Father who killed his newborn son 'in a moment of pure violence' jailed for life

A man has been sentenced to life in prison after murdering his four-week-old son by shaking him.

Tony Bartlett, of Axminster, Devon, faces a minimum term of 18 years behind bars after attacking Atticus Bartlett on 16 July 2022 in a "sudden fit of anger".

The 39-year-old and his then-partner Evelyn Ballentyne, Atticus's mother, had gone to a pub and comedy club that evening, Bristol Crown Court previously heard.

Ms Ballentyne's mother, Rachel Donovan, and her husband Andrew went to the family home in Chard, Somerset, to care for the child.

Bartlett drank eight-and-a-half pints of lager over the course of the evening before returning home with Ms Ballentyne, and was left alone to feed Atticus in the living room, while she went upstairs to change around 11pm.

He then violently shook Atticus, it was alleged, causing severe internal injuries to the baby's brain and spinal cord.

Atticus' brain damage was so severe that he did not regain consciousness or manage to breathe for himself, and he died at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children just before midnight on 23 July 2022.

Bartlett was convicted of murder on 8 July after denying the charge and an alternative count of manslaughter.

Prosecuting, Charles Row KC said he had been "drunk and frustrated".

He told jurors: "Mr Bartlett can't admit to himself that when he was drunk, in a moment of pure violence, he did something that he will regret for the rest of his life."

The baby suffered three rib fractures which were not the result of resuscitation efforts.

Sentencing, Mr Justice Cavanagh told Bartlett: "I have no doubt that this terrible tragedy would not have happened if you were not so heavily intoxicated."

Bartlett had been feeding Atticus with a bottle and the baby was bringing up the milk.

The judge went on: "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."

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Experts said Atticus' injuries were associated with "vigorous shaking", with the fractures caused by "gripping and squeezing", the court heard.

Ms Ballentyne said she is contending with "severe anxiety" after her son's death.

She said in a victim personal statement: "I had to wait 11 hours and 18 minutes for Atticus to die. It was horrendous. I was scared to go out, I was scared to stay in.

"I don't enjoy any moments because I have a dead son. It is mentally and emotionally draining all the time. It is awful."

(c) Sky News 2026: Father who killed his newborn son 'in a moment of pure violence' jailed for life