Three women charged with murder over A46 Leicestershire crash that killed two Banbury men

Three women have appeared in court charged with the murder of two men from Banbury, Oxfordshire.

Saqib Hussain and Mohammed Hashim Ijazuddin, who were both 21, died in a crash on the A46 in Leicestershire at 1.35am on Friday, February 11.

Police alleged three cars - a silver Skoda Fabia, a grey Audi TT and a blue Seat Leon - were involved in the collision.

The two victims were pronounced dead at the scene.

Five people in total have been charged with murder.

Natasha Akhtar, 21, Ansreen Bukhari, 45, and Mahek Bukhari, 22, appeared at Leicester Crown Court accused of killing the two men who died in the crash.

The defendants appeared by video-link and spoke only to confirm their names and that they understood the seriousness of the charge.

They were not required to enter any pleas to the charges during a short hearing in front of Judge Timothy Spencer QC.

Akhtar, of Alum Rock Road, Birmingham, and Ansreen and Mahek, both of George Eardley Close, Stoke-on-Trent, were remanded into custody by the judge until a plea hearing on March 18.

A trial date in September has been set for the three women.

Raees Jamal, 21, and Rekan Karwan, 28, have also been charged with murder in connection with the crash.

Jamal, of Lingdale Close, Leicester, and Karwan, of Tomlin Road, Leicester, were remanded into custody by police on Tuesday.