Son charged with the murder of his teacher parents

The son of a retired headmaster has been charged with stabbing his parents to death in their south London home.

Daniel Dighton, 34, was found in the attic by police after they discovered the bodies of his father Barry, 61, and mother Elizabeth, 60, at their Croydon home. They had suffered stab wounds, sources said.

Their son appeared before Croydon magistrates on Saturday charged with two counts of murder and was remanded in custody until January, when he will appear at the Old Bailey.

Dighton had worked at nearby Elmhurst School for Boys as a teaching assistant before leaving in June this year.

His father had been the school's headmaster and his mother had worked there as a nursery teacher.

He is understood to have moved back to live with his parents after working as a teacher in Thailand.

Mr and Mrs Dighton were found dead last Wednesday after a neighbour heard screaming coming from the house.