After her partner Tom Kember inflicted catastrophic injuries on an eight-week-old baby, ‘spineless’ Katherine Reilly decided to stick by her ‘monstrous’ partner, even shielding him as he sought to conceal his abuse
At first glance, CCTV footage taken at a McDonald’s restaurant appears to show an ordinary young family enjoying a meal out, but the seemingly innocent scene masks a far more disturbing reality.
It was at 10:45 pm that evening in Somerset on January 13, 2020, that Tom Kember made internet searches for “if baby hits its head, does the baby sleep a lot?” However, these searches did not stem from fatherly concern. Kember, 27, was only worried about saving his own skin after beating the eight-week-old child so ferociously that they were left with catastrophic injuries comparable to “the force of a car crash, or a fall from a height”.
Seated beside Kember in the fast-food restaurant was his “spineless” partner Katherine Reilly, 25, and the severely injured infant, who lay in a buggy. After leaving the burger chain at approximately 11.17 pm, it’s believed “monstrous” Kember committed a further assault against the vulnerable, premature child, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Although most people would be rightly sickened by the violence inflicted on a helpless baby and seek to protect them, Reilly instead stuck by her partner, with whom she remains in a twisted “committed relationship”.
It was not until 1.20 am on January 14 that Kember finally called 111, by which point the baby was unresponsive. Paramedics called to the Taunton address noted that the baby had facial bruising and raised concerns with staff at Musgrove Park Hospital. Officers from Avon and Somerset Police were then alerted. Both Kember and Reilly denied the grave charges they faced, but the evidence proved damning.
Bristol Crown Court heard how cowardly Reilly even “shielded” her evil lover and failed to report the baby’s life-altering injuries. Addressing Reilly, Judge Julian Lambert spoke of the 80-minute period between Kember inflicting the injuries and contacting 111. Medical evidence showed that any delay could have increased the harm to the baby, who now lives with complex needs.
Describing her actions in not seeking medical attention during that time as “wicked and spineless”, the judge told Reilly: “You betrayed the helpless injured baby by shielding the wicked monster who had so grievously injured them.”
Handing down sentencing, Judge Julian Lambert told abuser Kember: “The victim of your crime was extremely vulnerable at only eight weeks old, after a premature birth. The consequences where 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.” He continued: “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.”
Following a five-week trial, Kember, was jailed for 21 years after being found guilty of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Reilly was also sentenced to a six-month jail term suspended for two years, having been found guilty of child cruelty.
The child in question, who is now five, is said to suffer from a life-long and life-limiting condition. They are registered blind, are non-verbal, and suffer multiple daily seizures. They have since been adopted by a loving foster family, who have cared for the tragic tot since they were four months old.
In a devastating statement, the child’s adoptive parents spoke of how their little one’s life had been forever impacted by Kember’s violent cruelty. They shared: “There is not one part of their body that has not been affected by the injuries they sustained. They are in pain day and night.” They also described themselves as “angry and heartbroken” on behalf of their child, stating that Kember had “stolen” their future.
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