Cage fighter accused of stabbing pregnant ex-girlfriend in Belton

A two-timing cage fighter stabbed his pregnant ex-girlfriend five times in an attempt to conceal he was the father of her unborn baby, a jury heard.
Lauren Oliver, of Bleotn, who was stabbed.Lauren Oliver, of Bleotn, who was stabbed.
Lauren Oliver, of Bleotn, who was stabbed.

Nicolas Leaning, 28, has gone on trial after it is alleged he tried to kill Lauren Oliver after she made plans with his current girlfriend to carry out a DNA test to prove he was the father of Lauren’s child.

Hull Crown Court heard on Monday that Lauren, 25, was repeatedly stabbed in the abdomen in June this year, when she was 34 weeks pregnant, in the doorway of her home in Ashtree Close, Belton.

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The stabbing led to an emergency caesarean and the premature birth of her baby - who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Simon Waley, prosecuting, told the court that Leaning had been in a relationship with Lauren for around 18 months when it became apparent he had resumed his relationship with ex-girlfriend Lindsay Coombs.

Mr Waley said: “He had been seeing both of these women for some time and they discovered this among themselves.

“Lauren had become pregnant. When the defendant learned of the pregnancy he had tried to persuade her to have an abortion and when she said she didn’t want to, he became angry and said he didn’t want to have anything to do with the child.

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“He began to indicate to others that the child wasn’t his and he hadn’t been sleeping with Lauren for some time.

“Lauren and Lindsay had been in touch with each other and had been on friendly terms and arranged a DNA test to determine who was the father.

“He said he would not participate in such a test so Lindsay said she would allow DNA from their child to be used.”

The court heard Lauren was approached from behind as she got to her front door after dropping her daughter off at school on the morning of June 11.

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Mr Waley alleged: “As she got to the front door she was approached by the defendant who stabbed her to the stomach.

“She was thrown in through the front door way and fell to the floor. She landed on her knees just inside the door and she was pushed onto her back and she curled up into a ball trying to protect her stomach area.

“She could hear grunting as further blows were made to her stomach area. She realised now she was being stabbed. She was screaming, shouting his name and begging him to stop.

“He seemed almost to be smiling before stabbing her for the fifth time. He then fled from the scene.”

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Following the alleged attack, Mr Waley said Lauren got up and tried to follow him before screaming for help.

The prosecutor said she was bleeding heavily and was convinced that her baby was going to die.

The court heard Lauren was taken to nearby Scunthorpe District Hospital where it was confirmed she had five stab wounds to her abdomen.

She underwent emergency surgery and a caesarean section to delivery her baby six weeks early.

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Mr Waley said it was “astonishing that the baby was not harmed.”

When giving a description of her attacker to police, the prosecutor said Lauren told them he was wearing a mask – the type Leaning wore while training as a cage fighter.

The court heard that Leaning was arrested around an hour after the incident at his home address in Torbay Court, Scunthorpe.

Mr Waley said that he gave a number of conflicting accounts as to his whereabouts on the morning, as well as allegedly getting his father to provide him with a false alibi.

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During police questioning, Leaning finally admitted being at Lauren’s property where he said she had shouted at him and ‘came at him with a knife’.

Mr Waley added: “It’s absurd that a 34-week pregnant Lauren launched an attack on her cage fighter ex-boyfriend and then went on to stab herself and her unborn baby five times in an act of spite against the defendant.”

Leaning denies attempted murder, attempted child destruction and wounding with intent.

The trial continues.

q See www.epworthtoday.co.uk for regular updates.