A teenage e-bike rider who was under the influence of cannabis when he struck and killed an 86-year-old woman on a zebra crossing has been sentenced to six years and nine months in prison. Billy Stokoe, 19, was riding an illegal and defective Sur-Ron e-bike when he crashed into Gloria Stephenson in Sunderland on 16 May 2025.
Fatal Collision and Flight
Newcastle Crown Court heard that Stokoe held his mobile phone in his left hand, despite the left-sided brake being the only functioning one, and rode for half a mile in that manner. Dashcam footage showed he did not slow down or attempt to avoid Mrs Stephenson, who was walking her daughter's dog and aiming to complete her daily 10,000 steps. After being thrown from the bike, Stokoe did not stop to help. Instead, he rode off to change his clothes and hide the bike at a friend's house before handing himself in at a police station just over an hour later.
Court Proceedings and Victim Impact
Stokoe pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was also disqualified from driving for more than eight years. Judge Robert Adams noted that Mrs Stephenson was a vulnerable road user on a pedestrian crossing who had waited for traffic to stop. She was a mother of four, with 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, and had managed domestic services for a local health authority. She died at the scene from a severe leg injury and cardiac arrest.
One of her daughters, Lisa Tench, addressed Stokoe in court, stating, “You, on your illegal, defective bike. You, speeding. You, on your phone. You, under the influence of cannabis. Mam didn’t stand a chance. You hit her with such ferocity that you catapulted her feet away from the crossing inflicting those horrific injuries on her and injuring my dog. You drove off and left her there to die.”
Eldest daughter Julie Francis added, “Our Mam was fit and healthy, with years left to live a full and active life. She had a zest for life that did not fade or diminish with age, she was vital and vivacious until the day you killed her.”
Legal and Psychological Factors
The family was angered by Stokoe's application in 2025 to vary his bail conditions to attend a football match and go on holiday, though he did not attend the match. They believed he showed no remorse, but Judge Adams noted evidence of regret. Prosecutor Michael Bunch explained that the uninsured e-bike was not street legal and had no brake on the right-hand side. An expert found it would have been obvious to a careful rider that the bike was unsafe for public roads.
Defence lawyer Helen Towers said Stokoe was remorseful, stating, “I will forever be sorry and I don’t expect to ever be forgiven. I wish more than anything that I could change it all.” A psychological assessment revealed Stokoe had an IQ of 66 and ADHD. He continued to smoke cannabis after the collision to help with sleep and flashbacks.
Police Appeal
Outside court, Superintendent Billy Mulligan urged the public to report dangerous e-bike riders, saying, “Billy Stokoe wasn’t known to us, but I guarantee people knew that he was riding a bike in that manner and the plea from us to the public is, ‘Let us know so we can do something about it’.” He insisted police will take action against the menace of young men on e-bikes and that the perception of non-pursuit is false.
