Neil Speakman received a one year sentence after his son Albie was killed on their farm in Bury, Greater Manchester.
Albie was playing in a garden where his dad left him. The garden wasn’t secured, and Albie wandered into the farmyard where Neil Speakman ran him over with a telehandler.
The court cleared Speakman of manslaughter. However, he admitted a health and safety violation and received a one-year prison sentence.
Albie’s mother is Leah Bridge, who dropped him off that day for a weekend visit. She and Speakman were separated, and he pleaded guilty on the trial’s first day. The charge involved Albie’s safety at work.
The judge addressed Speakman in court, stating the tragedy was terrible and emphasizing Speakman’s responsibility. He also stated that the death wasn’t bad luck, but a failure to protect Albie, and that care should have been the priority. He added that with three adults present that day, keeping Albie safe wasn’t difficult.