Stepbrother charged with Becky Watts murder

The stepbrother of 16-year-old Becky Watts has been charged with her murder, while his girlfriend has been charged with intending to pervert the course of justice.

Nathan Matthews, aged 28, and Shauna Hoare, aged 21, both of Cotton Mill Lane, Bristol, remain in police custody and will appear at Bristol Magistrates’ Court today.

Four men and one woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender also remain in custody.

Matthews and Hoare, who uses the surname Williams on her social media accounts, were arrested on suspicion of Becky’s kidnap on Saturday.

They were later rearrested on suspicion of her murder and detectives had until yesterday afternoon to charge or release them.

Hoare was on Tuesday night rushed to hospital by officers after “feeling unwell” in custody but returned after being seen by a doctor, police had said.

Becky, described as “wonderful” by her family, vanished from her home in Crown Hill, Bristol at 11.15am on February 19.

Avon and Somerset Police launched a huge search operation — involving six police teams each day — after she was reported missing the following afternoon.

On Monday night, detectives received information that Becky’s body had been “cut up” and they attended a house in Barton Court, Barton Hill, Bristol. Body parts were discovered at the address, which continues to be combed by forensics teams.

Bouquets, teddies, and cards have been left at the family home where Becky went missing, and at the site where body parts were found.

The five people arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender following the grim discovery are four men, aged 29, 29, 23, and 23, and one woman, also aged 23.

Matthews was identified as the teenager’s stepbrother — the son of her father Darren’s wife Anjie — by family members.

Formal identification of the body parts has not yet been completed.