A MUM and her evil lover have been jailed for life after murdering her baby son in a night of “violent discipline”.
Alfie Phillips was left with 70 separate injuries and had cocaine in his system after he died following a string of brutal attacks.
Facebook Alfie Phillips suffered 70 separate injuries[/caption]
Mum Sian Hedges was convicted of murder
The 18-month-old had been subjected a campaign of abuse at the hands of his mum Sian Hedges, 27, and her partner Jack Benham, 35.
On the night he was killed, the couple were accused of “meting out some sort of aggressive, violent ‘discipline’.”
They have now been jailed for life after being convicted of murdering the tot in a caravan in Hernhill, Kent.
Hedges will serve a minimum of 19 years in prison and Benham will serve at least 23 years.
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.”
During a harrowing trial, jurors were told Hedges had considered adoption when she fell pregnant in September 2018.
The mum eventually decided to keep Alfie, who was a “normal, healthy baby who grew and thrived during the early months of his life”.
But his short life turned into a nightmare when Hedges embarked on a relationship with Benham.
Family members started to notice bruises on the tot, which Hedges blamed on him being “clumsy”.
He was also taken to a medical centre where staff noted he had a cut under his eye in September 2019.
During this time, the evil couple shared horrific messages that hinted at the abuse Alfie was suffering.
In one, Hedges wrote: “Little s**t bit my arm this morning, f***ing hurt”.
Benham responded by suggesting she should bite the tot back “but not as hard”.
On November 27, 2020, Alfie was seen by members of Benham’s family looking “well and without injuries”.
He was taken back to the caravan and was not seen by anyone else until 11.30am the next day when Benham emerged carrying the “blue and floppy” baby who was not breathing.
Benham’s mum performed CPR until paramedics arrived and took over but it was immediately apparent Alfie had been dead “for some time”.
A post mortem later revealed Alfie had sustained 31 injuries to his head and neck, 11 to his arms, 17 to his legs and 11 to his torso.
He had multiple fractures to several ribs and his sternum, both arms and his left and right big toe and human bite marks.
Medics found there were potential signs of smothering to his mouth and lips and many of the injuries had been inflicted before Alfie’s death.
This included a “myriad of bruises” that hadn’t been on his tiny body the night before he was killed.
Benham, of Hernhill, and Hedges, of Yelverton, Devon, denied murder and causing or allowing the death of a child.
FacebookJack Benham was also found guilty of murdering the youngster[/caption]
PAThe couple branded Alfie a ‘little s**t’[/caption]
PAHedges had considered adoption when she fell pregnant[/caption]
Benham subjected Alfie to brutal attacksPA
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