A father who accidentally killed his three-year-old son after reversing over him with farm equipment has been jailed.
Neil Speakman, 39, was sentenced to a year in prison after his son Albie suffered catastrophic injuries when he was hit with a Kramer telecaster while playing with dogs on their family farm in Bury in July 2022.
The court had previously heard how Speakman had been piloting the telecaster despite not being officially trained to use it. Further investigation found the vehicle had several defects, including a missing wing mirror.
Prosecutors claimed Albie died ‘as a result of his father’s negligence which created a serious and obvious risk of death’.
Albie Speakman, three, suffered fatal injuries after dad Neil reversed a telehandler into him in Bury, on July 16, 2022 (Picture: MEN Media)
Speakman was cleared of gross negligence manslaughter by a jury during a previous hearing, and pumped his fists in court following the verdict.
During a police interview, Speakman said Albie ‘knew not to go near anything’ on the farm because he wasn’t a ‘r****d’.
He told officers: ‘He knew, he weren’t f****** stupid… it’s a farm isn’t it? It’s not a f****** playground and Albie knew it weren’t, he knew his boundaries. He knew where he could go and where he couldn’t go.’
Speakman later told the jury he ‘checked profusely’ for blind spots and did not see his son.
He told the court: ‘I looked over both shoulders a number of times, I have gone fully round, 180 degrees. If I thought Albie was even an inch into that yard I would never have moved that vehicle. If I thought for one second he was not on that grass I would not even have moved that stupid thing.’
‘It was a tragic accident. I made a mistake,’ he added.
On Friday, the court heard a victim impact statement from Albie’s mother which said: ‘It’s been two and a half years since Albie was taken from us, and believe me when I say, it does not get any easier.
Mum Leah Bridge said the pain ‘never gets easier’ (Picture: Men Media)
‘It’s like no one can see how broken I am and how broken my life is, forever. Before Albie was killed – I have never thought about death, but now it’s all I think about, and I am not scared of dying anymore.
‘To everyone that hears this – Albie is just a name, but to me Albie was my reason to live, Albie was the voice who said “mummy, I love you”, Albie was the person I shared my life with, Albie is a brother, a grandson, a friend at nursery.
‘Albie is everything to me and now he is not here because of someone else’s actions. Albie, you are my everything boy and I am your everything girl. The only thing that keeps me going is thinking that every new day is one day closer to me seeing you again. I love you endlessly, my sunshine boy.’
Sentencing him to a year in prison, Judge Justice Bourne KC told Speakman: ‘This was a terrible tragedy for the child, for you, for Ms bridge and for the rest of the family. She had the courage and dignity to ready her heart-rending statement.
Speakman was riding a telecaster when the accident occurred (Picture: Getty)
‘Mr Speakman, you have got to face up to the responsibility that what happened was not bad luck. It was an entire failure to look after Albie and keep him safe.
‘You were the person caring for him and it wasn’t necessary for you to work. There was nothing difficult about keeping Albie safe.’
He added: ‘In my judgement the risk on July 16 was created by a combination of factors. Albie was in your care whilst you were working on telehandler instead looking after him.
‘In mitigation, the loss of Albie has had, and always will have, a profound impact on you. I give weight to that. You have taken steps to make farms a much safer place for your family.
‘Appropriate punishment can only be served by immediate custody. Safety was not ensured that day.’
As he was led away to the cells, Speakman could be heard muttering ‘F***ing S***e’.
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