Three released without charge over fatal Waterford arson that killed family of four

Philip and Kim English and their two sons died in a fire at their Birchwood home on 13 October. Three suspects have been released; a fourth remains in custody.

Three released over Waterford arson that killed English family

Three people arrested in connection with the fatal arson attack on the English family home in Waterford city have been released without charge, the Irish Times reports.

Philip and Kim English, along with their sons Callum (12) and Jayden (9), died in the blaze at Birchwood Avenue shortly after 5am on 13 October. Two other children — a girl aged 14 and a boy aged 6 — were pulled from the house and taken to hospital in a critical condition.

An Garda Síochána confirmed in a statement on Saturday that a man in his 50s and two women in their 30s, arrested on Tuesday, had been released without charge. The force said a file would be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. The three had been held under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007, which permits gardaí to detain suspects for up to seven days before they must be released or charged.

"A fourth person, a male in his 20s arrested on Thursday, remains in Garda custody," the statement added.

Two individuals have already been charged and appeared before the courts. Jessica Dalton (31), with an address in Waterford city, and Cian Stacey (21), of no fixed abode, are in custody after being charged with causing criminal damage to the family's home on 13 October.

Gardaí are investigating what they describe as the "multiple murder" and suspect a Waterford drugs gang ordered the attack. Detectives believe Philip English was being pressured to repay a €20,000 drug debt owed by a man he knew — despite having no involvement with drugs himself.

The campaign against the family stretched back more than a year. Their car was attacked outside the house in August 2023, a petrol bomb was thrown at the property just weeks before the fatal fire, and threats were made against family members on social media. Investigators believe those incidents formed part of a sustained campaign of drug-related intimidation aimed at extorting the money from Philip English.

Source: Irish Times