Court told how pregnant graduate Malorie Bantala was attacked by ex-boyfriend who kicked her belly

A young woman has told jurors of her desperate attempt to protect her unborn baby as her ex-boyfriend repeatedly stamped on her belly because she refused to have an abortion.

Malorie Bantala, a University of Bedfordshire graduate, was eight months pregnant when Kevin Wilson and a teenager allegedly ambushed her outside her Peckham home on June 15.

The 22-year-old victim came face-to-face with her alleged attackers when she gave evidence in their Old Bailey trial for allegedly causing her grievous bodily harm and child destruction.

The Marks and Spencer shop assistant told how Wilson and his alleged accomplice emerged from bushes outside her flat disguised in crash helmets and scarves pulled up to their eyes.

Even though he initially had his back to her, she told jurors that she recognised her baby’s father straight away.

She said: “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.”

Asked how she recognised 6ft 4in tall Wilson, Miss Bantala said it was his posture, build and the fact he was wearing the same navy tracksuit he had worn when they met before.

Prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC asked: “What did you think when you had eye contact with this person?”

Miss Bantala replied: “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.”

Miss Bantala told jurors she kept her eyes open throughout and she knew it was Kevin kicking her because she saw his trainers.

She did not know how long the attack went on but said “it felt like ages”.

Banging her foot in the witness box to demonstrate, she went on: “It was a lot of force behind it. It was constant.

“My instincts were to put my right hand on my stomach. I broke two fingers because I was trying to protect my son.”

Miss Bantala told jurors the other male was behind her and he stepped over to deliver a stamp to her belly too.

The Bedfordshire University events management graduate said her attackers only ran away after one of her neighbours intervened.

“I remember as Kevin was kicking me, my neighbour opened the window and looked out and screamed ‘what the f are you doing’.

“It made them run away. I shouted ‘Kevin I’m going to kill you, watch!’ and Kevin turned back.”

Mr Rees asked: “What initial thoughts did you have?”

Miss Bantala replied: “That he did not want the child.”

Afterwards, she was left with life-threatening internal bleeding and a fractured hand, jurors have heard.

Despite trying to shield her bump, the baby boy was killed in the onslaught and later delivered stillborn by Caesarian section, the court heard.

Earlier, Miss Bantala had told how the father, Wilson, had repeatedly tried to persuade her to get an abortion and had become angry when she refused and told his mother.

Describing his reaction when she let slip to a mutual friend, she told the court: “He said ‘stop telling people I’m your baby father you Jezzy’ – it means like a whore.

“He kept on saying it over and over and over again.

“He called me ‘a f****** Jezzy’.

“I was livid because Kevin has never ever disrespected me until this day and never called me that name. I was angry.

“I threatened to punch him. I told him I would go to his mum’s house and punch him in front of his mum.

“He accused me of sleeping with loads of boys from our school.

“He was like ‘that’s not my baby. Find your baby father’.”

Teaching assistant Wilson, 22, of Longfield Estate in Bermondsey, south London, and a 17-year-old who cannot be named, deny the charges against them.