To think today’s article about Auriol Grey paint a very different picture

[HibiscusBlues]

I was sad to see articles today about the woman jailed for the death of a cyclist. At the time of the offence she was living in a home for the disabled. If this is the case my experience is places like that aren’t easily available.
Shes partially blind, has balance problems and cognitive difficulties after a birth injury to the brain. She’s had related brain surgery.
If this is the case, as her family’s appeal stated, then there does seem a disconnect with the judge saying no difficulties that impacted her actions. Accessing supported living yet being deemed able-bodied and cognitively normal by a court.
Obviously the incident was horrendous for the Ward family, and the cyclist need not deserve to die. It’s a sad case. However the handling of the case is starting to sound uncomfortable. What have others thought of the articles today?

Comparing shitty underfunded apples that make a lot of mistakes with shitty underfunded oranges that make a lot of mistakes, yes.

No, I do not automatically trust them, but I would give them more credence than the views of random people on the internet.

This is particularly the case as it’s extremely likely that some of the medical evidence was commissioned on behalf of Auriol Grey, and from an independent medical expert who would not be subject to the same pressures as people who makes assessments regarding the payment of benefits, etc.

The problem with that is it is a bit late, someone has died and someone is in prison and perhaps that could have/should have been avoided if she had the care/support/supervision she needed. Perhaps she didn't need that but due to my own experiences I wouldn't have much confidence in her being assessed properly and given the support she needed. It is unfortunate but when you have witnessed how poor the system can be and how happy the doctors and social workers are to ask someone with significant problems questions like, "Are you eating properly" and just accept what they say while they can see their weight dropping week after week. I mean if you were assessing someone who was telling you that their husband had just risen from the dead would you place any great confidence on the rest of their answers?

I'm normally a person who believes people will do their best, doctors/social workers/ police officers etc but my confidence has been badly dented. I hope not all professionals involved in assessments are as incompetent as the ones treating my relative but I can't help being disillusioned.

Shulk

”The vital point is this: I am sure you knew cyclists used that path and you were not taken by surprise or in fear for your safety.”

There are pavements near us which are absolutely not shared use - one is next to a bus and cycle link! - which I know are frequently used by cyclists, but I am still often taken by surprise when they zoom past me from behind without warning or bomb towards me. Since I injured my leg I can't dodge out of the way the way I used to, but at least I have good vision and some warning of those heading towards me. It sounds like AG didn't.

Well, she clearly saw Celia coming from some distance away, based on the shouting, swearing and gesturing, and was not taken by surprise.

And she didn’t need to get out of the way, she just needed to not assault Celia as she passed.

She did not assault Celia. Celia lost control of her bicycle.

And there’s much the same for disability benefits. But it doesn’t stop the many wrong decisions that have to be addressed by expensive tribunals for claimants to get a fair decision, despite the ‘safeguards supposedly ‘built in’ to the system which are largely ignored.

In no small part due to AG's gesturing and the contact that she herself admitted may have happened. And when you look at the video, the moment of 'possible' contact is quite clearly just before Celia Ward 'lost control of her bicycle'. Funny that...

@Freddie1964 she said she did. Why are you so keen to discredit her when she actually admitted to pushing her? Strange.

Please just ignore that poster.

Yes.

Wow why? I am entitled to my opinion.
Do we all have to sing from the same hymn sheet?
What about Justice for Celia and the poor woman who hit her?

I bet if the person killed were a 20 year old student on an escooter everyone’s tune would be different. Riding a bike on the pavement is just as wrong.

Not you, Freddie.

I expect that had the situation been completely different then people would react differently to it, yes

@xsquared sorry...

That's okay. I should have made myself clearer.

Basically, this poster comes back every now and then, to post something goady and untrue about the sorry saga.

AG said that there might have been light contact. She did not say that she pushed or assaulted CW. I don't think that she was in any way trying to harm CW. The reason that there was micro contact (if there was) was that CW cycled within an inch of AG which is totally out of order and actually aggressive IMO. CW lost control but that was not due to an assault it was due to her recklessness. That is just how I see it sorry.

None of that is of any consequence as the verdict is being neither questioned nor appealed. The basis for the appeal is the length of sentence. Just to save you the effort of posting any more irrelevance.

Don't give him what he wants...

I assume that that it a tactical decision. It is obviously harder and more risky to try to overturn a conviction than it is to change a sentence.

Well you need a demonstrable reason to appeal a conviction, ie something needs to be unsafe about the conviction. Whenever there is something unsafe about it there should be an appeal, that is part of the legal process that everyone should make full use of. The fact that the legal team haven't sought this should tell you something about the conviction.

Anyone can appeal a sentence though, or request a review.

Celia's killer's leave to appeal has been denied.

The Court of Appeal has dismissed the application.

Does she get any more goes or is that it?

The right decision. Thank you for posting.