Boy's airport death 'accidental'

Mr Marchment said he had been driving between 5-10mph in the carpark

A motorist has told an inquest how his foot slipped on the accelerator, before a child was hit by his Ford Mondeo in an airport car park.

Rhys Hood, aged three, from Trecastle, Powys, had been with his father, taking his grandparents to Gatwick Airport.

He died, despite efforts to revive him by his father and paramedics.

The coroner Dr David Skipp, recorded a verdict of accidental death. Police have charged Albert Marchment with driving without due care and attention.

Motorist Albert Marchment said: "I put my foot on the brake and my foot slipped and hit the accelerator."

Rhys's father Neil, 27, told the inquest in Sussex, how he had been unpacking luggage when the incident happened.

"I went to the back of the car and started getting suitcases out," Mr Hood told the hearing in Horsham.

"He started climbing over the back seat so I told him to go and speak to his grandfather."

Mr Hood, a builder, said he then heard three women shouting.

"They were shouting to get attention. I saw Rhys and then looked across and I could see the car.

The car then proceeded to run over him. It just kept going Grandfather David Hood

"It seemed to accelerate and then I could see Rhys on the bonnet. I dropped the bags and ran."

Fighting back tears, Mr Hood said he had desperately tried to revive his son.

"I was giving him mouth-to-mouth. His chest was going down and there was air going in but I think that was mine.

"Then the paramedics took over. After trying for a while they put him on a stretcher and carried him to the ambulance."

Rhys's grandfather David Hood, 54, from Hereford, who had been going on holiday to Italy on 22 May with his wife and some friends, told the inquest he saw the car strike the child, who was only around 3ft tall

"It carried him down the car park where he slipped under the front wheel. The car then proceeded to run over him. It just kept going."

The boy was at the airport seeing his grandparents off on holiday

Rhys - who was just days away from his fourth birthday - died from multiple injuries including a fractured skull.

Mr Marchment, from Essex, who was driving the Mondeo, said he spotted Rhys after hearing shouting.

"I looked and I saw the little fellow. He stopped right in front of me.

"I put my foot on the brake and my foot slipped and hit the accelerator."

Mr Marchment said he had been driving his wife's car, and had been going at between five and 10mph.

The inquest heard he was a lorry driver with more than 20 years' experience.

Speaking after the hearing, the spokesman for the family, Alan Hood, said the day's proceedings had been a "trauma".

"We're grateful to all those who have shown their support. "It's going to take a long time to come to terms with this," Mr Hood added.

* Sussex Police confirmed on Thursday that Mr Marchment had been charged with driving without due care and attention.

He has been summonsed to appear before Crawley magistrates on 14 December.