A father has been sentenced to a minimum of 18 years in prison for the murder of his four-week-old son. Tony Bartlett, 39, was found guilty on Friday of killing his infant son, Atticus Bartlett, in July 2022.
Atticus died five days after collapsing at his family home in Chard, Somerset, on July 16, 2022. The court heard that Bartlett violently shook the child in a fit of anger after the baby struggled to drink his milk. Bartlett was described as heavily intoxicated at the time of the attack.
Bartlett, of Axminster, Devon, received his sentence at Bristol Crown Court. He and the child's mother, Evelyn Ballentyne, had been at a pub and comedy club on the evening of the incident. Atticus was being looked after by Ms. Ballentyne's parents, Rachel and Andrew Donovan, while the couple were out.
According to the prosecution, Bartlett drank eight-and-a-half pints of lager before returning home. He was left alone with Atticus for a few minutes to feed him. During this time, Bartlett shook the baby violently, causing severe internal injuries to his brain and spinal cord, including rib fractures from gripping and squeezing. He then reportedly dozed off.
Ms. Ballentyne, who had briefly gone upstairs, found Atticus lying face down on Bartlett's lap, described as "floppy and lifeless." The infant suffered severe brain damage and was unable to breathe independently. Atticus was pronounced dead just before midnight on July 23, 2022, after being taken to Musgrove Park Hospital and then Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.
Mr. Justice Cavanagh, presiding over the sentencing, stated that Bartlett was "very drunk" during the fatal attack and that the tragedy would likely not have occurred if he had not been so intoxicated. The judge noted that Atticus's inability to take the bottle as expected enraged Bartlett in his drunken state. The judge added that Bartlett did not intend to kill Atticus but intended to cause him serious harm.
The court heard that Bartlett had been a "loving parent" previously, and there was no history of violence toward Atticus, although he was known to have a "fiery temper." The judge highlighted the "extreme youth and vulnerability" of the victim and the "gross abuse of trust" involved in the offense.
Detective Sergeant Sarah Bowden of Avon and Somerset Police stated that medical evidence proved Bartlett was solely responsible for the injuries. "This is a devastating case in which a very young baby has lost his life as the direct result of a cruel act by a man who was supposed to provide him with the protection and care he needed," she said.
In a victim personal statement, Ms. Ballentyne described experiencing "severe anxiety" and the ongoing emotional toll of losing her son. "I will never know what kind of person Atticus would have become," she wrote. "I don't enjoy any moments because I have a dead son. It is mentally and emotionally draining all the time. It is awful."