Michael Burridge, 28, was convicted at Plymouth Crown Court of the murder of his son Rees.

He was told by Mr Justice Royce that he must serve at least 13 years in jail.

The judge said although there was no premeditated intention to kill, Burridge must have lost his temper.

Burridge was in sole care of his son Rees when his wife Donna went out for the day on September 30, 2006.

The court was told she received a text message asking when she would be back and when she contacted her husband he said their child had stopped breathing.

Burridge, from Tavistock, Devon, was told to phone an ambulance but instead took Rees to the hospital himself.

The court heard doctors said Rees was "blue and lifeless," and although emergency teams managed to restart his heart the baby died two days later.

The court heard medical experts found both new and old rib fractures and that the fatal injuries could only have been caused in the hours leading up to his admission from hospital.

When interviewed by police he said the injuries could have been suffered following an accident at home around three weeks before Rees died.