Waterford arson accused remanded as three more arrested
A man and woman charged over a house fire that killed a family of four in Waterford were remanded in custody, as gardaí arrested three more people.
A man and a woman charged over an arson attack that killed four members of a family in Waterford have been further remanded in custody, Irish broadcaster RTÉ reported on Tuesday.
Cian Stacey, 21, of no fixed abode, and Jessica Dalton, 31, of an address in Waterford city, appeared before Waterford District Court. Both had been charged on Saturday with one count of criminal damage and two counts of assault causing serious harm, according to the Irish Examiner.
Stacey appeared by video link from Limerick prison and consented to a 28-day remand in custody while gardaí await directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Irish Examiner reported. Judge Caitríona Murray adjourned his case until November 17, when he is due back before the court by video link.
Dalton appeared at the hearing in person and was likewise remanded in custody until the same date, the Irish Examiner said. A group of local residents had begun assembling near the courthouse from roughly 10 o'clock that morning, the newspaper reported, well ahead of the short hearing.
Separately, An Garda Síochána said three more people were arrested on Tuesday as part of the widening investigation: a man in his 50s and two women in their 30s, TheJournal.ie reported. The arrests relate to the fire at a house on Birch Avenue in the Birchwood area of Waterford, and the three were held at garda stations in the east of the country under criminal justice legislation covering arson-related offences.
The fire last Tuesday killed Philip and Kim English and their sons Callum, 12, and Jayden, 9, according to the Irish Examiner. The family's funeral took place in Waterford on Monday, the Evening Standard reported, the day before Tuesday's court hearing and fresh arrests.
Investigators have continued appealing for members of the public with information to come forward, TheJournal.ie said, and gave contact details for the inquiry team at Waterford garda station. The case remains an active murder investigation, with gardaí now holding five people in total in connection with the fire.
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What we know
- Cian Stacey, 21, and Jessica Dalton, 31, charged over the Waterford arson attack were remanded in custody until November 17.
- Both were previously charged on Saturday with one count of criminal damage and two counts of assault causing serious harm.
- An Garda Síochána arrested three more people, a man in his 50s and two women in their 30s, on Tuesday in connection with the investigation.
- The fire killed Philip and Kim English and their sons Callum, 12, and Jayden, 9, at a house on Birch Avenue in the Birchwood area of Waterford last Tuesday.
- The family's funeral was held in Waterford on Monday, the day before the latest court hearing.
Figure history
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Why it matters for Europe
The case has drawn national attention in Ireland as one of the country's deadliest house fires in recent years, with gardaí now holding five people in connection with the investigation after the latest arrests. The scale of the inquiry, three further arrests on top of the two already charged, points to a widening investigation into how the fire was started and who else may have been involved.
Sources
Reported by 8 reports from 8 independent outlets in 3 countries.
- RTÉ News: Two charged over Waterford arson attack further remanded
- Evening Standard: Man and woman charged over fatal arson attack remanded into custody
- Irish Examiner: Pair remanded in custody over Waterford fire that killed four members of family
- Irish Mirror: Man and woman charged over fatal Waterford arson attack remanded into custody
- Dublin Live: Man and woman charged over Waterford arson attack which claimed four lives
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- Who died in the Waterford fire?
- Philip and Kim English and their sons Callum, 12, and Jayden, 9, died in the attack on their home last Tuesday, according to the Irish Examiner.
- Who has been charged over the attack?
- Cian Stacey, 21, and Jessica Dalton, 31, were charged with criminal damage and assault causing serious harm and have been remanded in custody until November 17.
- Has anyone else been arrested?
- Yes. An Garda Síochána arrested three more people, a man in his 50s and two women in their 30s, on Tuesday.
This article was written with AI assistance from 12 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.