Man jailed after abuse left premature baby disabled

Tom Kember's abuse left the little girl with complex needs and a reduced life expectancy

A man has been jailed for 21 years after a "monstrous" assault left a premature baby with profound disabilities.

Tom Kember, 27, of Taunton, was found guilty of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm following a five-week trial at Bristol Crown Court.

The resulting traumatic brain injury left the girl - now aged five - registered blind and non-verbal, with other complex needs including multiple daily seizures.

Sentencing, Judge Julian Lambert said: "This was an extreme explosive rage, exerting forces far beyond rough handling, and similar to the force of a car crash".

Warning: This article contains details of physical abuse which some readers may find distressing.

The premature baby girl had been discharged from hospital on 4 January 2020.

The jury heard how eight days later, Kember searched online for terms including "what happend if u hit a baby's face" and "can a baby be sick if it gets hit".

On 13 January, while eating at a McDonald's restaurant accompanied by partner Katherine Reilly, Kember continued to make concerning searches such as "if baby hits its head does the baby sleep a lot".

Then at about 01:20 GMT on 14 January, the pair called 111, about 80 minutes after the prosecution say Kember had inflicted the brutal assault.

Kember and Reilly were caught on CCTV searching online for the consequences of their actions, while the baby lay in a pushchair beside them

An ambulance arrived at the address in Taunton where the eight-week-old was found unresponsive.

Paramedics noted she had bruising on her temples and raised concerns with staff at Musgrove Park Hospital, who alerted Avon and Somerset Police.

At 06:10 GMT, while the baby was being treated in hospital, Kember searched "can I get dosent for abiseing baby" – believed to be a mistyped search for "can I get done for abusing a baby".

'Utterly catastrophic'

Sentencing, Judge Lambert said: "Rage and dangerous loss of control is evidenced in your antecedents. You show no remorse.

"This was an extreme explosive rage, exerting forces far beyond rough handling and similar to the force of a car crash, or a fall from a height.

"The consequences were an utterly catastrophic, traumatic brain injury. You have robbed a child of most quality of life.

"This was an attack of monstrous evil with the worst possible consequences."

At the same trial, Reilly, 25, also of Taunton, was found guilty of child cruelty, a charge she too had denied.

The judge branded Reilly's failure to intervene as "wicked and spineless"

Reilly was handed a six-month jail term suspended for two years, with a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement and an unpaid work requirement of 200 hours.

Judge Lambert told her: "You betrayed the helpless injured baby by shielding the wicked monster who had so grievously injured them."

He told Reilly her actions in not seeking medical attention during that time were "wicked and spineless", with medical evidence stating that any delay could have increased harm to the baby.

"You seem to have no conscience and show no regret for failing the child," the judge continued.

"The law is such that I cannot punish you for your cowardly failure to reveal the truth. Many decent folk will think I should be able to do so."

The judge awarded the officers involved in the case a Crown Court Commendation.

'Unimaginable injuries'

In a statement read out in court, the child's adoptive parents described the impact of Kember's actions on their lives.

They said: "Our daughter sustained unimaginable, horrific injuries as a tiny, vulnerable, innocent little baby.

"There is not one part of her body that has not been affected by the injuries she has sustained. She is in pain day and night.

"We are angry and heartbroken by the situation. Those responsible for her injury have stolen a future from her that she deserved."