The family of a man killed at work are to sue his boss for "wrecking their lives".

Gary and Anna Speight are seeking damages for 'post-traumatic stress disorder' caused by the death of their son John at work.

The parents claim they and two of their children have suffered sleepless nights, ill health and depression since John was crushed in a fall two years ago.

And they say they will not rest until company boss Roger Jackson is behind bars.

On Friday Jackson was found guilty of Mr Speight's manslaughter at Leeds Crown Court - but was given a suspended prison sentence.

Now the family are to lodge a civil damages claim against Jackson and lobby the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to demand a sentence review.

Mr Speight, of Foldings Avenue, Scholes, said: "It's like losing an arm, we still think about John all the time.

"We visit his grave every time we pass the cemetery and I still can't believe he's gone.

"I'd hoped the trial would help us get over it but we're angryJackson didn't go down - justice hasn't been done."

John, 25, who had learning difficulties, never regained consciousness after falling from a former railway platform trolley lifted by a fork lift truck at Easy Moss Products in Dewsbury.

The trolley crashed down on his chest and he died in hospital five days later in February 1998.

The court heard the trolley was not attached to the fork lift truck and the company's fork lift drivers were untrained.

High Court judge Mr Justice Smedley told Leeds Crown Court the manslaughter sentence had been suspended for the sake of Jackson's family and employees.

Jackson, of Barker Street, Horbury, Wakefield, was also fined £10,000 for lesser charges of failing to ensure the safety of employees and others and was ordered to pay £25,000 of the prosecution legal bill.

Angina sufferer Mrs Speight, 53, who collapsed during the two-week criminal trial suffering high blood pressure, said she regularly woke up believing her son's death had been a dream.

She said: "John was very close to us, it's wrecked our lives.

"I was told by doctors to stay away from the trial but I just had to go.

"We can't believe Jackson didn't go down."

Mr Speight, who is a full-time carer for his wife, said their son Wayne, 25, and daughter Mikala, 31, had changed since the accident.

"Wayne doesn't talk any more, we don't enjoy life.

"My son is in that graveyard for good - we've got a duty to him to fight against this sentence."

Howard Willis, of Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors, said: "We have psychiatric reports which show the family is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

"They have suffered these last two years and they were brave to go to the trial.

"We are pursuing Mr Jackson's insurers and I will be extremely surprised if we can't bring the civil claim to a speedy conclusion."

A spokesman for the CPS said the service had no plans to appeal against Jackson's sentence on the grounds of undue leniency.

She said: "The case was heard by a High Court judge.

"The defendant was fined £10,000 and was told he would be imprisoned for six months if he didn't pay within 28 days."

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