Sian Blake: Boyfriend admits killing actress and 2 children
Arthur Simpson-Kent confesses to murdering former EastEnders star and their young boys
The partner of actress Sian Blake has pleaded guilty to murdering her and their two children in London.
Arthur Simpson-Kent, who fled to Ghana after the murders, confessed to killing the former EastEnders actress and her two boys, eight-year-old Zachary and his four-year-old brother Amon.
Appearing at the Old Bailey via video link, the 49-year-old hairdresser entered his guilty plea before being remanded in custody at Belmarsh prison. A sentencing hearing is due to start in October.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Outside court, Ms Blake's sister Ava said the family were 'really relieved'," the BBC reports.
Blake, 43, starred in the soap opera during the 1990s and had been suffering from motor neurone disease when she was murdered.
The bodies were found buried in shallow graves in the couple's garden in southeast London in January. A post-mortem examination revealed that they died of head and neck injuries.
An international manhunt was launched after Simpson-Kent went missing, with Ghanaian authorities finally apprehending him in the coastal town of Butre.
He was extradited back to the UK in February and arrested on arrival at Heathrow Airport.
The Metropolitan Police has referred the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission over its handling of the investigation.
Sian Blake and sons died from head and neck injuries
08 January
Three bodies found in a London garden on Tuesday have been formally identified as former EastEnders actress Sian Blake and her two children.
Post-mortem examinations have provisionally concluded that all three died as a result of head and neck injuries.
Scotland Yard has said it is treating the deaths as a triple murder and is searching for Blake's partner, Arthur Simpson-Kent.
The bodies were dug up from the family's garden in Erith, south-east London, three weeks after the actress was last seen by her relatives.
ITV News says it has obtained a photograph of Simpson-Kent arriving at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, on 19 December, three days after he was questioned by police over Blake's disappearance. He apparently used a Ghanaian passport to travel from Glasgow to Amsterdam and then on to Ghana.
"Police are aware of reports in the media that Arthur Simpson-Kent has travelled abroad. This continues to be one line of investigation and for operational reasons we are not prepared to discuss this further at this stage," said Scotland Yard.
The actress's sister Ava yesterday said she was convinced Simpson-Kent was responsible for the deaths of Blake and her son Zachary, eight, and Amon, four.
"Unfortunately, I believe Arthur was responsible… I want him to face justice and explain why," she said. "It's my two nephews more than anything. My brother is angry. My cousins are angry. They are angry about Sian but the boys have devastated us. We have lost a generation. We can never replace them."
The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the Independent Police Complaints Commission over its handling of the investigation. "An initial review has highlighted some potential issues regarding the handling and grading of the missing persons investigation," said the Met.
Bodies found in garden of missing Eastenders actor
06 January
Police are searching for the boyfriend of missing actor Sian Blake after three bodies were found in the garden of their home in south-east London yesterday. The former EastEnders star and her two sons, Zachary, eight, and Amon, four, have been missing since 13 December.
The discovery of the bodies has prompted the launch of a murder investigation.
"Sadly, as part of a thorough forensic search we are carrying out at the family's home in Erith, we recovered three bodies from the garden of the property," said Det Supt Paul Monk, the Metropolitan Police's homicide and major crime command.
"As yet, we have not formally identified the bodies but this is, of course, a significant development and Sian's family have been informed," Monk said. "This continues to be a fast-moving investigation."
A post-mortem will be carried out later today.
Police have called for anyone who has seen Blake's boyfriend, Arthur Simpson-Kent, to contact them urgently, said the BBC. He has been missing since 16 December, when he was interviewed by police.
According to The Sun, the search for Simpson-Kent, the father of the two boys, has turned into an international manhunt, with the newspaper claiming he has fled to Ghana.
"He made his way there, via Glasgow and Amsterdam, shortly before Christmas," a source was reported as saying. "Interpol have been informed and there is an alert out to find him."
Police have refused to comment on the claims.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Princess of Wales visits Southport
Speed Read The royal couple met the families of the girls killed in the knife attack
By The Week UK Published
-
How the Nobel Peace Prize is chosen
The Explainer This year's prize has gone to survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 5 - 11 October
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Scotland Yard, Gaza and the politics of policing protests
Talking Point Met Police accused of 'two-tier policing' by former home secretary as new footage emerges of latest flashpoint
By The Week UK Published
-
Can the Met Police heal its relationship with the Black community?
In depth Police chiefs accused of not doing enough to address reported institutional racism
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Why police are downing firearms after the Chris Kaba murder charge
The Explainer Army drafted in after scores of armed Met officers 'revolt' over charging of colleague
By The Week Staff Published
-
Met Police clean-up: more than 1,000 officers suspended or on restricted duties
'Eye-watering' figures show scale of challenge to restore public trust
By Harriet Marsden Published
-
New suspect named in Stephen Lawrence case 30 years on
Speed Read Baroness Lawrence calls for ‘serious sanctions’ against officers who failed to investigate Matthew White
By The Week Staff Published
-
How did Met Police officer David Carrick get away with it for so long?
Today's Big Question Failure to stop one of Britain’s most prolific rapists linked to ‘toxic culture of misogyny’ at force
By The Week Staff Published
-
How Scotland Yard took down iSpoof in UK’s biggest ever fraud investigation
Speed Read Thousands of victims robbed of £10,000 each on average by scammers posing as banks and trusted sources
By Julia O'Driscoll Published
-
Mark Rowley: new police chief admits officers are ‘treating women appallingly’
Why Everyone’s Talking About Casey report uncovers ‘systemic’ racism as commissioner says hundreds of police officers need kicking out
By The Week Staff Last updated