A mother and her former partner have been jailed for life for the murder of her 18-month-old son who suffered broken ribs and limbs in a brutal attack, BBC reported. Alfie Philips died on November 28, 2020, after suffering 70 injuries and traces of cocaine in his body.
Sian Hedges, 27, and Jack Benham, 35, had denied murdering the toddler.
At Maidstone Crown Court, Hedges was sentenced to a minimum term of 19 years, while Benham was sentenced to a minimum term of 23 years.
Justice Cavanagh described the attack as "cruel and brutal" and criticised their efforts to try to cover up the assault.
He added, "Your first thoughts were for yourselves. You lied about what had happened in the caravan, and you maintained your lies through police interviews and at trial."
A mother and her partner have received life sentences for murdering her 18-month-old son in #Hernhill. Read the full details here... https://t.co/TkWrQAzU5J pic.twitter.com/QblcqNTvw7
— Kent Police (UK) (@kent_police) January 12, 2024
The jury reached a unanimous decision in under 10 hours of deliberation, concluding a 10-week trial.
The assault took place during the night in Benham's caravan situated in Hernhill.
In a victim impact statement read in court, Alfie's father, Sam Phillips, said, "After the trial, we still feel we deserve answers. I will never know the truth about what happened to my son. I never got to hear him say his first proper words, I never got to have a conversation with him, I was robbed of the opportunity to see him grow up."
In his sentencing remark, the judge said that it was a "great tragedy" that Alfie did not have a chance to "enjoy a full and happy life".
"He (Alfie) had a cheeky grin and was full of energy and life. He was into everything and interested in everything. He melted the hearts of everyone he met.
"The victim impact statements of his father, Sam Phillips, and his grandfather, Mark Demain, vividly illustrate how much he was loved and how much grief and devastation his murder has caused to those who loved him.
"It is a great tragedy that Alfie did not have the chance to grow up and to enjoy a full and happy life."
Both Hedges and Benham's sentences account for the 313 days they have already spent in custody on remand.
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