Man remanded charged with murder of Margate mum Samantha Murphy and woman bailed on ‘assisting’ charge

Forensic officers at the house in Elfrida Close

A man accused of murdering Margate mum Samantha Murphy has been remanded in custody with a pre-trial preparatory hearing scheduled for August 18.

Kent Police was called at around 3.10am on Saturday 16 July to a report that a woman had been assaulted at a private property in Elfrida Close.

Officers attended the address with South East Coast Ambulance Service and mum-of-three Samantha Murphy, 37, was found with stab injuries. She was later pronounced deceased.

Detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate then carried out enquiries at the address and a property in Ramsgate.

As part of the investigation, 38-year-old Thomas Allen, of Elfrida Close, was charged with murder and possession of an offensive weapon.

A 26-year-old woman from Ramsgate was charged with assisting an offender.

At Maidstone Crown Court yesterday (July 21)  Thomas Allen was remanded in custody and the woman was released on conditional bail. Pleas have not yet been entered.

The next hearing will be a pre-trial preparatory hearing on 18 August at Maidstone Crown Court.

Thomas Allen is expected to go on trial in January.

Megan has set up the fundraiser after her aunty Samantha (left) was killed. Pictured with Megan’s mum Aimee

Following the death of Samantha her niece Megan launched a fundraiser to help her  cousins, aged 9, 14 and 22.

To donate to the fundraiser click here