Police investigating the deaths of 91-year-old Stan Rickman and 88-year-old Roma Rickman in Alton last year have charged a teenage boy.

A spokesperson for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said on Tuesday morning: “We were called at 4am on Monday, April 14, 2025, to reports of a fire at a house in Heron Close, Alton. Firefighters and police attended but Stan and Roma were pronounced dead at the scene.

“Officers have been carrying out thorough enquiries to establish the full circumstances, and have now charged a 16-year-old boy, formerly from Alton, with two counts of unlawful act manslaughter and arson.”

The spokesperson added: “He has been bailed with conditions to appear at Portsmouth Youth Court on Tuesday, May 12.”