Dad who murdered four-week-old son jailed for 18 years

A man who murdered his four-week-old son after drinking up to nine pints of beer on a night out has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years.

Tony Bartlett returned to the family home in Chard, Somerset, on 16 July 2022 and shook baby Atticus in what the sentencing judge described as "a sudden fit of anger".

The 39-year-old caused serious injuries to his son's spinal cord and ribs, as well as brain damage so severe he never regained consciousness or the ability to breathe independently. Atticus died seven days later.

Bartlett, who was convicted after a trial at Bristol Crown Court earlier this month, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years.

Warning: This story contains details which readers may find distressing.

The trial heard the former postman, from Axminster in Devon, had gone to a pub and comedy club with his then-partner Evelyn Ballentyne on the night Attitcus was fatally injured.

It was their first evening out since their son's birth.

After they returned home, Ballentyne went upstairs and left Bartlett alone to feed Atticus.

The court heard she then found Atticus looking "lifeless" when she returned, and Bartlett appeared to be asleep.

Emergency services took the baby to Musgrove Park hospital in Taunton before he was transferred to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, where he died seven days later.

Medical experts told the court Atticus' injuries were consistent with a car crash or a fall from a height.

The newborn suffered severe internal injuries to his brain and spinal cord, as well as three rib fractures that could not be attributed to resuscitation efforts.

Mr Justice John Cavanagh told Bartlett he was "very drunk" when he carried out the fatal attack on Atticus, becoming frustrated when the baby would not feed.

"I have no doubt that this terrible tragedy would not have happened if you were not so heavily intoxicated," the judge said.

"In your drunken state, Atticus's inability to take the bottle as well as you thought he should enraged you.

"You had a sudden fit of anger. You vented that anger on your tiny baby son. You shook him very violently indeed, gripping him very tightly round his ribcage.

"This only lasted a few seconds or at most a minute or so. Just in that brief moment, you wanted to cause Atticus serious injury.

"As suddenly as you began, you stopped, your anger evaporated, and then you dozed off."

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