Waterford family's deaths in fire 'due to a €20k drug debt’
Kim and Philip English and two of their children — 12-year-old Callum and nine-year-old Jayden — died in the fire at their home in Waterford. Their other two children, Nadia (14) and Elliot (6), are in hospital. File picture
The couple killed with two of their children in the arson attack on their Waterford home died because of a €20,000 drug debt, one victim’s son has said.
John James English, one of 10 children from Philip English’s first marriage, made the claim as a vigil was held for his father, Philip’s wife Kim, and two of their children, 12-year-old Callum and nine-year-old Jayden.
They all died when their home in the Birchwood Estate was firebombed in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Two other children Nadia, 14, and Elliot, six, remain in critical condition in Crumlin Children’s Hospital.
Gardaí involved in the murder investigation suspect that a gang led by two brothers from another part of the city were behind the attack.
Homes linked to them were among those searched on Tuesday night.
The pair are regarded as notorious for drug-related intimidation.
Gardaí said the investigation is “intense in nature and very active” and a number of electronic devices and vehicles seized during the searches on Tuesday night are now the subject of technical examination.
John James English confirmed the size of the debt and said it had been racked up by someone else.
He said Tuesday’s arson attack was “not done for a pack of pop corn, €50, or name-calling”.
He questioned whether €20,000 was “worth four lives”.
Mr English’s claims came as a prayer vigil was held at the Sacred Heart Church, The Folly, in Waterford City for the family.
At the vigil, parish priest Fr Gerry Chestnutt urged those responsible to “have the courage to stand up and face the consequences” for what they did.
He also urged anybody who knows anything about what happened to contact gardaí.
John James English told RTÉ that other members of the family, including his own mother, Ann, were innocent but had previously been terrorised by criminals.
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Earlier in the day, Ann was among members of the family at a balloon release close to the firebombed house.
She urged anyone with information to come forward.
James English, who was also Callum’s godfather, said: “They should be ashamed of themselves. Whoever done it should hand themselves in.”
A GoFundMe page set up for the family to help towards funeral expenses surpassed its original target of €24,000 and has now been raised to €50,000.
Of that new target, some €41,219 had been raised from more than 1,500 donations by 7pm on Wednesday night.
Organiser Shannon Brazil set it up for Philip’s sister, Jackie English, after “an unimaginable tragedy that has devastated our family”.
She said: “There are no words to describe the heartbreak of losing four precious lives in such devastating circumstances.
“Tragically, two other siblings are also currently in hospital in critical condition.
“Our family is enduring an incredibly difficult time, holding on to hope for those still fighting while trying to process the devastating loss of our loved ones.”
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the Government will put in place all resources needed for the Garda investigation, and for community supports.
“The situation is extremely shocking in terms of the level of violence and the consequences of an entire family to be impacted in this manner, and I think we, as a Government, will ensure that the full resources are behind An Garda Síochána.
“It’s also a period we have to really examine and reflect on this phenomenon of arson attacks on innocent people, and with absolutely no consideration for human life and for the impact of such actions, and I know the minister for justice and others will be working extremely hard to stamp this out and to deal very resolutely and robustly with this.”
- Neil Michael, News Reporter
- Cormac O’Keeffe, Security Correspondent
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