A man will appear in court this morning accused of murdering a six-year-old girl in a house fire.

Dumo Sibanda died in hospital days after being trapped by a fire at her home in Banks Road in the Pound Hill area of Crawley in October 2004.

George Sithole, 40, of no fixed address, was extradited from South Africa to face charges which also include arson with intent to endanger life and arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered at Lewes Crown Court.

Sithole had been a boyfriend of Mercy Mhlanga, who was Dumo’s mother Sindi’s aunt.