Man GUILTY of murdering mum and her three young children in Bradford house fire
Bryonie Gawith and her three children, Denisty Birtle, Oscar Birtle, and Aubree Birtle died following the blaze on 21 August 2024.
Last updated 10th Dec 2025
A man has been found guilty of murder after setting a house on fire which killed a woman and her three young children on Westbury Road, Bradford last August.
The court heard how Sharaz Ali, 40, of no fixed address, was "motivated by jealousy and fuelled by drink and drugs" when he set fire to the house and went there to "take revenge" on his former partner, Antonia Gawith.
However, instead, he killed Antonia’s sister Bryonie Gawith, 29, and her three children, Denisty, Oscar and Aubree Birtle.
Antonia had been staying at Bryonie's following the breakup.
Prosecutors said Ali enlisted the help of convicted arsonist Calum Sunderland, of Keighley, who was allegedly recruited for the house fire murder plot and previously denied he would "kill people for crack cocaine."
Sunderland has been convicted of the manslaughter of the four, and cleared of an attempted murder charge.
Doncaster Crown Court has heard that the 26 year-old is seen on Ring doorbell camera footage walking up to the house holding a petrol canister, kicking the door down when instructed by Ali, and then running off.
Jurors heard how Ali went into the house and started pouring petrol around inside, as well as on himself and Antonia, she ran outside in an attempt to lure him out.
Ali stayed in the house and used a lighter to start a "catastrophic" blaze which killed Bryonie, and her children, who were all upstairs.
He told the trial that he wanted to kill himself in front of Antonia, and only intended to set himself alight.
The 40 year-old suffered severe burns and was placed in an induced coma for months, before recovering. Antonia also survived.
A third man, Mohammed Shabir was also due to stand trial for the same charges but died of a heart attack in prison before the proceedings.
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Stacey Atkinson of West Yorkshire Police, said:
“Bryonie and her three children would still be alive today if it wasn’t for the horrific and truly callous actions of Ali and Sunderland that day.
“They left a mum and her three children completely helpless whilst her sister and their Auntie watched on in horror.
“Our thoughts and sympathies are with the family, who despite their immense strength of character now face the rest of their lives without them.
“I would like to highlight the work of the emergency services that day. They were faced with a heartbreaking situation, and they did everything they could to save them.
“Whilst we know today’s conviction will do nothing to bring them back, I hope the family can find some justice from it.”
Ali and Sunderland will be sentenced at a later date.