by Alex Winter

The family of a little boy knocked down and killed on a pedestrian crossing by a Sainsbury's lorry driver shouted: "He's killed two people in his life and that's all he gets?" as he was jailed.

As reported yesterday, Dean Phoenix, who admitted causing the death of three-year-old Jaiden Mangan by careless driving, was handed a life sentence for the 2003 murder of his wife.

Authorities have not revealed when he was released from prison, but he was still on licence at the time of the fatal road crash last year.

Prosecutors gave few details of the murder Phoenix carried out, but confirmed he was jailed for life in July 2004 following a trial at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court in south-west London.

Phoenix was a lorry driver at the time of the murder. He killed his wife at their home in Hounslow, west London.

The defendant was filmed sarcastically clapping a motorist in the moments before he hit Jaiden. The little boy's family reacted with fury yesterday after Phoenix was jailed for 12 months.

Phoenix, 44, failed to notice the lights on a pedestrian crossing had changed to red to allow Jaiden and his family to cross when the tragedy happened.

He had become frustrated after his delivery lorry was blocked by a car parked illegally on the zig zag lines of the crossing in Wareham.

As he tried to manoeuvre around it, he was seen swearing, gesticulating and sarcastically clapping another driver he thought had stopped to let him through a very tight gap.

In fact the oncoming driver had stopped because of the red light.

At that moment CCTV footage picked up Jaiden riding his balance bike, approaching the crossing with mum Yasmin Dougan and his seven year old sister, Mijah.

As they walked over the crossing Phoenix pulled forwards without seeing them and struck Jaiden.

The youngster died later in hospital from severe chest and abdominal injuries. He would have turned four the next day.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard that Jaiden's father, James Mangan, his grandmother and extended family rushed to the scene before the youngster was taken away by ambulance.

In victim impact statements read out in court, the distraught family told of the harrowing impact seeing him suffer has had on them.

Reading a statement from Miss Dougan, prosecutor Stuart Ellacott said: "My life will never be the same. All I have are memories because of your actions and stupidity.

"He's my baby boy and I miss him so much. When I think of him now all I get is heartache and pain.

"You have taken the joy and happiness away from my life."

Mr Ellacott said that no father should ever have to witness what Mr Mangan did and that he suffers panic attacks and sleepless nights as a result.

Family members still had Jaiden's birthday presents they had never got the chance to give him.

Phoenix denied a charge of causing death by dangerous driving and was found not guilty by a jury following a two-day trial at Bournemouth Crown Court.

Judge Jonathan Fuller said: "The image of Jaiden's body under your vehicle will be engrained on the minds of all who saw it for sometime, if not forever.

"It was a tragic and frightening scene."

He added: "You failed to look properly in various mirrors, had you looked properly this accident would not have happened.

"The responsibility was on you to drive with the care and competence required when you entered a hazardous zone.

"You failed to exercise the degree of judgement, care and attention that was expected of a driver, not least a professional driver, moving forward on a pedestrian crossing."

He sentenced him to 12 months in prison and disqualified him from driving for 18 months from when he leaves prison.

He told him he would not need to retake his driving test as he was an "experienced and competent driver other than this isolated lapse".

Mr Mangan reacted with anger at the length of sentence and stormed out of the court.

More outbursts followed from other members Jaiden's family who left the courtroom in tears and said there was "no justice".

Phoenix, from Chineham, Basingstoke, Hants, said he had made a mistake and he never meant to hurt anyone.

He said: "I couldn't see the traffic lights, I thought they were still green. I hadn't seen anyone approach the lights or push the button. I wasn't expecting anyone to be on the crossing.

"It was an accident, I made a mistake, that's why I pleaded guilty to careless driving."

Paul Rogers, defending, said: "Nothing I can say or he can do can change what happened. My words and his remorse will be hollow substitute for the life lost and hopes and aspirations of Jaiden's family.

"Like everyone present that dreadful day he was and remains shocked and terribly remorseful for what his inattention led to."

Inspector Joe Pardey, of Dorset Police, said: "Phoenix placed his vehicle on a pedestrian crossing, not being able to see the lights and not being able to observe the potential hazards that faced him.

"The lack of a few checks that would have been obvious to a competent and careful driver led to the death of Jaiden.

"No sentence is ever going to replace his (Jaiden's) life.

"I'd like to praise the initial members of the public and emergency services who attended and made the very best efforts they could to save Jaiden's life.

"Our thoughts are with the family and I hope this will bring them one step of closure in this tragic incident."

Graham Booker, who had parked his Vauxhall Astra on the zig zags lines of the crossing, admitted driving without due care and attention and causing a vehicle to stop within the limits of a puffin crossing when he appeared in court last year.

The 71-year-old was fined £265 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a £30 victim surcharge. He was also disqualified from driving for three months.