Leicester Fire Deaths: Teen Charged With Murder

A teenager has been charged with murder in relation to the house fire which killed a mother and her three children in Leicester.

The 18-year-old was charged with four counts of murder following the deaths of Shehnila Taufiq, who was in her 40s, her 19-year-old daughter Zainab and sons Bilal, 17, and Jamal, 15, Leicestershire Police said.

The children all died in their bedrooms as fire ripped through the house in the Wood Hill area of the city on Friday, September 13.

The children's father, Muhammad Taufiq al Sattar, a neurosurgeon who was working in Ireland, has spoken of his grief and said he would "deeply miss" his "beautiful" wife, daughter and two teenage sons.

The fire had been linked to the murder of 19-year-old Antoin Akpom during a street assault in the city.

However, announcing the charges, Assistant Chief Constable, Roger Bannister said: "We do not believe at this moment that either the murder of Antoin Akpom or the murders on Wood Hill are racially motivated."

The teenager is expected to appear in front of magistrates today.

Separately, Abdul Hakim, 19, of Wood Hill, Leicester, appeared at the city's magistrates court on Wednesday, charged with 20-year-old Mr Akpom's murder on September 12.

The Taufiq family, originally from Pakistan, had a home in Ireland for at least 15 years before the children moved to the UK with their mother about five years ago for an Islamic education.

Steve Chappell, chief crown prosecutor at CPS East Midlands, said lawyers had decided there was sufficient evidence to charge and that it was in the public interest for a prosecution to take place.

He said: "It is important to note that proceedings are now active, and the accused is entitled to a fair trial.

"Nothing should be said or reported that would prejudice that right."