Man accused of kicking pregnant Muslim woman - who later lost unborn twins - fails to attend court

An arrest warrant has been issued for a man accused of kicking pregnant woman in the stomach – causing her to lose her unborn twins – after he failed to turn up for his first court appearance.

David Gallacher, 37, of no fixed abode, was due to appear at Milton Keynes Magistrates with racially/religiously aggravated assault against Samsam Haji-Ali, a 34-year-old Somali woman who was attacked while wearing a headscarf outside a Co-op in Bletchley, Milton Keynes, last August.

Haji-Ali, who did not know she was pregnant at the time, fell to the ground during the assault, causing her to lose the unborn babies. Gallacher was also charged with assaulting Haji-Ali's husband outside the Co-op, as well as an officer who was attempted to arrest him later in September.

A warrant not backed for bail was issued for Gallacher by chair of the bench, David Tyler, after he failed to turn up in court to face the charges, despite proceedings getting delayed from the morning to the afternoon.

Gallacher is charged with one count of assault causing ABH, one count of assault by beating, two counts of racially/religiously aggravated assault and three counts of assaulting a police officer.

This article has been amended to correct the spelling of David Gallacher's name.