Man jailed for life after shaking his newborn son to death

24 Jul 2026 • 11:50 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Man jailed for life after shaking his newborn son to death

  • Tony Bartlett, 39, from Axminster, Devon, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years for the murder of his four-week-old son, Atticus.
  • Atticus died in hospital on 23 July 2022, a week after collapsing at his family home in Chard, Somerset, due to severe brain and spinal cord injuries caused by being violently shaken.
  • The judge stated that Bartlett, who was "very drunk" after consuming 8.5 pints of lager, became enraged when Atticus struggled to take a bottle, leading him to violently shake the baby.
  • Atticus's mother, Evelyn Ballentyne, described the profound and lasting trauma of her son's death, expressing severe anxiety and the pain of never seeing him reach milestones.
  • Detective sergeant Sarah Bowden highlighted that medical evidence proved Bartlett was solely responsible for the "cruel act" and praised the family's dignity throughout the investigation and trial.

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