Rider jailed in hit-and-run Sunderland collision

Last year, shortly before 1pm on Friday, May 16, police were alerted to a collision involving a female pedestrian and an electric motorcycle on the B1286 Burdon Road in Sunderland, near to Lidcombe Close.

Gloria Stephenson was out walking her daughter’s dog and using the crossing when she was struck by the rider of a black off-road Sur-Ron Light Bee X electric motorcycle, travelling southbound.

Emergency services were swiftly deployed where 86-year-old Gloria from the Silksworth area tragically passed away at the scene.

An investigation was immediately launched by the Force’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, with a public appeal shared in the aftermath for CCTV, dashcam and witnesses.

Billy Stokoe, who was 18 at the time, handed himself in at Southwick Police Station less than two hours after leaving Gloria with unsurvivable injuries in the road.

Dashcam footage captured the moment he collided with her at speed, before retrieving his bike and mobile phone and fleeing the scene.

CCTV and bus cameras captured his dangerous riding in the run up to the incident, showing Stokoe holding his phone instead of the brake on his handlebars.

Stokoe then went on to hide the bike in question – which was not road legal or registered – at a friend’s house and conceal the clothing he was wearing.

He was arrested and later charged with a string of offences, including causing Gloria’s death by dangerous driving, and the bike was recovered.

Stokoe, now 19, of Sunderland, appeared before Newcastle Crown Court in February where he pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving a vehicle while unlicensed, and causing death by driving a vehicle while uninsured.

Today (Friday), he appeared before the same court where he also admitted causing death by driving without due care/consideration while over specified limit for THC.

A judge sentenced him to six years and nine months in prison, with half to be served in youth detention, and handed him a driving ban of eight years, four months and two weeks, with requirements to sit an extended test in the future.

In victim impact statements read out at the hearing, two of Gloria’s daughters spoke of her family’s pain in losing “a beautiful woman” who “had a zest for life”.

Her eldest, Julie, spoke of how Gloria had navigated hardships in her life, such as being widowed three times and losing a baby at full-term.

She said: “Our Mam suffered great tragedy throughout her life and many of us would have crumbled under the weight of such grief. But not our Mam, she was a resilient and courageous woman.

“The press described her as an “elderly lady”, but this description is totally inaccurate. Our Mam was fit and healthy, with years left to live a full and active life.”

Known as “Glamorous Gloria”, Julie added that “she had a zest for life that did not fade or diminish with age”.

She spoke of the milestones Gloria will miss and how Stokoe “drove off and left our beautiful, clever, courageous Mam to die at the side of the road like she was piece of rubbish in the gutter.”

She said: “Our grief and anger, our righteous anger, is overwhelming. And this anger has been compounded by your total lack of remorse.”

Lisa, spoke of “the horror” she faced after seeing her Gloria in the immediate aftermath which she “relives” at that crossing and “in her nightmares”.

Addressing Stokoe, said: “Friday the 16th of May 2025. The day you killed our Mam. Mam put her trainers on to take my dog for a walk, a walk she would never return home from.

“Mam walked down to the zebra crossing on Burdon Road thinking that it was the sensible thing to do. It would have been, had she not encountered you on that day.”

She added: “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.

“Mam was fit, active and fiercely independent. She did not deserve to die when she did. It was not her time. Mam should have died peacefully in her bed surrounded by her family but because of you, she instead succumbed to a horrifically violent death suffering from unimaginable physical and emotional pain.”

Sergeant Greg Huntley, of the Force’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Above all else, I would like to praise Gloria’s many loved ones for the composure and patience they have shown throughout these proceedings.

“They have suffered a devastating loss in their close-knit family and have sat in court today as they approach one-year without her.

“Having learned more about Gloria, it is clear to me she had years left to enjoy her life to the fullest, and tragically this has been snatched away by Stokoe.”

Sgt Huntley added: “Thanks to the overwhelming support of the wider community, we were quickly able to piece together his movements which show him riding recklessly around Sunderland before and after killing Gloria.

“He was on an electric motorcycle which cannot be used legally on public roads – while wearing a balaclava and playing on his phone.

“It’s clear to me just how little regard Stokoe had for the law and the other people and vehicles around him, even having cannabis in his system at the time.

“While no outcome at court will ever take away the pain of what has happened, I hope the fact that Stokoe is now behind bars offers some form of closure.

“We carry out activity year-round to crackdown on anti-social and dangerous drivers and deploy specialist tactics to target those on electric motorbikes and scooters.

“This case should be a stark reminder to the public around the risks such vehicles pose, especially when operated by children and teenagers illegally.”