Murder-accused husband tried to kill himself

A former Army bomb disposal expert accused of trying to murder his pregnant wife and her young son has attempted suicide while on remand, a court heard today.

Nicholas Fabian, 32, was due to enter pleas to charges of attempting to murder Victoria Fabian, also 32, and her eight-year-old son and unlawfully possessing ammunition - 95 rounds of 5.56mm rifle bullets.

Fabian, of Highview, Vigo, near Meopham, Kent, is also accused of having an explosive substance with intent to endanger life and causing an explosion likely to endanger life.

The case was moved to August 16 at the request of Fabian's lawyer Guy Dilliway-Parry after he asked for an adjournment for a psychiatric report to be prepared.

The court also heard that five witnesses serving in the armed forces would not be returning to the UK from Afghanistan until November.

Judge Andrew Patience QC said that any trial therefore might not be held until next January, some five months after a provisional trial date had been set.

Following the explosion in a residents' car park in March in Highview in Vigo, Mrs Fabian was transferred to a London hospital for specialist treatment after suffering terrible leg injuries.

The court was told that she has yet to have the child, which was said to have escaped unharmed from the blast. Mrs Fabian's son, who was also in the car at the time, was taken to hospital as a precaution but freed after being kept in for observation.

Fabian, dressed in a dark-coloured suit and tie and flanked by two security guards, spoke only to confirm his name during the hearing. He was remanded in custody.