Albie Speakman died on 16 July 2022 after he was run over by a telehandler that was being driven by his father Neil Speakman.
Speakman was using the telehandler to move woodchip into bags while Albie was left playing in a small unfenced garden at the front of the house on Bentley Hall Farm.
The three-year-old then wandered onto the farm yard and was fatally struck by the telehandler as it was being reversed.
A subsequent joint investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Greater Manchester Police found that Speakman had failed to ensure his son was kept safe from work activities on the family farm in Bury and had not create a segregated area for him to play in.
Meanwhile, the investigation revealed that Speakman had borrowed the telehandler from a neighbour, and while he had previously used the vehicle, he was not appropriately trained and had not properly considered the risks involved with using it.
The telehandler was also missing a wing mirror on the passenger’s side, while the wing mirror on the driver’s side was dirty reducing Speakman’s visibility as he operated the vehicle.
Speakman pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 after being charged by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
He was then handed a 12-month prison sentence and ordered to pay £2,000 in costs at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on 28 February 2025. He must serve at least six months in prison.
“This tragedy could easily have been avoided if our guidance was followed,” said HSE inspector Mike Lisle.
“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.
“Farms are workplaces, but often have a farm house within the grounds. This makes the provision of safe areas for children even more important.”
Following a trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, Speakman was found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter in February 2025. This charge was brought by the CPS following a Greater Manchester Police investigation.
