Man charged over attack on pregnant woman who lost unborn child

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jun/18/man-charged-attack-pregnant-woman-london

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A man has been charged with child destruction following an attack on a heavily pregnant woman in south London.

The 21-year-old victim, identified locally as Malorie Bantala, was 32 weeks pregnant. She lost her unborn child and remains in a critical condition after the incident near her home in Peckham, south-east London, on Monday night.

The attack took place metres from a children’s playground and between two council blocks. One of the blocks is home to the Bantala family.

Kevin Wilson, 21, of Bermondsey, south-east London, is accused of child destruction contrary to the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929, and grievous bodily harm with intent.

He has been remanded in custody to appear at Camberwell Green magistrates court later on Thursday.

On Wednesday, London Ambulance Service faced criticism because the victim waited more than an hour for an ambulance that never arrived. Police eventually had to take the woman to hospital themselves.

An ambulance service spokeswoman said: “We were called at 8.16pm on 15 June to Talfourd Place, SE15.

“We are very sorry that we were unable to send an ambulance before we were cancelled by the police at 9.25pm and are now looking into the circumstances of what happened.”

Police officers at the scene gave first aid to the victim before taking her to hospital. Having lost her baby, the woman was transferred to an intensive care unit overnight on Tuesday.

The victim’s mother Ida Bantala said the family had lived in the area since 2001. Her daughter had been working since finishing university, she said, and was excited about having the baby.

“I wanted to be a grandma. She was so happy and now she is sick in hospital,” she told reporters.

Detective Chief Inspector Robert Pack from the Homicide and Major Crime Command said: “This was a truly abhorrent and vile attack on a heavily-pregnant woman who has now, tragically, lost her baby.”

Pack said the victim had managed to provide an account of the attack to officers.