A MAN will appear in court tomorrow, charged with the murder of Mohammed Saleem Khan in Easingwold.

The 26-year-old man, who police tonight declined to name, was arrested on suspicion of the murder in the early hours of Monday, and was charged tonight with the murder of Mr Khan.

Mr Khan was initially believed to have died after a road accident in Long Street in the early hours of Sunday, but a post mortem later showed the 36-year-old had died as a result of a stab wound to the neck.

Mr Khan, who was originally from Luton but had recently been living in Birmingham, was delivering shower products in North Yorkshire in a hired Europcar Ford Transit van.

Detective Chief Inspector Heather Pearson, of North Yorkshire Police, thanked the people of Easingwold for their support during the investigation, but said detectives still wanted to hear from the public.

She said: “I believe that there are still people within the community with information about Mr Khan’s murder that they haven’t shared with the police and I urge them to come forward as soon as possible.”

Superintendent Andy McMillan, Safer Neighbourhood Commander for Hambleton and Richmondshire, called Mr Khan’s murder “a tragic incident”, which was “uncharacteristic of North Yorkshire”.

Supt McMillan said: “Local Safer Neighbourhood Officers have been working closely with members of all our communities in Easingwold, and indeed, across the force both to gather information to assist the enquiry and to reassure them that this was indeed a tragic, yet isolated incident. The whole force’s thoughts are with Mr Khan’s family at this very difficult time.”

Four other people, a 23-year-old man, a 20-year-old woman, and two men aged 21 and 25, were arrested earlier this week on suspicion of assisting an offender, and have all since been released on police bail.

The 26-year-old will appear before magistrates in Northallerton tomorrow.

Anyone with information which could assist the investigation has been urged to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.