Man accused of inflicting ‘numerous’ wounds on fatal knife attack victims

Joshua Jacques is charged with murdering four members of the same family in south London last month.

Court sketch of Joshua Jacques in the dock during a previous appearance (Elizabeth Cook/PA) (PA Wire)

A man accused of inflicting “numerous” wounds to four members of the same family in a fatal knife attack has appeared before the Old Bailey.

Joshua Jacques, 28, is charged over the deaths of NHS worker Dolet Hill, 64, her partner Denton Burke, 58, daughter Tanysha Drummonds, 45, and granddaughter Samantha Drummonds, 27.

The four died in a terraced home in Delaford Road, Bermondsey, south London, on Monday April 25.

Police had been alerted to sounds of a disturbance at the property in the early hours of the morning.

Officers found the victims’ lifeless bodies, with Mr Burke discovered at the foot of the stairs and the three women in the kitchen.

Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow QC said all four victims had “sustained numerous wounds inflicted by a knife or knives” and were pronounced dead at the scene.

The defendant was found naked in the bathroom upstairs.

He was arrested and taken to Brixton police station.

Jacques, from Minard Road, Lewisham, south-east London, was subsequently charged with four counts of murder.

He appeared at the Old Bailey on Monday for a preliminary hearing before Judge Mark Lucraft QC.

The defendant appeared by video link from custody at Belmarsh jail and spoke only to confirm his identity.

Mr Glasgow and defence barrister Brian Kennedy also appeared remotely for the short hearing.

Judge Lucraft set a plea hearing for July 19 with a provisional trial to be set at a future date.

Jacques, who wore a grey tracksuit, was remanded into custody.

According to a Gofundme page set up to help pay funeral costs, the family have been left “truly heartbroken”.

Ms Hill had been happily married to council worker Mr Burke for 15 years and had worked in the NHS for more than 20 years.

Tanysha Drummonds, also known as Tanysha Ofori-Akuffo, was a nurse who supported her mother in charity ventures and was described as “a doting wife, caring mother and a great friend”.

Her daughter Samantha was “an upbeat, fun-loving, bubbly young lady who adored her grandmother Dolet,” the family said.