The murders of Philip and Kim English, and their two children Jayden and Callum, are believed to have been carried out by local drug gangs as an act of intimidation. RollingNews.ie
The Morning Lead
Drug-related intimidation is a pervasive but under-reported issue in Ireland, according to a recent government-led report.
PHILIP AND KIM English, and their two children Jayden and Callum, became the tragic victims of a fatal arson attack after their home in Waterford was set alight on Tuesday.
Two other children, Nadia and Elliot, remain in critical condition in CHI Crumlin.
The attack, which comes just 10 months after a fatal arson attack killed four-year-old Tadgh Farrell and his great-aunt Mary Holt (60), is believed to have been carried out by local drug gangs as an act of intimidation.
Support group the Family Addiction Recovery Centre (Fari) said if this is true, then Tuesday’s killings represent a “horrifying reminder” of the consequences of drug-related intimidation.
Drug-related intimidation happens when criminals demand money they claim is owed for a drug debt. They often target an individual or their family members with intimidation or threats of intimidation, including threats, physical violence and property damage.
Research suggests that drug-related intimidation is a pervasive but under-reported issue in Ireland.
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly has said that the issue can be “very difficult” for gardaí to deal with, and said criminals are using more incendiary devices and petrol bombs.
He said that drug-related intimidation is “part of the drugs business everywhere, in every country”.
The Department of Health set up the Drug Related Intimidation & Violence Engagement (Drive) project to assess the issue and the first report was released this year.
It found that incidents of drug-related intimidation and violence were recorded in every county and across all socioeconomic backgrounds and adult age groups between 2024 and 2025.
The report recorded a total of 1,027 cases, but the figure is likely much higher as it noted reporting rates are “extremely low” due to fear of reprisals, proximity to intimidators, stigma and a lack of awareness about support pathways.
Between 2021 and 2025, only 2,800 reports of drug-related intimidation were made to gardaí, according to statements made in the Dáil by Assistant Garda Commissioner Angela Willis in February. 450 cases were recorded in 2021, and this increased to 611 in 2025.
Fari spokesperson Mick Mason said that drug-related intimidation is occurring across the country every day, and he believes it has become more violent in recent years.
“It’s on a much greater scale than anyone really knows,” he told The Journal.
“It’s always been there, but in the last five years the type and the amount of violence have increased. The intimidation has become a lot more violent.”
He said people involved are becoming desensitised to violence, and the “vicious cycle” is that young people are being used to intimidate others, while they may also be getting intimidated themselves for owing money.
Mason said the intimidation often occurs over very small amounts of money, although he said the debts can quickly multiply as criminals add ‘interest’.
Data from Drive shows that 62% of cases recorded between 2024 and 2025 involved drug-related debt, with the amount owed varying from less than €100 to more than €20,000.
The most common way money was paid off was by borrowing from friends and family.
The main drug linked to the intimidation was cocaine at over 58%, followed by cannabis at 14%, while one-third of cases involved more than one drug.
For six cases in 10, the intimidation was related to a person’s own drug use; and for three in 10 it was related to another person’s drug use. Over 60% of all cases lived with family members, including children.
The median age of intimidation victims was 35, over 50% were men, while 41% were women. Meanwhile, intimidators were largely male (76.5%), and over half were aged between 18 and 29.
‘Extreme violence’
Mason said the intimidation occurs in many different ways, including intimidators waiting outside homes, schools or even the post office if they know a victim is due to collect a payment.
He said there have been instances of dogs being set on people.
“Before you would have had extreme violence for [debts of] thousands, but now you’re seeing it for hundreds. You’re seeing severe beatings, leg breaks, people being viciously assaulted, houses and cars being smashed up, front windows being put in, all this type of thing going on in the community all the time.”
The data from Drive shows that drug-related intimidation often continues for a long time, with nearly three in 10 cases experiencing it for more than one year (29%).
It also indicates people and families dealing with this issue are doing it largely on their own – only 10% of cases were reported to An Garda Síochána.
According to Mason, the reasons for underreporting of the issue are multifaceted. As well as fear of retaliation or causing loved ones to get into trouble, he said shame and stigma play a role.
“It’s the whole shame and stigma of it. Your neighbours finding out, your family finding out that you have a family member in addiction,” he said.
“That shame and stigma are still there. Other people finding out, and also that, as a parent or as a husband or a wife, that you haven’t done what you’re supposed to do, that you’ve done something wrong, and that’s why this has happened to your family member.”
Mason said more support needs to be given to put into communities and family support groups.
“The only way that this can be really fixed is within the communities where it’s happening itself,” he said.
‘Watershed moment’
Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon has said the government is not prioritising cracking down on drug-related intimidation.
“I have been raising the scourge of drug-related intimidation with the Government for years now, yet no substantial action has been taken to put an end to this horrific practice,” he said.
Gannon said the killings of Tadgh Farrell and Mary Holt “should have been a watershed moment for tackling drug-related intimidation”.
Speaking to The Journal, Gannon said the issue is now “endemic across the country” and “sows terror in communities”.
“Drug-related intimidation and violence is endemic across the country and this Government, and in particular our justice minister, clearly haven’t made stamping it out a priority,” he said.
“In the 10 months that have passed since a four-year-old child was killed in his home while watching the Late Late Toy Show last year, there have been over 50 further arson attacks in this state.”
“They are not being at all met with a forceful hand from this government. Never before in the history of this state has gang violence been so insidious, and never before have we had a Department of justice so indifferent to the plight of working-class communities suffering from this form of terror.”
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said on Friday that he believes An Garda Síochána can keep victims of drug-related intimidation safe, and appealed to them to put their faith in the police force.
“If you are being intimidated, if somebody is threatening you with violence, go to An Garda Síochána and report it. That is the best way to deal with this,” he said, adding that there have been prosecutions and convictions on the issue.
In a statement to The Journal, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice said the government “has placed a strong focus on disrupting those engaged in organised crime, drug trafficking and drug-related intimidation while also ensuring victims and affected families can access practical supports and protections”.
They said the department is progressing a range of policy, operational and legislative measures designed “to disrupt criminal networks, protect vulnerable individuals and strengthen community resilience”.
They said Drive means designated garda inspectors are available in every garda division to engage with those who are experiencing intimidation and ensure they can access supports, while Operation Tara and Operation Fógra are continuing to target organised crime groups.
“These measures reflect the comprehensive approach taken by Government, which is combining strong actions against organised crime with practical supports for affected individuals, families and communities.”
Anyone experiencing drug-related intimidation can find resources on the Family Addiction Support Network and An Garda Síochána’s Drug Related Intimidation Reporting Programme.