Bradford house fire accused says he ‘tried to set himself alight’

Warning: The following copy contains references to suicidal thoughts

A man accused of murdering a mum and her three children in a house fire has told a jury he tried to set himself alight.

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

He is also accused of the attempted murder of Antonia Gawith – Bryonie’s sister – with whom Mr Ali had been in a relationship, as well as causing her grievous bodily harm.

Giving evidence at the trial at Doncaster Crown Court on Thursday, Mr Ali said he had walked into the house with a petrol canister to set himself on fire, days after he and Antonia had separated.

Jurors heard the defendant and Antonia had a “scuffle” as she tried to grab the canister from him and the fuel splashed out as he tried to push her out of the house.

Asked why he had pushed her, the defendant replied: “I didn’t want her to get hurt and I knew what I was going to do.”

Mr Ali, who was placed in an induced coma after suffering serious injuries in the fire, gave evidence in court from a wheelchair.

He had earlier told the jury a message he sent Antonia days before the fire was an “empty threat”.

He had said he had not wanted to separate from Antonia, with whom he had been in a relationship for about eight years, but that she had told him she “didn’t want to be with me anymore and hadn’t loved me for ages”.

On 18 August, two days after Antonia had left the home they shared to stay with Bryonie at her home on Westbury Road, the defendant sent Antonia a message, the jury heard.

In it Mr Ali wrote: “I know who caused all this in my life, whether they meant to or not.

“They better start praying because now I’m getting involved in her life and I promise one thing they are going to regret it.

“House and children. Deep down you know who I mean.”

The defendant accepted he sent the message, but said: “I was upset at her leaving me. It was an empty threat. It didn’t mean anything.”

Asked if he was referring to Bryonie in the message, he replied: “No. I loved Bryonie, she was like a sister to me.”

The court heard Mr Ali sent Antonia a further message on 19 August in which he said: “I want to kill someone.”

Asked in court if he had wanted to kill someone, the defendant replied: “No. It was a figure of speech.”

Mr Ali also said he had tried to refuse treatment from paramedics at the scene of the fire because he “wanted to die”.

Calum Sunderland, 26 and of Keighley, is also accused of murdering Bryonie Gawith and her three children.

He is also accused of the attempted murder of Antonia Gawith and trying to cause her grievous bodily harm.

Both defendants deny all charges against them.

The trial continues.