LONDON A man appeared in court on Saturday charged with three counts of murder, the BBC reported, following a stabbing and van attack in the central English city of Nottingham earlier this week which left three people dead.

Valdo Calocane, aged 31, of no fixed address, was remanded in custody by magistrates, after he spoke only to confirm his name, giving an alias of Adam Mendes, said the BBC.

He is accused of killing two university students, Barnaby Philip John Webber and Grace Sashi O'Malley-Kumar - both aged 19 -, and Ian Robert Coates, 65, who were all fatally stabbed on Tuesday.

Calocane has also been charged with three counts of attempted murder, relating to three members of the public struck by a van.

He is due to face a hearing at Nottingham Crown Court on 20 June, the BBC added.

(Reporting by Sarah Young, Editing by Louise Heavens)