A man who collided with a 91-year-old man while riding his e-bike, resulting in the elderly man’s death as he was taking out his bins, has been acquitted by the court.
Clifford Cage struck Jim Blackwood while riding his bike on the pavement on his way to work. Blackwood was hospitalized on the day of the incident, and his health deteriorated over three months until his passing on October 13.
The court acknowledged that Blackwood’s death was a direct result of the collision, leading to Cage, aged 68, being charged with manslaughter, marking a legal precedent according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Today at Maidstone Crown Court, Cage received a 15-month suspended sentence for two years. Following the conclusion of the hearing, Cage and Blackwood’s daughter Christine White shared a hug in the courtroom, as reported by Birmingham Live.
White expressed outside the court that the verdict sets a significant precedent, emphasizing that cyclists must not endanger pedestrians unlawfully. She stressed that illegal actions will face legal consequences.
During a voluntary interview with the police, Cage explained that he rode on the pavement due to previous close calls with cars while on the road. He stated he was cycling at a moderate speed of around 12mph and did not see Blackwood before the collision.
Cage, who called emergency services immediately after the incident, showed genuine remorse. Initially denying manslaughter, he later pleaded guilty in October 2025.
In a court statement, Blackwood’s wife, Hanni Blackwood, lamented the loss of her husband of 72 years, highlighting his military service and the tragic circumstances of his death.
Cage was assigned a 15-day rehabilitation program and 180 hours of unpaid work as part of his sentence. The CPS indicated that this case marks the first manslaughter conviction related to cycling on the pavement, as the e-bike’s specifications did not meet criteria for driving offenses like death by dangerous driving.
The prosecution explained that the case fell between lesser charges under old laws and manslaughter, emphasizing that the decision to pursue manslaughter charges was in the public interest.
