Photograph: Aaron Chown/PA
Three men have denied arson and manslaughter charges at their court appearance after five people were killed in an explosion at a Polish supermarket in Leicester.
Arkan Ali, 37, Hawkar Hassan, 32, and Aram Kurd, 33, were arrested after the blast destroyed the shop and two-storey flat above on 25 February.
Mary Ragoobeer, 46, her sons Shane, 18, and Sean, 17, Leah Beth Reek, 18, who was Shane’s girlfriend, and Viktorija Ljevleva, 22, were all killed in the incident on Hinckley Road.
The trio each face five counts of manslaughter and one count of arson with intent or being reckless as to whether life was endangered. The three men denied a further charge of conspiracy to commit fraud with Ljevleva.
Appearing at Leicester crown court on Tuesday via video link from HMP Woodhill, Kurd, Hassan and Ali only spoke to confirm their names and to deny all seven alleged offences. During a 50-minute hearing, the three men were told their trial was likely to be heard under a high court judge.
The prosecution had told an earlier hearing at Leicester magistrates court that the explosion was caused by petrol spread throughout the shop.
Jose Ragoobeer, paying tribute to his wife and two sons after the incident, said: “Our lives will never be the same. What happened that day has affected so many people’s lives. Every day they will all be missed.”
Reek’s family said their hearts were breaking and described her as a “beautiful, bubbly baby girl”. “There is a part of us gone forever,” they said. “We will always miss her cheeky smile and will miss her every day for the rest of our lives.”
Ljevleva’s mother said: “There are very few children like my beautiful Viktorija. Friends were always jealous that I never had any problems with my little one. We shared a mutual understanding with one another. We miss her terribly.”
Ali, of Drake Close, Oldham, Hassan, of no fixed abode, and Kurd, of Hillary Place, Leicester, were remanded into custody by Judge Philip Head until a further hearing on 31 August at the same court.
