Man arrested over fatal fire 'in coma', court told

Bryonie Gawith, 29, and her three children all died in the fire at a house on Westbury Road on 21 August

A man arrested on suspicion of murdering a mother and her three children in a fire at a house in Bradford is in a coma and "may not recover", a court has heard.

Bryonie Gawith, 29, and her children Denisty, 9, Oscar, 5, and 22-month old Aubree, died in the blaze on Westbury Road on 21 August.

Calum Sunderland, 25, and Mohammed Shabir, 44, appeared at Bradford Crown Court on Thursday charged with their murder, as well as the attempted murder of Antonia Gawith.

Prosecutor Matthew Bean told the court that a third man who had been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the fatal fire was "at the moment very unwell and the expectation is that he may not recover".

"He may, but at the moment there is a degree of uncertainty," he added.

Mohammed Shabir (second left) and Calum Sunderland (right) pictured at Bradford Magistrates' Court on Wednesday

Mr Sunderland, 25, of Calton Street, Keighley, and Mr Shabir, 44, of Alice Street, Keighley, were remanded into custody until their next appearance at the same court on 25 September to enter their pleas.

At Thursday's hearing, which the two men attended via video link from prison, a preliminary trial date was set for 4 March.

Mr Bean told the court that there was the possibility of up to three more defendants "on different offences but linked".

The number of defendants would determine how long the trial would last, he said.

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