A 21-year-old man accused of three murders following a fire in Chatham High Street has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Sam Benn, of no fixed address, entered the plea on Wednesday as he was about to stand trial with Curtis Bushell, 18, of Balmoral Road, Gillingham.

It is the first time that Bushell has been named, as he was previously under 18 and an order prevented him being identified.

He has not yet been asked to enter pleas to charges alleging the murder of Rikki Sheedhan, 27, her boyfriend Paul Arnold, 34, and two-year-old son Charlie.

The three were trapped in their flat above the Blaze restaurant on March 18 last year after the fire started on the ground floor.

After Benn was remanded into police custody, the case was adjourned until Thursday (April 20).