Baby left profoundly disabled in 'monstrous' act

Katherine Reilly and Tom Kember left the baby girl with severe injuries

A man and a woman left a baby girl profoundly disabled in what a judge described as a "monstrous act".

Tom Kember, 27, from Taunton, was found guilty of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, while Katherine Reilly, 25, also from Taunton, was found guilty of child cruelty.

The pair had denied the charges, which involved a premature baby, but were convicted unanimously after a five-week trial at Bristol Crown Court. They are due to be sentenced on 24 January.

Det Ch Insp Roger Doxsey, from Avon and Somerset Police, said: "It is tragic to reflect that having been born at 31 weeks she was readmitted to hospital with these terrible injuries before her due date."

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

The baby girl was born prematurely in 2019 and just 10 days after being discharged from hospital, on 14 January 2020, an ambulance was called to an address in Taunton where she was found unresponsive.

Ambulance staff noted bruising on her temples and raised their concerns with Musgrove Park hospital staff.

Expert medical evidence presented to the court found that the baby's injuries were of a level previously seen in high-speed traffic collisions or from falls from one storey height and would not have been caused by a domestic accident.

The baby was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital

On 12 January 2020, Kember searched online for "what happend aif u (sic) hit a baby's face" and "can a baby be sick if it gets hit", the jury was told.

At 22:45 the next day, while at a fast-food restaurant with Reilly and the baby, Kember searched online for terms such as "if baby hits its head does the baby sleep a lot".

It was not until 01:20 on 14 January that Kember eventually called 111.

At 6:10 that day, Kember searched for "can I get dosent for abiseing (sic)... baby" - the prosecution case being that this was a mis-typed search for "can I get done for abusing... baby".

While the baby was being treated in hospital, Kember and Reilly left and started packing up her things, the court heard.

'Helpless baby'

The traumatic brain injury has left the girl, now four, non-verbal, with significant visual impairment, multiple daily seizures and other complex needs.

Following the jury's verdicts, Judge Julian Lambert described the crimes as a "monstrous act".

Det Ch Insp Doxsey said: "A helpless baby has been abused by adults who were more concerned with avoiding the consequences of their actions than with seeking medical help for her.

"I would like to pay tribute to the medical staff who helped to ensure this little girl's remarkable survival, and the family who are now providing her with such love and care."

The girl has been adopted by foster parents who have been caring for her since she was four months old and in hospital.

Kember has been remanded in custody and Reilly bailed ahead of sentencing.