Man appears in court accused of murdering 42-year-old teacher

Gemma Devonish was found with stab wounds at an address in south London at around 10.30am on Thursday and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Croydon Law Courts which houses Croydon Magistrates’ Court (Dominic Harris/PA) (PA Archive)

A man has appeared in court accused of murdering a 42-year-old teacher in south London.

James Madden is charged over the death of Gemma Devonish, who was found with stab wounds at an address in Nutfield Close, Carshalton, at around 10.30am on Thursday.

Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended and Ms Devonish, a teacher at Rosebery School, an all-girls secondary in Epsom, Surrey, was pronounced dead at the scene, the Metropolitan Police added.

Madden appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court via video-link from Brixton police station on Monday.

The 38-year-old defendant, in a grey sweatshirt, did not confirm his name and officers with him confirmed his identity on his behalf.

Lesley Budge, chair of a bench of magistrates, said: “Mr Madden you are charged with an indictable only offence, a matter which can’t be dealt with in this court.”

Madden, of Railton Road, Brixton, was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.

The head of Rosebery School, David Lach, paid tribute to Ms Devonish, calling her “the kindest and most gentle of people”, who was “devoted to her work and loved her students at Rosebery so very much”.

“She was a wonderful teacher who inspired a love of her subject among all her students and went above and beyond to offer her time, expertise and care to the students in her classes and in her year group,” Mr Lach said.

“Her loss to our school is incalculable, but she leaves the most incredible legacy in the hundreds of students that have been touched by her energy, passion and empathy.

“The hearts of the Rosebery community will be broken by this awful news, but the strength of our school has always been the way we have supported each other in times of adversity.”