A man has appeared in court over the murder of his wife and 12-year-old daughter.

Peter Nash, 46, appeared at Norwich Magistrates Court having been charged with the murder of Jillu Nash, 44, and daughter Louise.

Their bodies were found at a property in Heath Estate, Great Waldingfield, Suffolk.

Police had been called just after 9.55am on September 8 to reports of concerns for safety.

Home Office post-mortem examination in respect of Jillu Nash concluded her cause of death was pressure on the neck.

Louise Nash was found to have died from a stab wound to the abdomen.

Nash, of Heath Estate, Great Waldingfield, has subsequently been charged with two counts of murder.

The defendant, who used a frame to help him into the dock and wore a black T-Shirt, appeared before city magistrates on Monday (October 17).

District Judge David Wilson said the matters could only be dealt with by the crown court and sent the case to Ipswich Crown Court.

At Ipswich Crown Court, Judge Martyn Levett adjourned the hearing part heard until midday on Tuesday ( October 18) and remanded Nash in custody.

A trial date was set for April 17 next year with a plea hearing to be held on January 5.

Peter Nash was detained at the crime scene with serious injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment where he remained under police arrest for over five weeks.

Nash was remanded in custody.