Atticus was four weeks old when he was violently shaken by his father
A father has been found guilty of murdering his four-week-old son after returning home from a night out.
Tony Bartlett was convicted by a jury of causing fatal injuries to his son Atticus when he shook him at home in Chard, Somerset, on 16 July 2022. The jury heard the 39-year-old had consumed up to nine pints of beer before the attack.
Atticus was taken to hospital with severe injuries to his spinal cord and ribs, as well as brain damage so severe he never regained consciousness and was never able to breathe independently again. He died seven days later.
Bartlett, of Axminster in Devon, is set to be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on 24 July.
Warning: This story contains details which readers may find distressing.
During the trial, jurors heard how Bartlett and his then-partner Evelyn Ballentyne had gone to a pub and comedy club for their first evening out since their son's birth.
After they returned home, Ballentyne went upstairs and Bartlett was alone with Atticus.
The court heard that when Ballentyne returned, she found her son looking "lifeless" and taking his last unassisted breaths.
Emergency services attended the property and Atticus was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital before being transferred to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, where he died just before midnight on 23 July 2022.
Tony Bartlett, of Axminster in Devon, was convicted by a jury of murdering his four-week-old son Atticus
Medical experts told the court Atticus had sustained severe internal injuries to his brain and spinal cord.
The court was also told he had three rib fractures that could not be attributed to resuscitation efforts.
'Cruel act'
Speaking after the jury returned its verdict, senior investigating officer Det Supt Lorett Spierenburg said:
"This is a devastating case in which a very young baby has lost his life as the direct result of a violent and cruel act.
"The loss of Atticus has had a profound effect on all those who loved him.
"Tony Bartlett was alone with Atticus when he suffered these catastrophic injuries and the medical evidence gathered during the investigation proves he was solely responsible for causing them, despite his claims of innocence."
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