Man left premature baby disabled and in constant pain after ‘monstrous’ attack
Man left premature baby disabled and in constant pain after ‘monstrous’ attack
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A man who carried out a ‘monstrous’ attack on an eight week old baby, leaving the infant with profound disabilities, has been jailed for 21 years. Tom Kember, 27, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court today after being found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to a child.
![[Undated handout photo issued by Avon and Somerset Police of Tom Kember, who has been jailed for 21 years for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, after a baby was left disabled. The child suffered a traumatic brain injury and has been left her non-verbal, with significant visual impairment, multiple daily seizures and other complex needs. Issue date: Friday January 24, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story COURTS Baby. Photo credit should read: Avon and Somerset Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_237172274-4167.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
The baby, who can not be named for legal reasons, suffered head injuries and now, five years on, is non-verbal, registered blind, suffers multiple daily seizures and has other complex needs. The youngster was born prematurely had been discharged from hospital just 10 days before being attacked by Kember – probably on two occasions – in Taunton, Somerset in January 2020.
![[Undated handout photo issued by Avon and Somerset Police of Katherine Reilly who has been found guilty of child cruelty as Tom Kember is facing jail after being found guilty at Bristol Crown Court of assaulting a baby who was left profoundly disabled. Kember, 27, attacked the infant inflicting injuries according to experts consistent with a high-speed traffic collision or a fall from height. Issue date: Wednesday October 30, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story COURTS Baby. Photo credit should read: Avon and Somerset Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_227736888-34dd.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
The worst of the child’s injuries have been likened to those caused by a car crash, or falling from a two-storey high building. Kember’s partner Katherine Reilly, 25, was found guilty of child cruelty at the same trial last year. She 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.
The jury was shown footage of Kember and Reilly, 25,eating a meal in a McDonald’s restaurant on January 13 2020 as Kember searched ‘if baby hits its head does the baby sleep a lot’ on his phone. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video.
