A JUDGE blasted a designer clothing firm for “systematic” health and safety failures rising all the way to board level that led to a boy of four being crushed to death by a 7ft mirror.

Austen Harrison was left with “horrific and fatal” skull injuries when the freestanding 18-stone three-way mirror toppled on top of him at the Hugo Boss store in Bicester Village while his dad was trying on a suit in June 2013.

Hugo Boss UK admitted breaching two health and safety rules in connection with the death of the youngster of Crawley, West Sussex, at Banbury Magistrates’ Court in June.

Judge Peter Ross yesterday ordered Hugo Boss to pay £1.2m for the two breaches but did not impose compensation because the firm has already settled a civil case with Austen’s family.

The judge, who said it was a “miracle” the mirror had not fallen sooner, added: “I am satisfied that the breach goes to the very top of the company.

“Not because of the absence of a system, but because there was a failure to operate and manage that system and secure appropriate compliance to it to give health and safety a proper profile at board level.”

The court heard that mirrors in other Hugo boss stores had been left freestanding and had fallen, leading to a recommendation that all mirrors were fixed to the wall.

Judge Ross accepted the company had taken responsibility and put into place more stringent health and safety measures since the “horrific” accident.

However, he said even an “untrained eye” could have spotted that the mirror posed a “dangerous risk” to staff and customers.

He added: “The fact that the mirror did not fall in the five months prior to Austen’s death is frankly nothing less than a miracle.”

Speaking after the hearing at Oxford Crown Court yesterday, Austen’s mother Irina Glaser urged people to help others in memory of her son.

She said: “Austen’s greatest pleasure in life was to help others.

“In his memory I invite you to help someone, no matter how small or large the deed, to assist Austen in creating a friendlier world.”