Chilling moment dad who murdered four-week-old baby told police tot 'all of sudden seemed lifeless'

Chilling moment dad who murdered four-week-old baby told police tot 'all of sudden seemed lifeless' Tony Bartlett, a postman, inflicted 'catastrophic injuries' on his four-week-old son Atticus at their home in Chard, Somerset, after he returned with his partner from a night out This is the moment a dad who was found to have murdered his four-week-old baby by shaking him to death told police the tiny tot had "all of a sudden seemed lifeless". After his arrest, Tony Bartlett, 39, lied to police and suggested little Atticus suddenly appeared unwell. Bartlett had in fact caused severe injuries to the child after returning to the family home in Chard, Somerset, with his partner, the baby's mum. A court heard Bartlett was alone downstairs feeding his son, at the time a "fit and healthy" baby boy, when the father inflicted the "catastrophic injuries" which ended his short life. Now, Bartlett, who is a postman, has been found guilty of murder and faces a lengthy prison sentence. Bristol Crown Court was told the dad was interrogated by police after the incident, yet failed to admit his act. A jury today convicted Bartlett, from Axminster in Devon, after a four-week trial. Police bodycam footage captures Bartlett tell officers he and his wife had been "watching a comedian show in town", and had returned home before bidding Atticus' grandparents goodbye. His partner, he added, had gone upstairs to shower and he was caring for the baby when he made "stuttering sounds" before dying. He told cops: "We've been on a date night watching a comedian show in town, and we've come home, everything seems fine. The grandparents have left, I think my partner went up to shower. "I put Atticus in my lap, he just lay there, nice and fine, he seems fine anyway. And he seemed to make sort of stuttering sounds, but I obviously don't know the difference - what stuttering sounds mean. And then I was just comforting him and he seemed fine and my partner was upstairs." "All of a sudden he just seemed lifeless. I was like, I couldn't tell that it was a different…and then all of a sudden he just seemed more lifeless. "Then he made this weird breathless sound and the minute that breathless sound, panics and the whole, the body just seems flat, I panicked and I was like call 999, quick, something doesn't seem right." Atticus' mother returned from upstairs to find the tot "lifeless" and taking his last few breaths unassisted. Despite the best efforts of medical professionals and neighbours, Atticus could not be saved. He was rushed to hospital, first in Somerset before being transferred to the Bristol Royal Infirmary, where he sadly died a week later. Speaking after the 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. "Our thoughts are very much with Atticus' family who've had to endure a lengthy and complex police investigation, followed by a trial. They've shown great dignity and courage throughout. Investigations like this are extremely harrowing and I'd like to thank all those who provided evidence and supported our investigation to establish the facts behind Atticus' tragic death." Bartlett will be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 24 July.