A HEARTBROKEN dad today faced the neighbour accused of murdering his wife and two daughters in a house fire for the first time in court.

Fatoumatta Hydara, 28, Naeemah, one, and Fatimah Drammeh, three, died in the blaze at the first-floor flat in Nottingham.

Jamie Barrow, who lives on the same street as the family, has been charged with three counts of murder.

Fatoumatta's husband Aboubacarr Drammeh, 40, faced Barrow as he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court today.

The dad was joined by other members of the devastated family for the brief hearing.

Barrow entered no pleas with a provisional trial date set for May 22 next year.

Read more news

Family’s grief as Brit dad & son missing in Spain now probed as double murder

I may as well be dead after my daughter was murdered, it’s a battle to survive

He was remanded in custody to next appear for a hearing on February 17.

Aboubacarr had raced back from America after the fire tore through the family home on November 20.

His children were rushed to hospital but sadly couldn't be saved and were declared dead shortly after.

Fatoumatta was placed on a life support machine but died on Tuesday morning.

Most read in The Sun

The dad later revealed the family was set to join him in the US, where he works as a biomedical technologist.

Recalling the moment he discovered his family had died, he said: "It was 5am when I got the call. I was praying and afterwards I saw I had missed five calls from the children's grandmother.

"I called back and she started crying.

"She said there had been a fire and the kids didn't make it and that Fatoumatta was in the intensive care unit.

"I just went straight to the airport and flew back alone to the UK.

"I've done that journey so many times but all the other times it's been exciting because I was going to see my family. This time around I still can't recall it. It's just a blur."

Aboubacarr said the past week as the hardest of his life and that he'll never get over spending his 40th birthday, which was on Wednesday, in the hospital mortuary.

He also revealed he last saw his wife in September after the family went bowling but had spoken to her on Saturday a few hours before the family.

The dad added: "We joked among ourselves and kept talking about the upcoming trip and about her coming to America.

"Family was so important to us and spending time together. It was really important to us."

Fatoumatta's heartbroken mum Aminata Dibba said she can feel "my heart aching every day" in a touching tribute.

Speaking of her beloved daughter, she said: "Everyone who knew her loved her. She was very vibrant and bubbly – and she was always smiling."

Nottinghamshire Police said a joint investigation with the fire service found the blaze was started deliberately.

They do not believe it was motivated by race or religion and said they are keeping an "open mind".

Read More on The Sun

Matt Hancock can’t keep his hands off girlfriend at I’m A Celeb final

I’m A Celeb fans stunned as 2021 winner Danny Miller ‘snubs’ final

Source: Read Full Article