A LITTLE boy died in a crash in Wareham after a motorist parked his car on a pedestrian crossing, allegedly causing a lorry driver to drive around it, a court heard yesterday.

Graham Booker, 71, left his Vauxhall Astra on the zig zag lines at the North Street crossing as he moved his possessions into a nearby flat.

The manoeuvre caused a chicane-effect, with oncoming traffic having to pull out and drive around the Astra.

Prosecutors allege that one of those vehicles was a Sainsbury's articulated lorry, which then struck Jaiden Mangan as he used the crossing.

The three-year-old, who was known as JJ, was riding a balance bike alongside his mother Yasmin Dougan and sister at the time.

He died in hospital. The youngster would have turned four the following day.

Booker appeared at Poole Magistrates' Court on Friday to admit traffic offences in relation to the collision on March 29.

Jaiden's family, including Miss Dougan and his father James Mangan, appeared in court for the hearing, during which CCTV footage showing the lead-up to the crash was played.

The video showed Booker crossing into the wrong lane to park on the side of the road closest to his flat, facing oncoming traffic.

The defendant then went into the property while traffic built up behind the Astra.

Jaiden's family wept as they watched the little boy approach the crossing. However, the footage was stopped before the moment of the collision could be shown.

Lee Turner, prosecuting, said the case was "peculiar and unusual".

"The footage shows [Booker] driving a Vauxhall across the road. He stops on the zig zag lines of a pedestrian crossing," Mr Turner said.

"His actions in driving across the road are without due care and attention and him stopping on the zig zag lines is without due care and attention.

"There are obviously good reasons why there are zig zag lines attached to any crossing. They are for the safety of anybody using that crossing.

"The defendant has created those traffic conditions."

Booker, who walks with a stick, had a clean driving record for 54 years.

He had sought permission from the local council to unload his car close to his flat.

The defendant admitted driving without due care and attention and causing a vehicle to stop within the limits of a puffin crossing.

Desmond Reynolds, mitigating, said Booker is "haunted" by what happened.

He said: "This is a terribly tragic case.

"He had been in touch with the council because he knew he was going to have to park because of problems with his hip and leg, and was told he could park on the yellow lines if he only stayed for a short period.

"He thought Wareham would be quiet at that time of the morning.

"In his anxiety to park as close to the flat as possible, he crossed into the opposite lane.

"Mr Booker's second mistake was he travelled too far into the area of the zig zag lines.

"He got out, went into the flat and within a very short period of time this terrible accident occurred.

"It was completely unforeseen by him.

"What happened has haunted him every waking moment since the accident happened."

Booker, of North Street, was fined £265 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a £30 victim surcharge. He was also disqualified from driving for three months.

Speaking after the hearing, Inspector Joe Pardy of Dorset Police said: "Mr Booker's actions led to the tragic circumstances of Jaiden's death.

"The laws exist to protect other road users to ensure the safety of everybody."

Lorry driver Dean Phoenix, 43 and of Chineham, near Basingstoke, also appeared in court via a video link to face charges of causing death by dangerous driving in relation to the collision.

He did not enter a plea and his case was adjourned. He will appear at Bournemouth Crown Court on December 13.