Ilford father appears in court accused of murdering children while wife was in shower

Pavinya Nithiyakumar, aged 19 months, and Nigish Nithiyakumar, aged three, who had their throats cut during an attack at their home (Picture: PA)

A father has appeared in court accused of murdering his young children by slitting their throats while his wife was in the shower.

Pavinya Nithiyakumar, aged 19 months, and Nigash Nithiyakumar, aged 3, were both fatally wounded by cuts to the neck at their family home in Ilford, east London, on April 26.

Pavinya died in the house, while Nigash was pronounced dead of his wounds at a hospital in Whitechapel.

Their mother is believed to have been in the shower while the attack took place and called the police.

Police outside the house after the alleged murder (PA)

Their father Nadarajah Nithiyakumar was taken to hospital with knife wounds before later being charged with the murder of his son and daughter on his release.

The shopkeeper, 40, appeared in the Old Bailey via videolink on Tuesday and confirmed his identity with the help of a Tamil translator.

Nithiyakumar told Judge Nigel Lickley QC that he speaks some English from his time working in a shop.

A plea hearing was set for July 28, when a trial date will be confirmed.

Nithiyakumar was remanded in custody until then.