Irish police expect further arrests as net closes on gang that ordered Waterford petrol bomb murders

A house on Birchwood Avenue in Waterford City, where a suspected petrol bomb attack in the early hours of Tuesday killed a man, a woman and two of their children.

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said on Friday he anticipates more arrests over the murders of Philip and Kim English and their sons Callum, 12, and Jayden, nine, who were killed when a petrol bomb was thrown at their home in Waterford's Birchwood estate just after 5am on Tuesday. A man in his 20s and a woman in her 30s were arrested on Thursday and remain in custody, with seven homes already searched and vehicles and phones seized. The family were wholly innocent targets, caught up in a €20,000 drug debt incurred by someone else — and had already survived a petrol bombing the previous month.

The chief suspect, recently released from jail for burglary, is believed to have been hired by a gang headed by three brothers to carry out the attack.

Philip and Kim's two surviving children, Nadia, 14, and Elliot, six, remain in a critical condition at Children's Health Ireland in Crumlin.

John James English, Philip's son from a previous relationship, said: 'Twenty grand worth of a debt — is that worth nearly five lives?'

Daily MailArson attack supsect that killed family 'recently released from jail'The IndependentMore arrests expected in murder investigation into Waterford fire that killed two children and parents Irish TimesNet closing on gang that murdered family in Waterford, says Garda Commissioner thenewshound.com14 years on, police are still hunting killer behind house fire that wiped out a mother and her five children in one night Irish IndependentSuspected female getaway driver in Waterford arson murder may have used own car, gardaí believe

Read today's full feed at The Newshound →