Man held over fire that killed Irish-based doctor’s family

An 18-year-old man has been charged with murder in connection with a house fire which killed four members of the same family.

Leicestershire Police said the Crown Prosecution Service had authorised them to charge the man in relation to a deadly house blaze in Wood Hill, Leicester, in the early hours of Friday, September 13th.

The fire killed Shehnila Taufiq, who was in her 40s, her 19-year-old daughter Zainab and sons Bilal (17), and Jamal (15)

Their father is Muhammad Taufiq Al Sattar, a Dublin-based doctor.

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.

The man will appear at Leicester Magistrates’ Court tomorrow.

Detectives have been exploring the possibility that a family of four killed in a fire at their property might have been targeted by mistake in a revenge attack after the death of a man in Leicester.

Antoin Akpom died following an assault that took place in Kent Street on the evening of September 12th.

Abdul Hakim (19), of Wood Hill, Leicester, appeared at the city's magistrates court yesterday, charged with 20-year-old Mr Akpom's murder.

PA