A devastating court case at Bristol Crown Court has revealed how Tony Bartlett, a postman from Axminster, Devon, allegedly shook his four-week-old son, Atticus Bartlett, to death after a night out. Bartlett faces charges of murder and manslaughter over the tragic death of his infant son.
On July 16, 2022, Atticus collapsed at the family home in Chard, Somerset, at around 11 pm. Despite emergency transportation to hospitals in Taunton and Bristol, Atticus never regained consciousness and passed away a week later, on July 23.
Prosecutor Charles Row KC presented a harrowing account to the jury, explaining that Atticus had been a healthy baby before the incident. On the night in question, Atticus was being cared for by his grandparents so his parents could go out. After returning home having consumed up to nine pints of beer, Tony Bartlett briefly looked after Atticus while his partner, Evelyn Ballentyne, went upstairs to get ready for bed.
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In that short interval, Bartlett is accused of violently shaking Atticus, causing severe internal injuries. Ms. Ballentyne subsequently found the baby lying face down across Bartlett’s knees, making strange gasping sounds. Paramedics were called and Atticus was rushed to hospital, but the brain and spinal injuries sustained were irreversible.
Mr. Row described Atticus as a “difficult and messy feeder” and noted that Bartlett became frustrated with the baby’s persistent crying and feeding struggles that evening. The prosecution argued that Bartlett’s actions were deliberate, intended to cause serious bodily harm, as evidenced by the damaged brain, spinal cord, and fractured ribs.
Testimonies revealed that the couple had attended a comedy night at Chard Guildhall before returning home. After the babysitters left at about 10:45 pm, Bartlett was left alone with Atticus briefly. When Ms. Ballentyne returned downstairs, she immediately recognized that something was terribly wrong and shouted that the baby was dead.
Bartlett admitted during police interviews to shaking Atticus “a little bit” on his knee while trying to soothe him but later retracted this statement, suggesting any harm could have been caused by Ms. Ballentyne. However, expert analysis ruled out the possibility that any possibly gentle shaking by Ms. Ballentyne caused the fatal injuries.
Bartlett, who remains in denial of all charges, asserts that he bears no responsibility for Atticus’s death. The trial is ongoing as the court continues to examine the tragic events surrounding the death of the infant.