Man appears in court charged with murder in Hackney

A man has appeared in court charged with murder in connection with a stabbing in east London last month.

Kamar Williams, 33, from the Isle of Dogs, east London, is accused of murdering Derek Thomas in Hackney on July 30.

He is also charged with possessing a knife in a public place, namely Stoke Newington Common, on the same day.

Appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, the defendant, wearing a grey tracksuit, spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.

Williams was arrested by Metropolitan Police officers at Notting Hill Carnival on Monday and charged the following the day, the force said.

Mr Thomas, who lived in Stoke Newington, was pronounced dead after he was found with stab wounds.

Police said a post-mortem examination revealed that he died from a stab wound to the chest.

District judge John Zani remanded the defendant into custody for a next hearing at the Old Bailey on Friday.