Bradford house fire murder accused tells court "It was the biggest mistake of my life"
Sharaz Ali again told the court that he wanted to kill himself by setting himself alight and had no intention of harming others when the house in Bradford went up in flames
A man accused of murdering his former partner's sister and her three young children by setting their house on fire has told a court: "I didn't want to hurt anyone but myself."
Sharaz Ali again told Doncaster Crown Court that he wanted to kill himself by setting himself alight and had no intention of harming others when the house in Bradford went up in flames, leaving Bryonie Gawith and her children dead.
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 on Friday, Ali, 40, said: "It was the biggest mistake of my life and I regret it to this day."
He told the jury: "I thought the fire would stop at me. I wasn't thinking straight."
The defendant also said: "It was all an accident. I would never go there to hurt Bryonie and the kids."
He said: "I didn't want to hurt anyone but myself."
He agreed with Mr Brooke that it was "obvious" now that setting fire to yourself inside a house would mean the children upstairs would be seriously hurt or die.
Ali said: "But, at the time, I wasn't in my right frame of mind."
He was also asked by prosecutor David Brooke KC why he had decided to kill himself in a way that would have been "excruciatingly painful".
Ali said: "I wasn't thinking straight."
The prosecutor asked him when he first decided on the plan to set himself alight.
Ali said: "I had no plan. I wasn't thinking straight."
The jury has heard how Miss Gawith, 29, died in the blaze on Westbury Road, Bradford, in the early hours of August 21 last year with her children: Denisty Birtle, nine; Oscar Birtle, five; and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle.
Miss Gawith's sister, Antonia, survived the fire, as did Ali, who suffered severe injuries and was in an induced coma for months.
He gave evidence in court on Friday from his wheelchair and with an oxygen tube in his nose.
Ali admitted that he was upset on the night of the fire because Antonia had broken up with him.
He said he was drunk on vodka and had also taken cocaine.
Prosecutors say Ali was "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 approach the property with his co-accused, Calum Sunderland, who was carrying a petrol can and who kicked in the front door.
Sunderland then runs away.
Ali, of no fixed address, and Sunderland, 26, of Calton Street, Keighley, are 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 say Shabir drove Ali and Sunderland to the house.
Ali and Sunderland deny the charges.
The trial was adjourned until Monday at 10.30am.