16-year-old one of trio convicted of attempting to kill an unborn child
Harief Pearson and Kydie McKenna
A sixteen-year-old girl from Fulham, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been jailed for three years for her part in an attack on a pregnant teenager.
She was one of a trio of people who have been sentenced after subjecting a girl to a prolonged ordeal as they attempted to kill her unborn child.
22-year-old Kydie McKenna of Old Oak Lane was enlisted by her cousin Harief Pearson of Caple Road, NW10, also 22, to end the life of the child he had fathered. Along with the younger girl they were sentenced to a total of 25 years imprisonment at Harrow Crown Court on Friday, 5 July. All three had previously pleaded guilty to their part in the assault.
The sustained and vicious assault happened on Wednesday, 12 December 2018. The victim, who was aged 17 at the time, had recently found out she was pregnant with Pearson’s child. Pearson had demanded she have an abortion but she refused.
When the victim arrived at Pearson’s home in Harlesden, the girl from Fulham who was 15 at the time and with whom Pearson was now in a relationship, was also there.
Pearson and the victim argued and when she said she wanted to leave, Pearson took her phone and told her she couldn’t. A short while later McKenna arrived at the address having been told by Pearson he did not want the child to live and that she should deal with it for him. She was wearing a balaclava and immediately put the victim in a chokehold.
Pearson left the bedroom where they all were and McKenna and the younger girl continued the assault on the victim, pulling her to the floor and kicking her repeatedly in the stomach, back and face. The younger girl ripped a thumbnail from the victim’s hand. During the sustained assault, comments were made to the victim that this was a way to get rid of the unborn child.
After around 20 minutes, Pearson came back into the room and ordered the assault to stop. However, after asking the victim whether she thought she had miscarried, Pearson ordered the attack to recommence.
This time, as the assault continued, the younger assailant forced detergent into the victim’s mouth after she had asked for water. The second attack only ceased when Pearson feared his mother was about to return. He ordered the younger girl to hastily clear up the blood and then McKenna escorted the victim from the address.Before leaving, the victim was threatened by Pearson that if she told the police he would take out a £10,000 contract on her life.
Once outside, the victim managed to convince McKenna to call her an ambulance and she was taken to hospital where she confided to medical staff that she had been attacked.
Pearson and the girl were arrested later that day at an address in Fulham. McKenna was arrested on 14 January.
Analysis of Pearson’s phone showed that, prior to the victim’s visit, he had made several internet searches about how to cause miscarriages during early pregnancy. During police interview, all three refused to answer any of the questions put to them.
Detective Constable Nick Lee from the North West Command Unit who led the investigation said: “I am incredibly proud of the victim in this case for showing such bravery throughout the investigation.
“This was a ferocious and prolonged attack on a vulnerable young girl who was held against her will and savagely beaten.
“While Pearson did not actually take part in the physical violence, he clearly plotted it and used McKenna and the 16-year-old girl to carry out his plan to cause the victim to miscarry her unborn child.
“Only when Pearson thought the victim had miscarried, did the assault end. His actions were truly sickening.
“Thankfully, the baby was unharmed and I hope this sentencing give the victim some closure, and provides her with the strength she’ll need as she embarks on the next chapter of her life as a mother.”
Pearson pleaded guilty to attempted GBH and attempting to pervert the course of justice; charges of administering a poison to cause a miscarriage, theft and false imprisonment were ordered to lie on file. He was sentenced to a total of 11 years.
McKenna pleaded guilty to attempted GBH and attempting to pervert the course of justice. She was sentenced to a total of ten years. She was also given a concurrent sentence of six and a half years in relation to a robbery that took place last year.
The girl, who is now 16 and heavily pregnant, pleaded guilty to attempted GBH, administering a poison to cause a miscarriage, theft and false imprisonment. She was sentenced to a total of four years.
The child survived the attack and the victim is due to give birth in the next few weeks.
Luisa Stuart, from the CPS, said, 'This was a vicious, shameful and premeditated attack on a vulnerable young pregnant victim. It was orchestrated by Pearson because he did not want to be a father.
'I hope these convictions provide some level of comfort to the victim who has shown immense bravery throughout this investigation and trial.'
July 8, 2019
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