A Kurdish-speaking man charged with murder has made a brief appearance at Preston Crown Court today.

Samsuddin Hamad, 20, of Infirmary Street, Blackburn, was remanded in custody for plea and directions on April 9.

He is charged with murdering asylum seeker Mokhler Mostafa, 26, who had been living in the Warrington area, in a stabbing incident.

The proceedings were translated to the defendant through an interpreter during the preliminary hearing before Judge Peter Openshaw QC.

The court was told that inquiries were still ongoing.

An incident had occurred in an area of Blackburn, populated by a large number of refugees.

Inquiries are being made with people of numerous nationalities living in that area, all of whom themselves needed interpreters.

There was no application for bail during the hearing.