A 34-year-old man has been charged with the murders of his two children, his ex-partner and her brother, who all died in a horrific knife attack at their home.
Neil Crampton, an ex-taxidriver, will appear before Newcastle Magistrates' Court charged with killing his two children Abigail Crampton, 12, and five-year-old Steven Crampton, his ex-partner Funke Sobo, 36, and her brother Yemi Sobo, 41. All four died of multiple stab wounds and slash injuries.
Their bodies were found at their home in Hawthorn Gardens, Kenton, in Newcastle upon Tyne on Tuesday morning. Crampton, who lives with his parents, was arrested several hours later as he returned to his home in Huntley Crescent in the Winlaton area of Gateshead.
Detective Superintendent Steve Wade, who is leading the murder inquiry, told a press conference at Byker police station: "As a result of Crampton being charged, I'm not able to give you any further details about the murder investigation, other than to say that we are not looking for anyone else in connection with these murders."
Mr Wade said the post-mortem examinations had taken over two days to complete because of the number of injuries sustained in the attack.
"Funke, Yemi, Abigail and Steven have all suffered multiple stab and slash injuries," the detective said. Funke, Yemi and Abigail also have a large number of defence injuries to their arms and hands where they have tried to fight for their lives.
"A number of bloodstained knives have been recovered from the address and sent for forensic analysis. Forensic scientists and scenes of crime officers will continue to work at the murder scene for several days in an attempt to gather further forensic evidence."
Police were alerted to the bloodstained scene after receiving a call from a man who told them: "I've murdered my entire family."
Just minutes later, officers made the grim discovery at the semi-detached house in Kenton. The bodies of Funke Sobo, an Asda supermarket worker, and her brother Yemi Sobo, a freelance photographer, were found downstairs. The bodies of Ms Sobo's children Abigail and Steven were found upstairs. They were dressed in their nightclothes.
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The children's grandmother Tunde Sobo, who also lived at the house, returned from a holiday to her native Nigeria on Tuesday morning to find her home sealed off with a police cordon. She was then told about the murders.
