Brutal Attack on Six-Month-Old Archie
A 33-year-old man has been sentenced to life behind bars for murdering his new partner’s infant son. Kieran Humphreys, unemployed and from Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, was found guilty at Luton Crown Court of murdering six-month-old Archie Woodbridge on 9 February 2024.
Prosecutors revealed that Humphreys “gripped and shook” baby Archie after playing video games all night. He was already on bail for assaulting another child when the horrific attack happened.
Judge Calls It ‘Extreme Loss of Temper’
“This was an extreme loss of temper, leading to severe violence perpetrated on a defenceless baby boy,” said the judge. “This has been a very difficult, emotional case for everybody… even for me.”
Mr Justice Morris handed down a mandatory life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years before Humphreys can apply for parole.
Night of Horror Caught on CCTV
Archie’s mother, 19-year-old Saskia Woodbridge, had left the baby alone with Humphreys while she visited a nail salon. The court heard how Humphreys was “awake throughout the night” playing Call of Duty on Xbox and lost his temper with the teething baby.
Medical evidence showed Archie suffered a fatal brain injury from being shaken. CCTV footage from a relative’s home captured the desperate moments before paramedics were called.
Charlotte Newell KC, prosecuting, said Humphreys lied about the circumstances and tried to “save his own skin.” Humphreys also admitted conspiring to pervert the course of justice.
Friends and Family Also Jailed for Cover-Up
Humphreys’ friend Karen Smith, her partner Sam Wyatt, and Humphreys’ mother Sharon Humphreys were all sentenced for conspiring to pervert the course of justice. Smith got 12 months, Wyatt 15 months, and Sharon Humphreys nine months behind bars.
Tragic Aftermath and Family Heartbreak
Detective Chief Inspector Nick Gardner said, “If these individuals had any sense or thought for Archie rather than themselves, they would have made that phone call immediately. The outcome could possibly have been different.”
Archie’s 17-year-old aunt, Charley Woodbridge, paid tribute:
“Archie was a bundle of joy, a little lad with character who brought so much happiness into our lives. What happened is something I could never wish on another family. The pain is unimaginable. He will always be remembered as the bubbly, happy little man he was.”
