The family of a three-year-old boy who was crushed to death by a runaway trailer lashed out in court after a delivery driver was given community service for killing their son.
Little Freddie Hussey was walking home with his mum after buying a birthday card for his granddad when he was pinned against a wall and a telegraph pole by the 1.7-tonne trailer.
Delivery driver Tony Davies had failed to properly secure the trailer to the back of his Land Rover Defender and it detached from the moving vehicle and rolled towards Freddie.
After travelling around 30 metres the trailer mounted the pavement and crushed the toddler, who died in hospital a short time later..
In an emotionally-charged courtroom at Bristol Crown Court, Freddie's family exploded with anger as Judge Geoffrey Mercer QC' sentenced Davies to 200 hours community service for causing death by careless driving.
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PAFreddie HusseyTragic: Three-year-old Freddie Hussey was crushed to death while walking with his mum
Freddie's dad Scott branded the sentence a "f****** joke", while mum Donna shouted at Davies: "I hope you rot in hell.
"You are scum. He was a beautiful little boy."
The court heard how the tragedy happened on the morning of January 27 last year when the trailer came loose from Davies' Land Rover on Parson Street in Bedminster .
Prosecutor Anna Vigars said Freddie had been walking behind his mum after dropping off his eight-year-old brother Archie at school and going shopping for a birthday card for his granddad.
The trailer travelled around 10 or 12 car lengths before mounting the pavement and hitting Freddie.
A passing lorry driver tried to resuscitate the toddler and paramedics arrived within minutes but the boy died shortly afterwards at Bristol Children's Hospital.
PATony DaviesFree: Driver Tony Davies, 38, leaves Bristol Crown Court after being sentenced to 200 hours' community service
The court heard the tragedy has been attributed to a handbrake lever being in the wrong place, which caused the trailer to come adrift.
At the time of the accident a shocked Davies told a bystander at the scene, 'I think I've killed a little boy'.
He admitted causing death by careless driving at an earlier hearing.
A family statement read outside the court said: "Our son has been taken away from us, and we will never have the opportunity to see Freddie grow and have his own life.
"We’ve been left to pick up the pieces."
Sentencing, Judge Mercer told Davies: "The grief of his parents and those that knew and loved him, the loss to them is beyond words.
