A farmer who killed his three-year-old son when he reversed a defective vehicle into him has been jailed.

Albie Speakman suffered catastrophic injuries when he was struck by a telehandler driven by Neil Speakman on their family farm in Bury, Greater Manchester, on 16 July 2022.

Albie had been left by his dad playing in an unsecured garden at the front of the farmhouse on Bentley Hall Road in Walshaw, before entering the yard.

Speakman, 39, was cleared of gross negligence manslaughter earlier this month, but has been given a one-year jail term after pleading guilty to a health and safety offence.

The trial heard Albie’s mother, Leah Bridge, had dropped off her son at the farm earlier that day for a regular weekend visit with Speakman who she had separated from shortly after Albie’s birth.

On the first day of his trial, Speakman pleaded guilty to an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act in failing to ensure, so far as reasonably practical, the health and safety of Albie.

A tearful Ms Bridge read out her victim personal statement from the witness box of the court as Speakman looked on from the dock.

She described how her “world has been shattered into a million irreparable pieces”.

“There are absolutely no words to describe how I’m feeling – pain, sadness, heartbreak, they don’t even come close,” she said.

“There are still so many questions that will forever remain unanswered. Why you? Did you suffer? How could someone think that little of you that they would risk your life?

“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.”

The court heard Speakman had numerous previous convictions for unrelated offences involving violence and public order, and had previously received two suspended jail terms, including one for dangerous driving in 2009.

Jailing Speakman at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, Mr Justice Bourne told him: “To state the obvious it was a terrible tragedy for the child, for you and for Ms Bridge and the other family members.

“You have got to face up to the responsibility of that.”

The judge said what happened was “not bad luck”, it was “an entire failure to look after Albie and keep him safe”.

“It was not appropriate for you to work. Caring came first,” he added.

“There were three adults at the farm that day so there was nothing difficult in keeping him safe.”

Following sentencing, Health and Safety Executive inspector Mike Lisle said Albie’s death could “easily have been avoided”.

“Our guidance clearly states children should be kept away from farming activities and work traffic, remaining in a safe space such as a securely fenced play area,” he said.