Watch daughters label teen who killed their mother a "coward" after he fled collision scene on illegal e-bike
“He ran off and left her like she was nothing”
The heartbroken daughters of a woman killed by an e-bike rider as she walked across a zebra crossing say he left their mother to die “like she was a piece of rubbish in the gutter”.
Much-loved mother and grandmother Gloria Stephenson, 86, was killed by 19-year-old Billy Stokoe while walking her daughter’s dog at in Burdon Road, Sunderland, on May 16 last year.
In February this year, Stokoe admitted causing death by driving an unregistered electric motorcycle dangerously.
He also admitted causing death while driving with no licence or insurance.
Today (May 15) he returned to Newcastle Crown Court where he was sentenced to six years and nine months in jail.
Speaking to ITV in a pooled media interview about the moments caught on dashcam footage immediately after the collision, Gloria’s daughter Julie Francis said: “You can clearly see he was panicking about what he had done, but he got on his bike and rode away. He ran off and left her like she was nothing.
“He’s a coward who thought about himself and left her to die like she was a piece of rubbish in the gutter.”
Julie’s sister, Janine Murphy, added: “When I got the call about what had happened to mam, I was just in shock and disbelief. You don’t expect your mother to go for a walk on her daily routine and for her to never come back and to be killed in such a brutal way.
“It has been a nightmare. It’s like something you see on the television, but you don’t think it’s going to happen to your family.”
No Remorse
The sisters say Stokoe has shown no remorse, and say he even tried to apply for changes in his bail conditions to enable him to go on a pre-booked holiday and to go to Sunderland AFC’s play-off final against Sheffield United at Wembley.
Julie said: “We had to go to crown court three times before he admitted his guilt, which I think is disgusting. It was traumatic for us, but it’s also a waste of police time and public money.
“This young man has shown no remorse and that just adds to our trauma and anger. He has never said sorry to us for what he has done. He’s probably sorry now because his life is going to change.”
Janine added: “As we were burying our mother, this young man was asking about being able to still go on a holiday he had booked. He felt he should still be able to go on holiday, even though he had killed someone.”
Something needs to be done to tackle the menace of illegal E-bikes
Ahead of Stokoe’s sentencing, Superintendent Billy Mulligan, who led the investigation, spoke of a recent rise in “kids riding these bikes in balaclavas” and the “massive risk” posed to the riders and wider public.
Julie and Janine said they decided to speak publicly about the effect of their mother’s death on the family in the hope it would lead to stricter legislation regarding the purchase of E-bikes, and greater enforcement of the law to get them off the streets.
The only place the Sur-Ron bike ridden by Stokoe could be legally used at the time of the collision was on private land.
Julie said: “Everyone knows these e-bikes are a menace and the law needs to be changed to make it easier to get them off the roads.
“Something needs to be done. They’re a danger that make you feel unsafe and they shouldn’t be on the roads.”
Janine added: “As soon as I see one of these illegal e-bikes, it brings it all back what happened to mam. You can’t go on the roads high on drugs, speeding, and on your phone and not think an accident is going to happen. It’s inevitable someone will get killed.”
The sisters have also called on parents to take greater responsibility.
Julie said: “Billy Stokoe lived at home with his mother who should have said ‘no, you’re not getting one of these bikes’.
“It’s really important parents realise the potential consequences.
“Neighbours who see kids going out on these bikes need to call the police. As a society, we need to step up and do something.”
Janine added: “You go to cycle shops now and it’s all these e-bikes. People are no longer buying regular bikes for their children.”
• Any images and photographs used in this story have been provided with the blessing and permission of Mrs Stephenson’s family.