A 32-year-old man charged over the murder of three men in Colchester has appeared in court.

Tom Saunders, of Bounstead Road in Colchester, spat towards the public gallery from behind reinforced glass as he appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court today.

The defendant, charged with murder following the deaths of brothers Danny Gibson, 35, and 31-year-old Jason Gibson, both from Colchester, and 35-year-old Richard Booth, appeared in a grey prison-issue tracksuit with his right hand in a bandage and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.

He is also charged with possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

Post-mortem examinations found the three victims died from multiple stab wounds after the incident on Saturday, October 5.

Saunders was not asked for pleas and no application for bail was made.

Magistrates remanded him in custody to appear before Chelmsford Crown Court on Wednesday and he was led away in handcuffs.

Essex Police were called to an address in Wellesley Road, Colchester at 10.15pm Saturday over concerns for the welfare of two men following reports of an altercation. Officers found the bodies of brothers Danny and Jason inside the property while Mr Booth's body was found in a car in Hospital Road.

Detectives are continuing their investigation and a police cordon remains in place in Wellesley Road while specialist teams search 10 areas that are being treated as crime scenes.

Colchester district commander Chief Inspector Rob Huddleston said extra police patrols are being carried out in the area.

He added: "We are treating it as a targeted and isolated incident. Those involved were well known to each other and we do not believe it was linked to any gang-related crime or drug use."