Murder accused says fatal house fire was accident

Bryonie Gawith and her three children all died in the fire in August 2024

Warning: The following copy contains references to self-harm and suicide

A man accused of murdering a mother and her three children in a house fire in Bradford has told a jury he only intended to hurt himself.

Sharaz Ali, 40, is on trial for killing Bryonie Gawith and her children Denisty, nine, Oscar, five, and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle on 21 August 2024.

He is also accused of the attempted murder of Antonia Gawith, Bryonie's sister, who had allegedly ended their relationship days before.

Mr Ali told Doncaster Crown Court on Friday: "It was all an accident. I would never go there to hurt Bryonie and the kids. I didn't want to hurt anyone but myself."

The defendant said he had wanted to kill himself by setting himself on fire.

He was repeatedly asked by David Brooke KC, prosecuting, why he did not realise that setting light to himself inside a house would inevitably lead to those upstairs being seriously injured or dying.

Giving evidence for a second day Mr Ali, of no fixed address, said: "It was the biggest mistake of my life and I regret it to this day.

"I thought the fire would stop at me. I wasn't thinking straight."

He agreed with Mr Brooke that it was "obvious" now that his actions would mean the children upstairs would be seriously hurt or die.

Mr Ali added: "But, at the time, I wasn't in my right frame of mind."

When asked by the prosecutor when he first decided on his plan to set himself alight, the defendant said there had been "no plan" and he "wasn't thinking straight".

'Motivated by jealousy'

The jury heard how Miss Gawith, 29, died in the blaze on Westbury Road along with her three children in the early hours of the morning.

Miss Gawith's sister, Antonia, survived the fire, as did Mr Ali, who suffered severe injuries and was in an induced coma for months.

The defendant admitted that he had been upset on the night of the fire because Antonia had broken up with him.

He said he had been drunk on vodka and had also taken cocaine.

Prosecutors said Mr Ali had been "motivated by jealousy and fuelled by drink and drugs" when he set fire to the house, and went there to "take revenge" on Antonia.

The jury has seen doorbell footage of him approaching the property with his co-accused, Calum Sunderland, who was carrying a petrol can and kicked in the front door, before running away.

Mr Sunderland, 26, of Calton Street in Keighley, is also charged with murdering Bryonie and the three children, and attempting to murder Antonia.

Mohammed Shabir, 45, who had been due to go on trial with them, died of a heart attack last month after collapsing in prison.

Prosecutors said Mr Shabir had driven Mr Ali and Mr Sunderland to the house.

Both defendants deny the charges.

The trial continues.

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