Sian Blake EastEnders case: Man charged with family murders Published duration 12 February 2016

image caption Arthur Simpson-Kent was arrested at Heathrow Airport after he arrived on a flight from Ghana

The partner of Sian Blake has appeared in court charged with murdering the ex-EastEnders actress and her two sons.

Ms Blake and her two boys, aged eight and four, disappeared on 13 December and were found buried in the garden of their London home on 5 January.

Arthur Simpson Kent, 48, of Erith, in south-east London, was arrested earlier at Heathrow Airport after he arrived on a flight from Ghana.

He confirmed his name, age and address and was remanded in custody.

He will next appear at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.

A post-mortem examination found Ms Blake and her sons Zachery and Amon died from neck and head injuries.

image copyright Metropolitan Police image caption Sian Blake was suffering from motor neurone disease

The actress played Frankie Pierre in 56 episodes of EastEnders in 1996 and 1998.

She had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

Mr Simpson-Kent was arrested by police in Ghana four days after the bodies of his partner and their sons were found.

He previously told an extradition court in Accra he would have returned to the UK earlier had he not been held.

image copyright Blake family image caption The couple's sons Zachary (in orange) and Amon, were also found dead

Scotland Yard is under investigation by the police watchdog for the way it handled the missing persons inquiry and why it took more than three weeks to find the bodies at the actress's home in Erith.