The mum of a tot who was killed after being run over by a tractor has spoken out as her ex-partner is cleared of his death.
Albie Speakman, three, suffered fatal injuries after Neil Speakman, 39, reversed a telehandler into him in Bury, on July 16, 2022.
His heartbroken mother, Leah Bridge, who was in court and visibly upset when the verdict was delivered, said she would be ‘forever broken’, reports the M.E.N.
Ms Bridge, who separated from Mr Speakman shortly after Albie was born, posted on Instagram: “My perfect little sunshine boy, I am so unbelievably sorry. I just can’t comprehend what has happened.
“I will forever remain broken. I will forever remain without you. The world is a very unjust place to live, and I feel numb. Our story will soon be told Albie. I love you endlessly my sunshine boy. Until we meet again, your tiny heart can rest in much more peace than you ever experienced on this earth.”
The tragic incident took place on a yard next to a small garden area at the front of a farmhouse on Bentley Hall Road, Walshaw, where a few minutes earlier the father had left Albie to play with their two pet dogs, the court heard.
While Mr Speakman had used the Kramer telehandler before, he was not officially trained, the trial heard. The machine had various defects, including a missing wing mirror. The prosecution told jurors at the Minshull Street Crown Court trial Albie died ‘as a result of his father’s negligence, which created a serious and obvious risk of death’.
The telehandler was later inspected by health and safety officials, who the court heard found its various defects would have hindered safe operation. Their report concluded it was ‘foreseeable that persons in the vicinity of the vehicle could be injured or killed when the vehicle was working’.
“The operator would have had a restricted view of a person in certain positions near to the rear of the vehicle, more so a person of less than average height,” the inspection report added.
On February 4 jurors found Mr Speakman not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter. He previously pleaded guilty to breaching a section of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Albie would stay at the farm on alternate weekends, and was dropped off by his mum, Leah Bridge, in the morning of July 16, jurors were told.
After discovering he had reversed into Albie, Mr Speakman ran into the house and asked his partner to call an ambulance, the trial heard.
“He said something like, ‘I caught him with the tractor, I got him’,” John Elvidge KC told jurors. “Mr Speakman had Albie in his arms and was in a state of panic.”
On the way to the hospital they flagged down a passing ambulance, where Albie was attended to by paramedics. They were unable to resuscitate him and he was pronounced dead that afternoon at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. A post mortem report showed that he had suffered ‘multiple crush injuries’ to his head, body and legs.
Mr Speakman will be sentenced for breaching a section of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at a later date. A pre-sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 28.