Murder accused appears in court over house fire

Akashdeep Singh, 26, died in hospital after the fire in June

A man has appeared in court accused of murder, following a house fire in Wolverhampton.

Akashdeep Singh, 26, was trapped upstairs in a house with members of his family on Plascom Road, East Park, in June and later died in hospital.

The court heard that Mr Singh's brother suffered a fractured back when he fell out of an upstairs window, while their mother was still in intensive care in hospital.

Dale Francis, of Stoke-on-Trent, attended a hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Tuesday.

Two other people were also injured in the fire.

In a statement issued after his death, Mr Singh's family described him as a "true hero" and a "precious son".

"He was a kind, helpful, and deeply religious person whose loss brings us immense pain that will remain with us for the rest of our lives.

"His memory will forever be cherished, and the depth of his absence is profoundly felt every single day," he said.

Mr Francis, 36, is charged with murder, four counts of attempted murder and one count of arson with intent to endanger life.

He remains in custody and will appear before Wolverhampton Crown Court on 11 October.