A man has been charged with murder after a 59-year-old was stabbed at his own home on Monday.

Norman Newmarch, 58, of Florence Street, Islington, is accused of killing Rodney Hickford at his flat in Thornhill Road, Islington.

Police were called to the flat just after 3.45pm on Monday and Mr Hickford was pronounced dead at the scene.

A port-mortem at St Pancras Mortuary on Tuesday gave the cause of death as stab wounds to the back and stomach.

Mr Newmarch was one of two men arrested at the address, which is owned by a housing association. The other, a 63-year-old, was released with no further action.

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “I was watching the snooker and I heard all the police sirens.

“There were lots of police officers around and forensics in white suits. The body was taken out in the middle of the night.

“Rodney was quite a solitary man who didn’t appear to have any family. He lived there for at least 15 years. He was a very nice man.”

The neighbour said that the two men were known to each other.