A disabled pedestrian who was jailed for causing the death of a cyclist on a pavement has been released on unconditional bail after winning the right to challenge her manslaughter conviction.
Auriol Gray is “thrilled” to be back home and was greeted with “big hugs” from supportive neighbors and after shopping at a supermarket.
She was sentenced to three years in prison in March last year for aggressively greeting a retired midwife who fell into the path of an oncoming car, killing her .
Polite and well-spoken Gray confirmed to MailOnline today that she was now back home, but refused to say how she felt or answer any questions, simply saying: ‘No comment.’
Her close friend Roman Ramsay, who collected her from prison, said: “We are very happy to have Auriol home and it is very nice to see her again. She should never have been in prison in the first place.
Auriol Gray (pictured) was jailed for three years in March last year for aggressively greeting a retired midwife who then fell into the path of an oncoming car, causing her killed.
Gray shouted “Get off the sidewalk” as a retired midwife approached her on the sidewalk.
CCTV footage showed Ms Ward falling onto the road moments before being hit by a car.
He added: “She is happy to be released on bail.”
Another friend and neighbor, Robert Reed, told our website: “She was released on bail and left prison last night.
“I welcomed her home and we had a quick hug before she went off to the Aldi store to buy some trinkets.
“A friend of ours picked her up from prison and we are all very happy to have her back. She is in good spirits and is delighted to be home.
She had spent a year behind bars at HMP Peterborough.
Gray returned to her adapted flat in a gated complex in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, owned and maintained by the Papworth Trust, which had been “cleaned wonderfully” by her neighbors.
Mr Ramsey said Grey, now 50, was also “happy and relieved” that her name would be cleared if her appeal was successful, and had told her friends: “I’m not a killer!”
Speaking after three Court of Appeal judges this week gave him the green light to challenge his conviction, he said: “Auriol was very upset at having been jailed in the first place.”
The retired stonemason, 78, who regularly visited her in prison and last saw her inside on Saturday, said: “Her friends, family and neighbors all thought that t was completely ridiculous that she was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to prison.
“She did too and always maintained that she was not a killer.”
A spokesperson for the Office of Criminal Appeal told MaiOnline: “Auriol Gray has been granted unconditional bail pending his appeal against his conviction.
“She was released. The appeal is expected to be listed for hearing in May 2024.”
Grey, who suffers from cerebral palsy and partial blindness, denied manslaughter but was found guilty after a retrial.
She lost the appeal against her conviction in May last year, but has since brought in new lawyers who took her case to the Court of Appeal in London.
Mr Ramsey said: “She feared she would lose her flat after being given a three-year sentence, but luckily it was not taken away from her.
“She was looking forward to coming home.
“In anticipation, we prepared it for her, it was cleaned and it shines!
“She has many friends and neighbors here who care about her and will take care of her, and we will all give her a very warm welcome.”
“She also has caregivers who help her.”
Gray repeatedly told police she “didn’t remember” the details of the incident which led to Ms Ward’s death.
Gray left the scene of the collision before emergency services arrived and went to a local supermarket.
CCTV footage showed Celia Ward (pictured with her husband David) staggering down the road in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, where she was hit by a VW Passat.
He added: “She is pleased with the appeal hearing and that her conviction may be overturned.
“She just wants to get on with her life.
“She did not attend the hearing but was allowed to watch the proceedings via video link from the governor’s office at HMP Peterborough.”
Gray has few surviving family members – his mother Verna Grey, 87, from Sudbury, Suffolk, is not in “the best of health” and has rarely been able to visit him in prison.
She has a businessman brother-in-law living in Chiswick, west London.
Both his father and sister are deceased.
Gray was filmed on CCTV gesticulating towards grandmother Celia Ward, 77, while shouting at her to “get off the f***ing curb” in Huntingdon in October 2020.
A spokesperson for the Criminal Appeal Office said: “This case was heard on Tuesday and the application for leave to appeal the conviction was granted.
“A further hearing date will be set in due course for the final outcome of the appeal.
“The court granted liberty to the appellant’s counsel to file an application for bail.”
Ben Rose, of lawyers at Hickman & Rose, who represents Grey, said: “Auriol Gray is an autistic, disabled and visually impaired person.
“In a case like this, the prosecution is required to prove to the jury that they intended to cause harm to Ms Ward, or that they feared harm.
“We say that did not happen and therefore we will ask the Court of Appeal, when the case is heard in May, to overturn Ms Grey’s conviction.”
Mr Ramsey told how Gray appeared in “good spirits” every time he visited him – and before he was released yesterday.
He said: “She’s been inside for a year and everything is fine, considering. She is well cared for in a special wing due to her needs, she just keeps her head down and doesn’t cause any problems.
“She is a brilliant and highly educated woman and instead of going crazy inside, she put her mind to good use.
“She’s always reading and doing quizzes and even learning advanced math from another inmate.
“She is very knowledgeable and people there are amazed by what she knows.
“But she can’t wait to get out of prison and get on with her life.”
“She feels she has been wronged.”