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Man convicted of killing unborn baby by kicking pregnant ex-girlfriend Man convicted of killing unborn baby by kicking pregnant ex-girlfriend
(about 1 hour later)
A teaching assistant has been convicted of killing his unborn baby by kicking and stamping on his heavily pregnant ex-girlfriend after she refused to have an abortion.A teaching assistant has been convicted of killing his unborn baby by kicking and stamping on his heavily pregnant ex-girlfriend after she refused to have an abortion.
Kevin Wilson, 22, and a 17-year-old boy were found guilty at the Old Bailey of child destruction and causing grievous bodily harm to Malorie Bantala on 15 June this year when she was eight months pregnant.Kevin Wilson, 22, and a 17-year-old boy were found guilty at the Old Bailey of child destruction and causing grievous bodily harm to Malorie Bantala on 15 June this year when she was eight months pregnant.
As the verdicts were returned by the jury of nine women and three men, Bantala leapt from the well of the court and screamed at Wilson: “I’m going kill you. You don’t understand. I hate you. Drop dead.” As the verdicts were returned by the jury of nine women and three men, Bantala leapt from the well of the court and screamed at Wilson: “I’m going to kill you. You don’t understand. I hate you. Drop dead.”
Bantala, a Marks & Spencer worker, had been buying decorations for her baby shower and was returning home to Peckham in south-east London when Wilson and his accomplice emerged from bushes outside her flat.Bantala, a Marks & Spencer worker, had been buying decorations for her baby shower and was returning home to Peckham in south-east London when Wilson and his accomplice emerged from bushes outside her flat.
The pair had lain in wait disguised in crash helmets before launching the vicious attack, targeting Bantala’s bump as she lay curled up on the ground, trying to protect her unborn child with one hand. The pair had lain in wait disguised in crash helmets before launching the vicious attack, targeting Bantala’s womb as she lay curled up on the ground, trying to protect her unborn child with one hand.
During the course of the trial, Bantala, 22, told jurors: “I remember looking at him and then something clicked in my mind and I said ‘Oh shit, it’s Kevin’. He turned round and we made brief eye contact.During the course of the trial, Bantala, 22, told jurors: “I remember looking at him and then something clicked in my mind and I said ‘Oh shit, it’s Kevin’. He turned round and we made brief eye contact.
“I didn’t have time to think anything because by the time I knew it, I was on the floor. Kevin proceeded to kick my stomach, probably three or four times and then he stamped on my stomach twice.“I didn’t have time to think anything because by the time I knew it, I was on the floor. Kevin proceeded to kick my stomach, probably three or four times and then he stamped on my stomach twice.
“By then I had screamed ‘Kevin’ for him to stop but he continued to kick my stomach. They were harsh kicks.”“By then I had screamed ‘Kevin’ for him to stop but he continued to kick my stomach. They were harsh kicks.”
Wilson and the teenager made off on a Vespa scooter and were caught on CCTV jumping a red light in their haste to return to Wilson’s home a mile and a half away in Bermondsey.Wilson and the teenager made off on a Vespa scooter and were caught on CCTV jumping a red light in their haste to return to Wilson’s home a mile and a half away in Bermondsey.
Meanwhile, family and neighbours rushed to help Bantala as she lay curled up in the street with life-threatening injuries, unable to feel her baby moving inside her. When emergency services arrived, she told police that her unborn child’s father was responsible, saying: “He doesn’t want the baby.”Meanwhile, family and neighbours rushed to help Bantala as she lay curled up in the street with life-threatening injuries, unable to feel her baby moving inside her. When emergency services arrived, she told police that her unborn child’s father was responsible, saying: “He doesn’t want the baby.”
Later that night, the stillborn baby boy was delivered by emergency caesarean section at 32 weeks’ gestation. Bantala was treated for severe internal bleeding and broken bones in the hand she had used to try to guard her baby from the onslaught.Later that night, the stillborn baby boy was delivered by emergency caesarean section at 32 weeks’ gestation. Bantala was treated for severe internal bleeding and broken bones in the hand she had used to try to guard her baby from the onslaught.
A postmortem examination of the foetus found that if it had not been for the assault, there was no reason why he would not have been born alive. A DNA test confirmed that Wilson was the father.A postmortem examination of the foetus found that if it had not been for the assault, there was no reason why he would not have been born alive. A DNA test confirmed that Wilson was the father.
Bantala and Wilson met in the summer of 2011, before their first term at Bedfordshire University in Luton. They embarked on a relationship but it fizzled out in the middle of their first year, although they remained friendly.Bantala and Wilson met in the summer of 2011, before their first term at Bedfordshire University in Luton. They embarked on a relationship but it fizzled out in the middle of their first year, although they remained friendly.
Their baby was conceived on about 15 November last year when Bantala turned to Wilson after the death of her five-year-old nephew from sickle-cell anaemia.Their baby was conceived on about 15 November last year when Bantala turned to Wilson after the death of her five-year-old nephew from sickle-cell anaemia.
The following month, she phoned him to say she was pregnant and Wilson reacted by telling her he was not ready to be a father. On being informed that she had decided to keep the baby, he cut her off but rang back to ask: “Why are you doing this to me?”The following month, she phoned him to say she was pregnant and Wilson reacted by telling her he was not ready to be a father. On being informed that she had decided to keep the baby, he cut her off but rang back to ask: “Why are you doing this to me?”
In a victim impact statement, Bantala told how she hated being referred to as the victim when the “real victim” was her beloved son Joel.In a victim impact statement, Bantala told how she hated being referred to as the victim when the “real victim” was her beloved son Joel.
She wrote: “Joel never got to meet me properly, never know how much I love him. I will never get to see him smile, watch him get his first tooth or to take his first steps.She wrote: “Joel never got to meet me properly, never know how much I love him. I will never get to see him smile, watch him get his first tooth or to take his first steps.
“I will never get to watch him at university or see him graduate. I will never get to be the mother of the groom. I love my son so much words cannot describe it. The moment Joel was taken from me I lost everything.”“I will never get to watch him at university or see him graduate. I will never get to be the mother of the groom. I love my son so much words cannot describe it. The moment Joel was taken from me I lost everything.”
She said she would have brought her son up to be “100 times the man Kevin would ever be”.She said she would have brought her son up to be “100 times the man Kevin would ever be”.