Malorie Bantala: Ex-boyfriend in court over assault on pregnant woman who lost their unborn baby

Kevin Wilson - identified as the father of the baby - is charged with "intent to destroy the life of a child capable of being born alive" after Ms Bantala was kicked and stamped on.

Tragic: Malorie Bantala is still in hospital being treated following the assault.

The ex-boyfriend of a heavily pregnant woman who lost her baby after a "sickening" attack in the street has appeared in court charged with child destruction.

Kevin Wilson, 21, was remanded in custody when he appeared at Camberwell Green Magistrates' Court in London accused of repeatedly kicking Malorie Bantala in the stomach.

Miss Bantala, 21, who was eight months' pregnant, was attacked by two men wearing motorcycle helmets near her home in Peckham, south east London, on Monday night.

Wilson appeared in custody charged with child destruction and grievous bodily harm with intent.

The accused, identified by Miss Bantala as the father of her unborn child, looked around the courtroom as he entered the dock.

Wearing a grey tracksuit and flanked by two security officers, he replied "yes" three times as he was asked by the court clerk to confirm his name, address date of birth.

His father, two brothers, and a number of his cousins and friends packed the public gallery.

Scene: Two men wearing crash helmets attack Miss Bantala in Peckham, South East London

In the first count, Wilson, of the Longfield Estate, Bermondsey, south east London, is charged with "intent to destroy the life of a child capable of being born alive, by a wilful act, namely kicking and stamping on the stomach of the 32-week pregnant mother, causing the child to die before it had any existence independent of its mother".

In the second count, Wilson is charged with "unlawfully and maliciously" causing grievous bodily harm to Miss Bantala with intent.

Scotland Yard described the attack on Miss Bantala as "abhorrent and vile".

Chief Inspector Robert Pack, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "It is sickening to think someone would deliberately target a pregnant woman in this way."

Ms Bantala waited more than an hour for an ambulance that never arrived.

She was eventually taken to hospital by police after a 70-minute wait but her baby could not be saved.

The London Ambulance Service has since apologised.

A 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."

The spokeswoman confirmed the LAS did not attend and that police officers took the woman to a south London hospital.

She added that the first 999 call from a member of the public was assessed to be a "lower priority call" - or a category C call.