Murder trial for Joshua Jacques who killed four members of the same family in their home

A multiple killer who stabbed four members of the same family to death will stand trial for murder later this year.

Joshua Jacques, 28, took the lives of his girlfriend Samantha Drummonds, 27, her mother Tanysha Ofori-Akuffo, 45, her grandmother Dolet Hill, 64, and Ms Hill’s husband, chef Denton Burke, 58.

Police had been called to a disturbance at the family’s three-bedroom terraced home in Delaford Road, Bermondsey, at 1.40am on 25 April this year.

The bodies were discovered when armed officers smashed down the door.

Tanysha was a qualified nurse while Ms Hill had worked as a housekeeping assistant at Guy’s and St Thomas’s hospital in Westminster for 21 years before retiring in 2018.

Jacques admitted four lesser charges of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility at the Old Bailey on 9 September 2022. He denied four charges of murder.

The killer, who has an Afro hairstyle, appeared in court today (fri) via videolink from HMP Belmarsh and spoke only to confirm his name.

His trial remains fixed for 27 November 2023, the court heard.

He will next attend a hearing at the Old Bailey on 3 February next month after a doctor’s report is produced.

Earlier prosecutor Oliver Glasgow said: ‘The police were alerted to the possible sound of a disturbance at a residential property…in the early hours of the morning on 25 April.

‘When police arrived and forced entry to the property they discovered the lifeless bodies of the four victims in the address.’

The bodies were all found in the kitchen apart from Mr Burke who was found at the foot of the stairs.

‘The four victims had sustained numerous wounds sustained by a knife or knives,’ Mr Glasgow said.

‘This defendant was found in the address hiding in the bathroom upstairs having made contact with his mother.’

Jacques, of Minard Road, Catford, denies four charges of murder but admitted four of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.