial at Peterborough Crown Court, Grey's one friend drove her each day.
Ms Moore told Judge Sean Enright ahead of sentencing that her client has "nobody to support her apart from a friend" and has "no financial support" aside from 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," she added.
The judge said her actions were "not explained by disability" as he handed her a three-year prison term.
He added that Grey had no mental disorder or learning difficulties and the pavement was 2.4 metres wide at the relevant point, describing it as a "shared path on the ring road".
He told Grey: "You have not expressed a word about remorse until today in the pre-sentencing notes.
"I accept the explanation from the counsel and that the difficulty you would face in custody and afterwards are considerable."
The defendant was described as "childlike" in a probation report and that she "does not pose an ongoing risk to the community".