Man faces trial accused of strangling fire victim

Bryonie Gawith and her three children died in the house fire in Bradford

A man has denied strangling the mother of his three children who all later died in a house fire in Bradford.

Jonathan Birtle, 34, of The Parade in Bingley, pleaded not guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, strangulation and the theft of a mobile phone.

Appearing at Bradford Crown Court on Friday, Mr Birtle spoke only to confirm his name and enter his not guilty pleas. A trial date was set for 6 January 2026.

Bryonie Gawith, 29, died in an unrelated incident at a house in Horton Bank Top on 21 August, along with the couple’s three children, Denisty Birtle, nine, Oscar Birtle, five, and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle.

Legal proceedings are currently under way into that incident.

The charges against Mr Birtle related to alleged offences on 27 July.

Fuad Arshad, defending, said Mr Birtle was in a “state of trauma” and there was serious concern for his “psychiatric status”.

Mr Arshad added: “He wishes it to be known in open court that he’s very alarmed and sad that the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) has decided to continue the prosecution.”

The lawyer asked for a psychiatric report to assess whether Mr Birtle was fit to stand trial.

He also asked for a variation in the electronic tagging conditions that his client, who is currently on bail, has to adhere to between 18:00 and 06:00.

Mr Arshad noted the funeral of Mr Birtle’s children was to be held next week.

Judge Kirstie Watson released Mr Birtle on bail but said the judge who set the tagging conditions would have to rule on the variation at a private hearing next Tuesday.

There will be a case management hearing on 16 November.

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