YELVERTON, England – A mother and her former partner are awaiting sentencing on charges related to the tragic death of her 18-month-old son. Alfie Phillips suffered 70 injuries at the hands of his mother Sian Hedges and her ex-boyfriend Jack Benham, fueled by alcohol and drugs. The couple had been found guilty of murdering the toddler after a nine-week trial at Maidstone Crown Court.
Jurors deliberated for nearly 10 hours before reaching a unanimous guilty verdict. Throughout the trial, the boy was described as “good as gold” and “lively” by his father, Sam Phillips.
Benham admitted he and Hedges were drug addicts who regularly took drugs in front of Alfie. Prior to the child’s death, the couple spent the evening drinking, chatting, and watching YouTube videos in Benham’s caravan, according to Benham’s account.
Prosecutors argued that this was the time when Alfie was fatally assaulted. They claimed that Benham and Hedges were both present and involved in the attack that led to the little boy’s death. The prosecution also highlighted other injuries Alfie had sustained prior to his death, including a cut under his eye and fingers caught in a dog gate.
Reacting to the guilty verdict, Kent Police’s senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Kath Way expressed, “Alfie should have been protected and loved by his mum, instead Hedges and Benham inflicted unimaginable suffering on him during a sustained and lengthy night of violence.”
The tragic incident has left a scar on the Yelverton community, and the court is soon expected to sentence Hedges and Benham for their heinous crime.