Man charged with murder of woman after fire in Stoke-on-Trent | UK News

A man has been charged with murder following the death of a woman after a house fire in Stoke-on-Trent.

Georgian Constantin, 42, was charged on Wednesday with the murder of Valentina Cozma and uttering death threats, Staffordshire Police said.

Constantin, from Stoke-on-Trent, was arrested in London on Tuesday. He will appear before a magistrate at the North Staffordshire Justice Center in Newcastle-under-Lyme on Thursday.

Cozma, 40, died after a fire at her home in Campbell Road, Stoke, around 3pm on February 9. An autopsy provided a tentative cause of death as inhalation of combustion products.

In a tribute on Monday, Valentina’s sister said, “Vali was the person I could talk to about anything.

“She offered her support whenever I needed it. She always tried to keep the family together.

“Being an older sister, she made sure we didn’t miss anything, even though she had nothing. She went through a lot of tough times, but she never gave up.

DI Adrian Webb, of the Staffordshire Major and Organized Crime Department, said: ‘My thoughts remain with those close to Valentina, especially her young son, at this deeply traumatic time.