In October 2020, a tragic incident in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire led to the death of retired midwife Celia Ward after an interaction with Auriol Grey, a pedestrian with cerebral palsy and partial blindness. CCTV footage captured Grey shouting at Ward, who was cycling on the pavement, causing her to fall into the road and subsequently be struck by a car.

Grey was originally convicted of manslaughter in March 2023 and sentenced to three years in prison. However, on appeal, her conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal in London. The panel of three judges, including Dame Victoria Sharp, Mrs Justice Yip, and Mrs Justice Farbey, ruled the prosecution’s case against Grey insufficient and declared her conviction “unsafe”.

The court noted that during the trial, it was not clearly established what fundamental offence Grey had committed, with the jury not being asked to determine if a base offence, such as common assault, had been proven. The decision not to charge Grey with a specific base offence led to her initial conviction being overturned, and the requested retrial by the prosecution was denied.

The incident has drawn attention to issues regarding pedestrian and cyclist safety, particularly the absence of a designated cycle path which might have prevented the incident. Following the ruling, Grey’s legal representatives stressed the impact of wrongful prosecutions and convictions on all parties involved. Grey’s family sought privacy and highlighted the challenges she faces in rebuilding her life after the ordeal.