Man killed ex-partner's sister and children in 'revenge' house fire, trial told


Man killed ex-partner's sister and children in 'revenge' house fire, trial told

A man who allegedly attempted to murder his former partner ended up killing her sister and her three children in a "catastrophic" house fire, prosecutors have told a jury.

Sharaz Ali was "motivated by jealousy and fuelled by drink and drugs" when he set fire to the home of Bryonie Gawith and her three small children in the early hours of August 21 last year, a trial heard.

Prosecutors say Ali went to the house intending to "take revenge" on his former partner - Bryonie's sister Antonia Gawith - who was staying there after ending their "abusive" seven-year relationship earlier that month.

Doncaster Crown Court jurors heard Ali and his associate, Calum Sunderland, forced their way into the house, poured petrol inside and set it alight.

The court heard that Antonia, after a struggle with Ali, tried desperately to get back into the house where her sister, nieces and nephew were trapped inside as it was engulfed by flames.

Bryonie, 29, and her children Denisty Birtle, nine, Oscar Birtle, five, and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle, died in the blaze.

Sharaz Ali, 40, of no fixed address, and Calum 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.

Opening the case to jurors on Tuesday, prosecutor David Brooke KC said the three men drove from Keighley to Bryonie's house on Westbury Road, Bradford, just before 2am, stopping to buy a seven-litre can of petrol on the way.

When they arrived Antonia, who had finished her shift at Tesco at 12.30am, was with Bryonie in the main bedroom upstairs.

Mr Brooke said ring doorbell footage captured Ali telling Sunderland, who was carrying the petrol and a lighter, to "kick the door in", which he did before running back to the car.

Mr Brooke said Bryonie had fallen asleep but Antonia was still awake and started to walk downstairs when she heard a noise.

She saw the door being kicked in and a man in a tracksuit run off before Ali ran straight into the house and began pouring petrol on her, the court heard.

Mr Brooke said: "She fought with him trying to stop him and to get the petrol and lighter off him and then ran outside, screaming for help, hoping that he would follow her out.

"She quickly realised that he hadn't followed her and so she ran back to the house."

Antonia saw Bryonie, who had woken up, kick Ali as he was walking up the stairs, the court heard.

Mr Brooke said: "She managed to wrestle the container from him but he lit the lighter and a fire started including himself, the stairs and her sister.

"She ended up outside the closed front door and was then unable to get back inside.

"She ran around the back of the house but the back door had been jamming and she couldn't get it open despite her kicking it."

Footage played in court captured Antonia running out screaming for help and Shabir and Sunderland driving away before the fire "exploded into life".

The court heard that as Antonia was at the back of the house screaming for help, her sister called 999.

The court heard the fire was too strong for any neighbours to help, and, when police arrived six minutes later, flames were engulfing the front of the house, and it was too late to save Bryonie and the children.

Mr Brooke said some of the footage had been edited to mute screaming, which may have been from one of the children.

He told the court: "It's possible that one was woken by the noise going on and was frightened by the sound of the explosion.

"When the fire officers went in, the children were all still found in their beds.

"In due course a pathologist carried out an examination of the bodies and the analysis suggests that they were all rendered rapidly unconscious by the fumes."

Mr Brooke said: "Sharaz Ali was himself caught by his own actions and was later pulled out of the house by the police badly injured."

Jurors heard Ali was placed into an induced coma for months before his recovery began.

When he was well enough to be interviewed by police he chose to make no comment to all questions.

Jurors heard Sunderland and Shabir, who was driving, fled the scene in Shabir's car back to Bradford.

Mr Brooke said: "The main mover in what happened was plainly Sharaz Ali.

"Motivated by jealousy and fuelled by drink and drugs it is obvious that he decided to take revenge on his ex-partner Antonia regardless of the potential consequences for others.

"We, the prosecution, say that when you look at what he did, there is only one sensible conclusion that can be reached.

"That he went to the house at 2am intending to kill at least Antonia Gawith by burning the house down.

"Tragically, he killed her sister and three small children and there is some evidence to suggest that he was also deliberately targeting Antonia's family."

Ali and Sunderland deny the charges and the trial continues.

Previous articleNext article

POPULAR CATEGORY

misc

18087

entertainment

19449

corporate

16221

research

9975

wellness

16126

athletics

20510