Bermondsey stabbing: what happened on Delaford Road south-east London, who were victims, is there a suspect?

A 28-year-old man appeared in court charged with the murder of four family members in Bermondsey
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

A man charged with the murder of four family members in a terraced house in south-east London has been remanded into custody.

Joshua Jacques, 28, is accused of killing Jamaican-born NHS worker Dolet Hill, 64, and her partner Denton Burke, 58, who were found stabbed at their home in Delaford Road, Bermondsey, on Monday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ms Hill’s daughter, Tanysha Drummonds, 45, also known as Rachquel and previously named by police as Tanysha Ofori-Akuffo, who lived in Kennington, and Ms Drummond’s daughter, Samantha Drummonds, 27, who lived in Forest Hill, also died at the property.

Four people were stabbed to death in Bermondsey. They have been named as Dolet Hill and her partner Denton Burke (top right), Dolet’s daughter Tanysha  Ofori-Akuffo (bottom left) and Tanysha’s daughter Samantha Drummonds.Four people were stabbed to death in Bermondsey. They have been named as Dolet Hill and her partner Denton Burke (top right), Dolet’s daughter Tanysha  Ofori-Akuffo (bottom left) and Tanysha’s daughter Samantha Drummonds.
Four people were stabbed to death in Bermondsey. They have been named as Dolet Hill and her partner Denton Burke (top right), Dolet’s daughter Tanysha Ofori-Akuffo (bottom left) and Tanysha’s daughter Samantha Drummonds.

What happened in court?

Joshua Jacques, 28, has been charged in connection with the murders.

Jacques, of Minard Road, south-east London, will appear in custody at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, the Metropolitan Police said.

He was charged on Thursday morning following an investigation by homicide detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jacques was remanded into custody after appearing in court charged with the murders.

He spoke only to confirm his details during the brief hearing before appearing to gesture to a woman in the public gallery as he was led out of the dock.

Bereaved family members of the deceased sat in a separate area of the gallery to listen to the hearing.

District Judge Daniel Sternberg sent the case to the Old Bailey for a further hearing on 3 May.

Who were the victims?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Burke’s sister Julieth Hutchinson told Sky News she was last with him on 12 March, celebrating Ms Hill’s birthday.

She said she wants to remember “his beautiful smile” and laughter.

Chyloe Daley, 26, Mr Burke’s niece told the news outlet the four deaths have “affected all of us quite badly”. She described Mr Burke as a “great husband, father and uncle”.

Meanwhile, Guy’s and St Thomas’s hospital where Ms Hill worked in the pharmacy department as a housekeeping assistant for 21 years before retiring in 2018, paid tribute to her.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In a statement they said: “Dolet was a well-respected colleague, who also helped to improve the workplace for others as an active UNISON representative. Our thoughts are with Dolet’s family, friends and all who worked with her.”

The Evening Standard reported that Ms Hill’s niece Venecia Reid said her aunt had just had successful cancer surgery.

She said: “She was a wonderful woman. She loved the church, she was such a hard worker. She had worked at Guy’s Hospital. She had just had cancer surgery as well. I’m devastated I couldn’t believe it I had to come to the scene to check for myself. She had daughters, she was a wonderful woman.”

Speaking at the scene Ms Reid, who was visibly upset, told reporters: “She was very loving, very kind, very generous.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A friend of Samantha’s told reporters that she had temporarily moved into the house in Bermondsey during building work at her own flat in Forest Hill.

Rudra Brambhatt told the Evening Standard: “She had only recently moved out temporarily while her bathroom was done. Samantha took her cat and went back to the family home.

“We are devastated. We got on so well. She loved music and worked at NatWest.”

Tanysha’s husband, Danny Ofori-Akuffo told MailOnline: “Tanysha stayed with Dolet because she was being treated for cancer. I tried calling her a few times on Sunday night but she didn’t pick up.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“She eventually answered at 11.30pm and said she’d dozed off on the sofa but was now heading up to bed. Those were the last words I had with her.

“I still cannot believe it. It hasn’t sunk in. We are such a close family, we are always together. We all look out for one another.

“I’ve lost something very special. Their deaths have left a hole that will not be filled until I see them all in heaven.”

What happened in Bermondsey?

All five people are believed to have known each other.

Emergency services were called at around 1.40am to reports of a disturbance, and when police forced entry to the home they found four people with fatal stab injuries.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A spokeswoman for London Ambulance Service said: “We sent three ambulance crews, two fast response units, two incident response officers, two advanced paramedics and a team leader to the scene.

“Our team worked closely with colleagues from other emergency services.

“Sadly, despite the best efforts of our medics, four patients died at the scene.”

Police investigations taking place at the scene on Delaford Road, Southwark, London, where four people were found stabbed to death at a property.  Police investigations taking place at the scene on Delaford Road, Southwark, London, where four people were found stabbed to death at a property.
Police investigations taking place at the scene on Delaford Road, Southwark, London, where four people were found stabbed to death at a property.

What has been said?

Detective Chief Inspector Linda Bradley, who leads the investigation, said: “This was a truly horrific incident and I fully recognise that the distress for the family and the community will be overwhelming.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We are aware that we have family, friends and a community that are all asking questions, we are determined to give them the answers they deserve as soon as possible.”

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was “heartbroken” to hear of the “devastating incident” and added that his thoughts were with the friends and families of those who had died.

Harriet Harman, MP for Camberwell and Peckham, said: “It’s a terrible tragedy and our thoughts are with the family and friends of those who’ve tragically had their lives cut short”.