An e-bike cyclist who killed an elderly man while riding on the pavement has been sentenced to 15 months imprisonment suspended for two years for his manslaughter in what is thought to be the first case of its kind in the country.

Clifford Cage was riding an e-bike along City Way in Rochester on 6 July 2023 when he hit 91-year-old James Blackwood, who was crossing the pavement back to his house, after putting rubbish out.

James was taken to the hospital with stomach pains and scans later revealed a small bleed on his brain and damage to his liver. His condition worsened and he passed away on 13 October 2023.

Following his death, multiple injuries were found, including a brain injury, consistent with the time of the collision.

Joe Pullen, Senior Crown Prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “This case, which is a legal first, tragically highlights how exceptionally dangerous it can be to cycle on the pavement and the reason it is illegal.

“James Blackwood went from being fully mobile before the collision to being bedbound and immobile afterwards, eventually resulting in his death.

“Clifford Cage has made it clear that he never intended to cause the victim any harm, but the risk he took in cycling on an e-bike on the pavement should have been obvious to him. 

“Instead, Cage admitted he had never thought about the danger he could pose to others. It was that simple lack of thought that led to James’ death.

“We hope today’s sentencing brings some comfort to James’ family and sends a strong message to everyone about stopping this potentially deadly practice on our footpaths.”