E-Biker Receives Suspended Sentence for Manslaughter

Clifford Cage, a 50-year-old man from Rochester, Kent, has been handed a two-year suspended sentence for manslaughter after killing Jim Blackwood, a 91-year-old great-grandfather. The incident occurred on July 6, 2023, when Cage was riding an electric bike on the pavement and collided with Blackwood as he was taking out his bins in City Way, Rochester.

The court heard that Cage had experienced two near misses with cars on the road before deciding to cycle on the pavement. He told police that he did not see Blackwood stepping out from behind a bush and had no time to stop. The shrub was overgrown, and Blackwood's family had previously complained about it.

Blackwood was taken to hospital but his health deteriorated, and he died three months later on October 13. Despite his age and frailty, it was accepted that he would not have died in the way or manner he did had he not been hit by Cage. Judge Julian Smith said Blackwood had 'suffered significantly' in his final months.

Cage pleaded guilty to manslaughter in October 2023 and expressed genuine remorse for his actions. He stayed at the scene, called 999, and offered to trim the bush himself. The court ordered Cage to complete 15 days of rehabilitative activity and 180 hours of unpaid work.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) believes this is the first case of its kind for a conviction of manslaughter connected to cycling on the pavement. District crown prosecutor Matt Beard said Cage's e-bike was not powerful enough for laws for driving offences, such as death by dangerous driving, to apply in this case.

Blackwood's daughter, Christine White, described the incident as having a 'huge emotional toll' on her and her family. She called for better education about the dangers of e-bikes and mandatory training in schools. The Department for Transport (DfT) also expressed its thoughts with Blackwood's family and emphasized the importance of safety for all road users and pedestrians.

In a voluntary interview, Cage told police that he was not 'peddling mad' on the day of the crash and estimated he had been riding at around 12mph. He also mentioned that he sweeps the pavement at City Way every Wednesday and offered to trim the bush back himself. Blackwood's wife, Hanni, expressed her constant grief for her husband, who served in Malaya and Northern Ireland but was killed outside his front door.

Ms White urged the Government to reconsider the minimum age requirement for e-bikes and stressed that riders without a driver's licence should receive training or a licence to drive the bikes. She also called on 'unsafe cyclists' to think about their journeys and make streets safer for everyone.