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A woman jailed for causing the death of an elderly cyclist after gesticulating and insulting her led a ‘sad and lonely’ existence beset by chronic health problems and separated from her family, MailOnline can reveal.
Auriol Grey, 49, is described as having “only one friend” and is “childish” and “vulnerable” as she struggles alone through her challenging life.
Struggling to make ends meet, she also suffers from cerebral palsy, is partially blind and has cognitive problems, which restricts her mobility.
Earlier this week, Gray was sentenced to three years in prison for manslaughter after he made a “hostile and aggressive” gesture at 77-year-old Celia Ward, telling her to “get off the fucking pavement” while riding a car. bike to her in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire in October 2020.
The incident led to Ms Ward turning onto the road before falling on the front of her bike and being struck by a car that failed to stop. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Grey’s KC has now warned that their disabled client is now at risk of losing their home.
Miranda Moore KC said that Gray “has no one to support her other than a friend and no family support.” She has no financial support at all, apart from state benefits.
‘If she goes to prison today, she would lose her home and she has no one to guard her belongings. She doesn’t know what would happen to them.
Auriol Grey, 49, who is said to have “only one friend” and to be “childish”, received a three-year prison sentence after she told Celia Ward, 77, to “get out of the damn pavement.”
In October 2020, Ms. Ward swerved onto the highway and was struck by a car. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following his conviction at Peterborough Crown Court, the full details of Grey’s defiant existence begin to emerge.
Never married and without a partner, she lived alone for the last 17 years in an adapted home in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, where she relied on state benefits for her financial survival.
Its basic ground floor flat is run by a charity that provides homes for disabled people who want to live independently. Gray is one of around 20 residents who live in the purpose-built block.
Neighbors revealed that she was known to have a short temper, was viewed as a “loner”, and was often heard screaming and swearing inside her apartment.
Winston Ward, who lives opposite Grey, told MailOnline: ‘We have paper-thin walls and sometimes I overheard her having a heated phone conversation with people, telling them to fuck off!
“I never knew who he was talking to, but it was on the phone because he never had visitors.”
Earlier this week, Grey, pictured, was convicted of manslaughter after he gestured “hostile and aggressive” to Celia to get her off the pavement.
The footage captured the moment Ms Ward fell on the front of her bike and was struck by a car that failed to stop.
Mr Ward, 60, who is confined to a wheelchair, added: “She was a bit lonely and only had one friend.”
“I had a daily routine and always left the house for a walk around 8 in the morning. He walked with a broken leg for support and, although he had mobility issues, he enjoyed walking.
“She lived here for at least 17 years and cooked and took care of herself, but she had support workers to help her.
He always has the front door half ajar.
Another neighbor added: ‘Life was difficult for her, but it is also difficult for all of us here, as we all have some form of disability. But that doesn’t mean you can’t laugh and be nice.
“I always saw her, but we never spoke because it was obvious that she was not interested. She was sad and lonely, she had little help and she didn’t want to do anything about it. No one ever visited her and I never saw her with any friends.
Grey, a former student at Norfolk Convent, is almost entirely cut off from her family and barely speaks to her mother, who sources say “has no interest in her daughter.”
A source said: “They never see each other but do occasionally talk on the phone.”
Her sister Genny, seven years older, died two years ago, but even before that, the two rarely had contact.
Scene of fatal accident: A one-way street off Nursery Road, a seven-minute walk from Auriol’s house. He was walking down the sidewalk toward nearby stores when he confronted the retired cyclist.
Genny lived in a luxurious £2 million house in Chiswick, west London, with her partner and their three children, and had little to do with her younger brother.
A family source said: ‘They didn’t have much in common and led very different lives. Auriol led a very lonely life that made her very grumpy and made things difficult for her.
“It was all a big challenge because she was getting by on her own and she didn’t have a support network.”
During her trial, Gray was accompanied to court by her only friend who drove her to Peterborough every day.
Before sentencing, her lawyer Miranda Moore KC told Judge Sean Enright: “She has no one to support her other than a friend and no family support. She has no financial support at all, apart from state benefits.
‘If she goes to prison today, she would lose her home and she has no one to guard her belongings. She doesn’t know what would happen to them.
But the judge said his actions “cannot be explained by the disability” and sentenced him to three years in prison.
He added that Grey, from Huntingdon, did not have any mental disorders or learning difficulties and that the pavement was 2.4 meters wide at the relevant point, describing it as a “shared path on the ring road”.
Judge Enright recognized Gray’s partial blindness, cognitive and mobility problems, and cerebral palsy. But he added: ‘It doesn’t reduce your understanding of right or wrong.
Auriol Gray arriving at Peterborough Crown Court, Cambridgeshire, earlier this week for sentencing in the manslaughter of Mrs Ward
During her trial, Gray was accompanied to court by her only friend who drove her to Peterborough every day.
‘You have not expressed a word of remorse until today in the pre-sentence notes. I accept the lawyer’s explanation and that the difficulties you will face in custody and after are considerable.
A report by probation officers produced in court also highlighted Ms Grey’s vulnerability and stressed that she had trouble expressing her emotions due to her mental state.
Gray was described as ‘childish’, and the probation officer’s opinion was that she ‘does not pose a continuing risk to the community’.
The report said that while she couldn’t articulate emotions, she could write them down.
Ms Moore said: “That is her way of communicating the anguish, remorse and empathy she feels for all the people involved and she showed these notes to the officer.”
“She doesn’t express emotions like you or I might, but the probation officer was able to be made aware of them and the recognition of the devastating impact her actions have had on everyone.”
Based on the difficult circumstances of her life and health, Ms Grey’s lawyers plan to appeal the three-year prison sentence, which has been called “unfairly harsh” by disability advocates.
Fazilet Hadi, policy director at Disability Rights UK, told MailOnline: “This was a truly tragic incident, where Celia lost her life, and I feel sadness and sympathy for all involved.” The sentence given to Auriol does seem extremely harsh.
‘With the number of cyclists increasing, we need proper separation of pedestrians, cyclists and cars, so we can all protect each other. The government and municipalities should review the guidelines to ensure safe streets.’