A man who plotted to have his pregnant lover beaten up in order to get rid of their unborn child has been jailed.

Cambs Times: Steven Blades.Steven Blades. (Image: Archant)

Jamie Smith, 23, of Athena Close, Stanground, Peterborough, came up with the plan with two friends after learning the woman had become pregnant during their affair.

Not wanting the child, he recruited Steven Blades and another man to carry out a vicious assault with a crowbar and a knife after luring her to a secluded park in Peterborough under the pretence of discussing the pregnancy.

He planned to make it look like a robbery and would also be injured during the attack. The knife would be used to threaten the pair, before both were assaulted.

But the other man did not want to get involved, so alerted police.

Cambs Times: The knife and crowbar which would have been used in the attack.The knife and crowbar which would have been used in the attack. (Image: Archant)

Due to quick intervention by the police Blades and Smith were arrested on the day the attack was arranged to take place – February 21.

Blades, 23, of Wells Court, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to conspiring to cause grievous bodily harm, but Smith denied the charge, claiming others had come up with the plan.

However, he was convicted unanimously following a five-day trial at Peterborough Crown Court.

Smith was jailed for seven years and Blades for 12 months. They were both given a 10 year restraining order against the victim.

The intended victim of Smith and Blades said: “Part of me wants to believe that he was put up to this by someone, but deep down I know that is not the case.

“It hurts a lot to know that someone I felt so close to could plan this behind my back, yet so still be so nice to my face. It’s just evil.

“Nobody has the right to say whether someone, especially a baby, should live or die. If Jamie did not want to get involved with the baby he didn’t have to and he knew this. This makes what he arranged even harder to understand.

“When my child is old enough I will tell them about this and let them decide if they want a relationship with Jamie – until then I will do everything I need to do to protect my child.”

Detective Constable Vicky Speirs, who investigated, said: “This was a sickening and extremely dangerous plot to cause a young woman to lose her unborn child.

“It is incomprehensible how anyone would want to carry out such a hurtful and violent act. It was an incredibly selfish act by Smith who gave no thought as to what effect his actions could potentially have on the victim.

“Given the level of violence they were prepared to use, we could quite easily have been dealing with a murder.

“Thankfully, one of those men recruited by Smith to carry out his dirty work saw sense and contacted the police so we could intervene and prevent such a serious incident taking place.”