A man accused of murdering a 35-year-old who police say was stabbed to death as he slept has appeared in court.
Simon Emmons has been charged with the murder of Ebrima Cham, known as Brim, on December 19.
The 39-year-old is accused of fatally attacking Mr Cham while he was staying at a friend's house in Hounslow.
Scotland Yard previously said they believe the victim was asleep at the time of the attack.
A post-mortem examination gave Mr Cham's cause of death as multiple stab injuries.
Emmons, from Whitton, was arrested on Thursday and appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Saturday dressed in a grey tracksuit, speaking only to confirm his details.
In an earlier statement, Mr Cham’s family said they “feel numb with pain” and have “so many questions, not least ‘why?'”
They said the family’s Christmas celebrations had “morphed into our time of mourning the loss of our Brim for evermore”.
Scotland Yard said police were called to Grove Road at 11.30am, but despite the efforts of emergency services Mr Cham was pronounced dead a short while later.
A bail hearing for Emmons, who is also accused of possession of a knife, is set to take place on December 31 at the Old Bailey and a pre-trial preparation hearing is scheduled for January 27 at the same court.
A 68-year-old man arrested on December 22 on suspicion of murder has been bailed to a date in mid-January.
A 44-year-old man also arrested on suspicion of murder has since been released with no further action.
