Ding family murder accused remanded

A Chinese businessman has appeared in court charged with murdering a family of four after being extradited to the UK.

Anxiang Du, 54, appeared at Northampton Magistrates' Court charged with the murders of university lecturer Jifeng "Jeff" Ding, his wife Ge "Helen" Chui and their two daughters Alice, 12, and Xing, 18.

The family were found stabbed to death at their home in Wootton, Northamptonshire, on April 29, 2011 - the day of Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding.

Du, who spoke through a Mandarin translator at the court, gave only an address in Coventry and his date of birth before being remanded into custody.

The court heard he was arrested on Wednesday evening after being extradited from Morocco.

District Judge Timothy Deber sent the case to Northampton Crown Court and remanded Du, who appeared wearing a white hooded top and flanked by two armed police officers, into custody.

He will appear at Northampton Crown Court on March 15 at 10am.

Du's extradition was approved by the Moroccan ministry of justice in conjunction with the Home Office after he was arrested in Morocco last year on suspicion of killing the family of four.