by Keith Hunt

Love cheat soldier Nick Fabian denied planting a grenade that blew up his pregnant wife's car as she drove off with her son.

"I can't believe it," he said. "I didn't do it. I love her to bits."

Asked after his arrest if he knew what caused the explosion, he replied: "No, I don't - no idea. No one has told me."

Fabian said his wife Victoria was screaming because her legs were on fire. He said he tried to put out the flames with his bare hands.

The 33-year-old father is alleged to have booby-trapped his wife's Mazda outside their home in Highview, Vigo village, near Gravesend, in March last year.

Fabian was having an affair at the time with Jackie Phillips, pictured left by Kent Media/Sidcup Jim Bennett.

Mrs Fabian, 33, a district nurse at Tonbridge Cottage Hospital, suffered serious leg injuries, while her son Charlie, nine, and unborn child escaped unharmed.

Fabian was a regular soldier from 1994 to 2004 and then made a reservist for six years.

He was due to be posted to Afghanistan 13 days after the incident.

He said in police interviews that on March 5 they planned to return the Mazda to his mother-in-law's Tonbridge home, get their hair cut and then have a family meal.

Fabian said he had a "kiss and a cuddle" with his wife before they left the house.

He went to their Vauxhall Zafira and his wife went to the Mazda. Harry went with his mother and their son Charlie, then three, went with Fabian.

The shed where Fabian allegedly made the booby-trap

Work bench and ammunition found by police

He said his wife reversed and the car "went bang".

He continued: "That's when I saw flying debris. I ran back to the car. My wife's screaming because her legs are on fire.

"I ran round the back of the car. Charlie was standing outside the passenger seat. He was dazed. I ran back to my wife.

"Her jeans and socks were on fire. I put them out with my hands."

Pouch and ammunition found by police

Fabian said there was a "football-sized" hole in the car. He dragged his wife out.

"My wife was in pain," he said. "She was bleeding very badly from her left leg.

"I was trying to make her comfortable. I thought I was going to lose her."

Fabian denies attempting to murder Mrs Fabian, causing her grievous bodily harm with intent and causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious damage to property.

He admits possessing 95 rounds of 5.56mm rifle bullets without a firearms certificate.

The trial continues.