Father discharged for lorry death

Collier has been serving a three-year community probation order

A man whose two-year-old daughter died when she was crushed by a lorry driven by her 12-year-old brother has been given an absolute discharge.

Gary Collier, 39, who has been serving a three-year community probation order, admitted to Crystal's manslaughter on the grounds of gross negligence.

He let his son start a lorry at a waste disposal yard in Bedfont, west London, in July 2006, the Old Bailey was told.

Judge David Paget said Mr Collier "is not going to commit further offences".

The court heard that Crystal was crushed when Mr Collier, from Laleham, west London, put her down to rush after the vehicle which had started to move with his son, also called Gary, in the driver's seat.

Mr Collier was given a three-year community order in November 2006 on condition that he received treatment from his local mental health team.

Judge Paget accepted a defence application for the community order to be revoked and substituted with an absolute discharge.

He told the Old Bailey: "The whole idea was to help him. He is not going to commit further offences. This was a unique event."

He added that Mr Collier should receive treatment as a voluntary patient to deal with his daughter's death.