Man charged with student murders

The bodies of the two students were found at a bedsit in New Cross

A man has been charged with the murders of two French students who were found dead in a blazing bedsit in London.

Police have also arrested a man aged 35 and a 25-year-old woman over the deaths of Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo.

The victims, both 23, were bound and gagged and suffered numerous stab wounds, in New Cross on 29 June.

Nigel Edwards Farmer, 33, of no fixed address, has been charged with their murders, arson and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Detectives arrested Mr Farmer after he walked into Lewisham police station in the early hours of Monday.

Severely damaged

He was initially taken to hospital under guard for treatment to serious burns to his hands and arms.

The badly-burned bodies of the two students were found after an explosion at the bedsit.

Mr Bonomo was stabbed nearly 200 times, up to 80 of the wounds inflicted after he was dead, while Mr Ferez suffered nearly 50 knife wounds.

Forensic searches at the severely damaged ground-floor property in Sterling Gardens could continue for several weeks.

Detectives have previously said the students may have been attacked by more than one assailant.

Mr Farmer will appear at Greenwich Magistrates' Court on Thursday.