Undated family handout photo of Fatoumatta Hydara with her children Naeemah Drammeh, aged one, and Fatimah Drammeh, aged three. Ms Hydara, 28, died on Tuesday morning after being taken to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham following the arson attack at her flat in Clifton on Sunday. Her children died at the same hospital shortly after arrival on Sunday. Issue date: Tuesday November 22, 2022. PA Photo. A joint fire and police investigation concluded the fire at the flat in Fairisle Close, Clifton, was started deliberately and a triple murder investigation has been launched. See PA story POLICE Clifton. Photo credit should read: Family Handout/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Fatoumatta Hydara with her children Naeemah Drammeh, aged one, and Fatimah Drammeh, aged three (Picture: PA)

A man accused of murdering two young children and their mother in a flat fire will face trial in May.

Jamie Barrow allegedly killed his neighbour Fatoumatta Hydara, 28, and her daughters Fatimah Drammeh, three, and Naeemah Drammeh, one.

The children died in hospital shortly after the November 20 blaze in their home in Clifton, Nottingham, followed by Ms Hydara two days later.

Barrow, 31, of Clifton, appeared at Nottingham crown court yesterday. Heappeared in the dock wearing a grey top and tracksuit trousers, and spoke only to confirm his name.

Remanding him in custody, Judge Nirmal Shant KC thanked those watching for keeping their understandable emotions in check. Barrow will appear in court on February 17, before a trial begins on May 22.

Fatoumatta Hydara, 28, and Fatimah Drammeh, three, and Naeemah Drammeh, one, lost their lives.

Ms Hydara was rushed to Queen’s Medical Centre following Sunday’s fire in Fairisle Close at 3.17am.

Undated handout photo issued by Nottinghamshire Police of one-year-old Naeemah Drammeh who died, along with her mother Fatoumatta Hydara and 3-year-old sister Fatimah in a house fire in Fairisle Close, Clifton, Nottngham in the early hours of Sunday. Issue date: Wednesday November 23, 2022. PA Photo. A joint fire and police investigation found the blaze was started deliberately and a triple murder inquiry is continuing, with detectives continuing to question a 31-year-old man from Clifton. See PA story POLICE Clifton. Photo credit should read: Nottinghamshire Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
One-year-old Naeemah Drammeh died from injuries sustained in the blaze (Picture: PA)
Undated handout photo issued by Nottinghamshire Police of 3-year-old Fatimah Drammeh who died, along with her mother Fatoumatta Hydara and one-year-old sister Naeemah in a house fire in Fairisle Close, Clifton, Nottngham in the early hours of Sunday. Issue date: Wednesday November 23, 2022. PA Photo. A joint fire and police investigation found the blaze was started deliberately and a triple murder inquiry is continuing, with detectives continuing to question a 31-year-old man from Clifton. See PA story POLICE Clifton. Photo credit should read: Nottinghamshire Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Three-year-old Fatimah Drammeh also lost her life following the fire (Picture: PA)

Her two children were taken to the same hospital and pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Barrow was charged with the murders of Ms Hydara and her daughters and was kept in custody before being charged.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: ‘Our thoughts remain with the family at this incredibly painful time, as well as the communities that have been affected by this most tragic of incidents.

‘The grief this family has been put through is incomprehensible.

‘Large teams of detectives have been working relentlessly alongside specialist search units and forensic experts to understand the full circumstances behind this deliberate fire.

‘Following those inquiries, we have charged a suspect with three counts of murder. The family are aware of this development and I would like to sincerely thank them for their patience and understanding as we do everything we possibly can to gain justice for Fatoumatta, Fatimah and Naeemah.’

Undated handout photo issued by Nottinghamshire Police of Fatoumatta Hydara who died along with her daughters, 3-year-old Fatimah Drammeh and one-year-old Naeemah Drammeh, in a house fire in Fairisle Close, Clifton, Nottngham in the early hours of Sunday. Issue date: Wednesday November 23, 2022. PA Photo. A joint fire and police investigation found the blaze was started deliberately and a triple murder inquiry is continuing, with detectives continuing to question a 31-year-old man from Clifton. See PA story POLICE Clifton. Photo credit should read: Nottinghamshire Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Fatimah Drammeh was described as ‘a very happy, bubbly woman’ (Picture: PA)
Undated handout photo issued by Nottinghamshire police of balloons, flowers and other tributes left outside the flat in Clifton, Nottingham, which was the scene of the deadly fire, where a mother and two daughters died in the early hours of Sunday, November 20. Fatimah and Naeemah Drammeh, three and one, died in an arson attack at their flat in Fairisle Close, Clifton, Nottingham, in the early hours of Sunday. Their mother, Fatoumatta Hydara, 28, was taken to hospital and put on life support but died on Tuesday. Issue date: Thursday November 24, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story POLICE Clifton. Photo credit should read: Nottinghamshire Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Tributes were left at the scene of the fire in Fairisle Close, Nottingham (Picture: PA)

Fatoumatta was previously described as ‘a very happy, bubbly woman who wouldn’t have the heart to hurt a fly’.

Her husband, Aboubacarr Drammeh, 40, paid tribute to his wife and daughters.

He said: ‘Fatoumatta had lived a short but a very beautiful and fulfilling life. A former voluntary worker, Fatoumatta was a very happy, bubbly woman who wouldn’t have the heart to hurt a fly.

‘We thank the Ahmadi Muslim community in Nottinghamshire, the Gambian community, the local neighbours and all those well-wishers for their continuous support in this difficult time.

‘I and my in-laws are left without any daughters, grandchildren and nieces. I will deeply miss my family.’

The biomedical technologist earlier recounted the pain of identifying his loved ones’ bodies on his birthday, calling their deaths ‘inconceivable’.

And he said of his wife: ‘She truly believed in her faith. She was caring and very compassionate. She’d help whoever she could.’

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