Jailed years for arson and death threats to children
Radu Anghel, breaching a barring order, returned to Presentation Gardens and set fire to his house. Witnesses could see him dragging his wife by her hair into the burning house.
A man received an 11-year sentence for committing arson, threatening to kill children and domestic abuse.
Radu Anghel (42) was found guilty of making threats to kill in a trial held in Waterford last year.
In December 2023, he pleaded guilty to committing arson at his former home of 37 Presentation Gardens, Lisduggan, in Waterford City.
At Waterford Circuit Court he appeared before Judge Eugene O'Kelly to receive his sentence for his crimes.
The court heard an outline of evidence from a Garda witness.
On the evening of June 10, 2022, Gardaí were alerted to an incident at 37 Presentation Gardens.
When they arrived, they found young girls in distress and a knife behind the TV.
They soon heard that Anghel had threatened to kill his wife, teenage daughter and her friend, who was aged 12 at the time.
During the assault, he ordered his daughter to translate from Romanian his threats to "slit their throats".
He threatened that if the Gardaí were called, he would "kill everyone in this house".
Both his wife and daughter soon retracted their comments to the police, and claimed that they lied about the violence. The friend of the girl did not change her testimony of the events.
Gardaí told the court that the daughter has tried to exonerate her father.
Despite their comments, a jury convicted Anghel of making threats to kill and of assault.
On October 31, 2022, Anghel, breaching a barring order, returned to Presentation Gardens and set fire to his house.
Witnesses could see him dragging his wife by her hair into the burning house.
At one point, he entered into the house of his next door neighbour, and told them: "I started a fire. I am going to kill everyone on this street, especially them, f**k them all."
As he was being chased by one neighbour, he shouted: "I'm gonna burn you, I'm going to kill you."
Gardaí apprehended him at Walsh Park.
His neighbours and five members of An Garda Síochána went into the burning house in the fear that there were people trapped inside.
They were all later taken to University Hospital Waterford (UHW) suffering from smoke inhalation.
The damage to the house, which is owned by Waterford City and County Council, is valued at €198,628.42.
According to the scene of the crime investigator, the fire was started downstairs in the living room, where a bundle of clothes were found.
The house was completely gutted, and there was evidence that a liquid accelerant had been used to ignite the fire.
When he was conveyed to Waterford Garda Station, the interview had to be suspended due to his level of intoxication.
Defence counsel Pat McCarthy BL told the court that his client had long-standing issues with alcohol dependency.
According to Mr McCarthy, Anghel came to Ireland from Romania in 2008.
His mother passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic, but he was unable to return to Romania at that time.
He went on to outline how Anghel supports his family and that his wife removed the barring order.
Mr McCarthy stated that Anghel is father to four children, aged from seven to 17, and that one of his youngest children "has asthma".
Since the arson, he has been in custody and has taken to woodworking, making artistic boards for his youngest children.
When asked by Judge O'Kelly if he has made any progress with his alcohol addiction, Mr McCarthy said that Anghel was aware of his issues but has yet to proactively address the matter.
Judge O'Kelly responded: "Well, what's the point? The Probation Report's primary concern is alcohol."
The court heard from a local community group that Anghel proved himself to be a "productive and considerate" worker during various community-based projects.
For the arson charge, Judge O'Kelly imposed a sentence of seven years.
Judge O'Kelly handed down a sentence of four years for the threats to kill.
Due to the principle of totality, three years were suspended for the arson sentence, therefore, Anghel will serve eight years in prison.
