Alfie Phillips murder: Mother and former partner jailed for killing toddler in caravan

Alfie died after a night of 'violent discipline' in 2020
Miriam Burrell12 January 2024
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Sian Hedges and her former partner Jack Benham have been jailed for the murder of her 18-month-old son Alfie Phillips in a night of "violent discipline".

The pair were sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday over the whisky and cocaine-fuelled killing of the toddler in a caravan in November 2020.

Hedges, 27, and Benham, 35, were jailed for life with a minimum term of 19 and 23 years respectively.

The pair were found guilty of Alfie’s murder after a nine-week trial where a unanimous verdict was reached in under 10 hours by the jury.

Alfie Philips death
Handout photo issued by Kent Police of Sian Hedges and former partner Jack Benham
PA

Alfie suffered 70 injuries to his body in the overnight attack by Hedges and Benham in his caravan in Hernhill, Kent.

The little boy died with a "myriad of bruises", broken ribs, arms and a leg, and traces of cocaine in his body, on November 28, 2020, the court heard.

Hedges, of Yelverton, Devon and Benham, of Hernhill, Kent, had denied harming Alfie.

Both Hedges and Benham’s sentences are minus 313 days already spent in custody.

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.

Sam Phillips, the father of Alfie Phillips, with his current partner Sarah Merritt, speaking outside Maidstone Crown Court in Kent
Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

"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."

Speaking after the sentencing Mr Phillips, said: "They finally got what they deserved. We have got the justice in our hearts.

"Justice has been done."

Commenting on the sentencing, Will Bodiam from CPS South East said: "This is an absolutely tragic case. Alfie was killed by the two people, one of whom was his own mother, who were responsible that night for looking after him and protecting him.

"Instead, they subjected him to a series of assaults during the course of that fateful night, leaving him with devastating injuries that he could not survive.

"Rather than admitting what they had done, they both claimed they were not responsible for the injuries inflicted on Alfie, even though they were both present during the time the attacks took place and could not account for what had happened to him, acknowledging that just a few hours earlier, he appeared absolutely fine."

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Sign up you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy notice .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in