Teen e-bike rider dashing and on medication admits killing great-grandmother, 86, as she walked over zebra crossing

A speeding teenage e-bike rider under the influence of drugs has admitted mowing down and killing a great-grandmother as she walked over a zebra crossing.

Billy Stokoe, 19, is now facing a lengthy prison sentence after hitting beloved Gloria Stephenson, 86, while she walked her daughter’s dog.

Witnesses said Stokoe, who had smoked cannabis, was on his mobile phone when he collided with Ms Stephenson, who was described by her family as ‘fit, healthy, active and very independent.’

CCTV footage of the incident showed that Stokoe failed to slow his Sur-Ron Light Bee electronic motorcycle as he approached the zebra crossing in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear on May 26 last year, and fled after colliding with Ms Stephenson.

She was treated at the scene but died of her injuries.

At Newcastle Crown Court today, Stokoe, wearing a dark suit and tie and supported by members of his family, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

He had previously admitted causing death while driving unlicensed and causing death while driving uninsured.

Judge Robert Adams adjourned proceedings for a pre-sentence report and warned Stokoe, who was released on bail, that all sentencing options are available to the court. He will be sentenced in May. 

The maximum sentence for causing death by dangerous driving is life imprisonment.  

Devastated members of Ms Stephenson’s family, who sat in the public gallery, have said her death ‘won’t be the last’ connected to the menace of e-bikes.

Billy Stokoe, 19, has admitted causing the death of Gloria Stephenson, 86, when he collided with her on his electric motorcycle as she walked over a zebra crossing

The teenager, of Sunderland, was said by witnesses to have been speeding and was on his mobile phone at the moment of collision (pictured at an earlier hearing)

Her daughter, who declined to give her name, told the Daily Mail that widow Ms Stephenson still walked 10,000 steps each day at the time of her death and was incredibly active.

She added: ‘Mam wasn’t the first and won’t be the last. It has happened before and it will happen again.

‘We want something positive to come from her death so this does not happen again.’

Ms Stephenson had 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, enjoyed travelling the world and had three holidays booked at the time of her death, her family said.

Her daughter added: ‘She was fiercely independent, vibrant, intelligent and travelled the world. 

‘Her neighbours thought she was in her early seventies. She didn’t look 86.’ 

At an earlier magistrates’ court hearing, prosecutor Chike Anieto said Stokoe was driving the electronic motorcycle at around 2pm when he ‘collided with Gloria Stephenson, an 86-year-old lady, crossing the road on a pedestrian zebra crossing.’

‘It was fatal and led to the death of this lady,’ he added.

‘[The incident] was captured on dash cam footage which shows the defendant did not slow down at the crossing and collided with Gloria Stephenson.

‘The witness evidence in this case is he was speeding and holding a mobile phone.

‘The defendant when interviewed in respect of the case provided no comment.’

It was said that, at the time of his arrest, Stokoe had traces above the legal limit of THC, or Tetrahydrocannabinol, a cannabis compound, in his blood. 

In a statement released shortly after her death, Ms Stephenson’s family said they were ‘devastated at the loss of our vibrant, active, beautiful and intelligent mam, grandma, mother-in-law and great-grandma.’

‘The press described her as an “elderly lady” – however, we want to make absolutely clear that our mam was full of life,’ the statement added.

‘She was active, fit, healthy, and had years left to give her love and share her energy and zest for life with everyone who knew her.’