Peckham baby death attack: Accused 'not ready to be father' Published duration 2 December 2015

image copyright Julia Quenzler image caption A court sketch of Kevin Wilson where he is on trial alongside an unnamed 17-year-old

A pregnant woman was brutally beaten and lost her unborn baby after her ex-boyfriend said he was not ready to be a father, the Old Bailey has heard.

Malorie Bantala, 22, from Peckham, suffered life-threatening injuries and gave birth at 32 weeks to a stillborn boy following the attack.

Kevin Wilson, and a 17-year-old boy, allegedly wore helmets and attacked her when she refused a termination.

Both defendants deny grievous bodily harm and child destruction.

'Cowardly and callous'

The court heard on 15 June Mr Wilson, of Longfield Estate, Bermondsey, and the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, attacked Miss Bantala in the street near her south London home.

They focused the attack on her stomach, jurors were told.

Jonathan Rees QC for the prosecution said: "It was a cowardly and callous attack, each male wearing a motorcycle helmet in an apparent effort to conceal his identity.

"It is the prosecution case that one of the attackers was the unborn baby's father - Kevin Wilson.

"He had made it clear that he didn't want the baby to be born and was not pleased when Miss Bantala informed others that he was the father.

"We say that he took matters into his own hands and decided that he would end the pregnancy by violence," he said.

'Vicious blows'

Jurors were told Miss Bantala and Mr Wilson, a teaching assistant, met in the summer of 2011, ahead of their first term at the University of Bedfordshire in Luton, and had a casual relationship over the following few years.

In December 2014, Miss Bantala, then 21, phoned Mr Wilson to tell him she was pregnant and that he was the father, but he replied saying "why are you doing this to me?" and told her he was not ready.

During the attack, the court was told, Miss Bantala recognised the taller male as her ex-boyfriend.

She was said to have been knocked to the ground and "vicious blows" rained on her as she curled up trying to protect her stomach.

The prosecutor said the victim shouted "Kevin" to get them to stop. Neighbours who saw the attack heard her scream and shout "Kevin, I'm going to kill you, watch".

When emergency services arrived, Miss Bantala told police her ex-boyfriend was responsible for the attack, adding: "He doesn't want the baby."

At the hospital doctors were unable to find the baby boy's heartbeat and he was stillborn.

Denying allegations, Mr Wilson told police he was visiting his brother and a friend on his estate.

The trial continues.