“WITNESSING Kaden smashed into the floor by the barrier, and the aftermath, is something I will still see until my dying day.”

That was the harrowing message from the mother of Kaden Reddick, the ten-year-old boy who died after an unstable barrier fell on top of him at Reading’s Topshop store in February 2017.

She was speaking outside Reading Crown Court just moments after a jury found Topshop Ltd and its parent company Arcadia guilty of health and safety breaches in relation to the Burghfield boy’s death.

The verdicts came after 20 hours and 29 minutes of deliberations and also resulted in Realm Projects Ltd, the company that designed the barriers, being cleared of wrongdoing following the ten-week trial.

READ MORE: Two companies found guilty of safety breaches in relation to boy's Topshop death

Stoneforce Ltd, the company that installed the 110-kg barrier that fell on Kaden, had already pleaded guilty to safety breaches before the trial started in January.

Speaking after the verdicts came in on Monday, March 21, Kaden’s mother Lisa Mallett said: “It is now more than 5 years since our son Kaden was killed in Topshop at The Oracle in Reading. Kaden was killed in a place that should have been safe, in front of my mum, myself and my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter.

“Witnessing Kaden smashed into the floor by the barrier, and the aftermath is something I will still see until my dying day.

“Kaden was such a loving cheeky little boy. His life was only beginning, and he had so many things to look forward to. All of that was taken away from him, from his family and his friends.

“As a family, we have sat through an Inquest and heard all the companies involved blame someone else. We are now happy that Stoneforce has taken responsibility for its part and pleaded guilty.

“Despite having sat through an almost 10-week trial, the questions we have sadly remain unanswered. We’ve listened to all the evidence. It is clear to us that Kaden’s death should have been prevented. As a family, we should have celebrated his 16th Birthday on March 8th.

“A lot of witnesses in court have used the words ‘should have’ and ‘expected to’. All we can say is that I ‘expected to’ and ‘should have’ walked out of Topshop that day with Kaden walking next to me. Instead, Kaden was killed.

READ MORE: Barrier that killed boy held in by just two screws, court hears

“As a family, we would like to thank Thames Valley Police, Reading Borough Council and everyone else who have been involved in this lengthy process and we are happy that after 5 years, Topshop and Arcadia have finally been held accountable.”

Kaden, from Burghfield, had been in the store with his mother, grandmother and two siblings after a family trip to the cinema when the incident occurred.

He had been spotted swinging on the store’s queue barrier just minutes before it toppled on top of him, hitting him on the head.

At the start of the trial, Reading Crown Court heard how the barrier was secured by only two narrow screws that were ‘more suitable for hanging a picture’.

His death came just six days after a similar incident in a Glasgow Topshop store where a barrier fell on a young girl and fractured her skull.

Topshop did begin to investigate the safety of the barriers after this incident, but their probe did not have the ‘focus or urgency’ required, a Reading Borough Council prosecutor claimed.

Katie Heath, Reading Borough Council’s principal environmental health officer, also gave a statement after the verdicts were revealed.

She said: “The thoughts of everyone at Reading Council remain with Lisa, Ian and all of Kaden’s family today. We are extremely pleased with today’s verdict.

“Arcadia Group Ltd - who had many overarching responsibilities as a duty holder under the Health and Safety at Work Act - and Topshop Topman Limited - who operated the Topshop store - have been found guilty by trial.

READ MORE: Video shows barrier that killed boy wobbling before his passing

“We are also pleased that a guilty plea has been received from Stoneforce Limited, the installers of the queue barrier within Topshop Reading.

“We remain of the belief that all four companies on trial had responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

“This was an extremely difficult, complex and resource-intensive case for the Council but one we felt was wholly necessary to take as far as we could. Kaden was just 10 years old.

“Kaden and his family should have been able to shop safely in Reading that day, as indeed should every single person who chooses to come to Reading, or anywhere else, to shop.

“Whilst retail premises like this one are typically considered low-risk for health and safety, this case demonstrates that they are not without hazard.

“Control measures are always required to keep customers and staff safe. Today’s successful outcome is a testament to the diligent work of the Council’s investigating officers over the past five years who have helped this case come to fruition.

“It started as a joint investigation under the WRDP with Thames Valley Police.

“Our thanks extend to everybody involved and to those that have provided invaluable support to Kaden’s family.”

Topshop Ltd, Arcadia Group Ltd and Stoneforce Ltd will be sentenced at an unconfirmed date later in the year.