Antonia Went Downstairs to Check a Noise — Seconds Later, an Angry Ex Burst In With Petrol

A man has been found guilty of murdering a young mother and her three children after setting fire to their home in a devastating arson attack. Sharaz Ali, 40, was convicted at Doncaster Crown Court after a jury heard how he deliberately started a blaze that killed Bryonie Gawith and her children in the early hours of August 21 last year.

The court was told Ali was driven by jealousy and anger, and was heavily affected by alcohol and drugs on the night of the attack. Prosecutors said he went to the house with one clear aim: revenge. His former partner, Antonia Gawith, Bryonie’s sister, had recently ended a seven-year abusive relationship with him and was staying at the family home in Bradford to rebuild her life.

While Antonia managed to escape, Bryonie, 29, and her three children — Denisty Birtle, aged nine, Oscar Birtle, aged five, and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle — were trapped upstairs as the fire spread. They were unable to get out and all died at the scene.

Ali was found guilty of murdering Bryonie and the three children, and of attempting to murder Antonia. He appeared in court by video link from prison and was seen wiping away tears as the jury returned its verdicts. He was later found not guilty of an alternative charge relating to causing grievous bodily harm to Antonia.

The jury also heard about Calum Sunderland, 26, who went to the house with Ali and kicked the door in so he could get inside. Sunderland was found guilty of manslaughter for the deaths of Bryonie and the children, but cleared of the more serious charge of murder.

Prosecutors told the court Ali wanted to cause maximum pain and did not care who was inside the house, even though it would have been obvious that children lived there. Antonia told police that her sister had given her the strength and support to leave Ali just weeks before the fire, and that Ali blamed Bryonie for the break-up.

On the night of the attack, Ali and Sunderland were driven to the house on Westbury Road in Bradford by Mohammed Shabir, who later died of a heart attack while on remand. The men stopped on the way to fill a large canister with petrol. Ali also sent Antonia a series of angry and threatening messages, accusing her of being with another man.

When they arrived at the house, Antonia had just returned from work and was upstairs with Bryonie. Doorbell footage shown to the jury captured Ali telling Sunderland to kick the door in. Sunderland did so, then ran back to the car, leaving Ali to go inside.

Antonia described how she went downstairs after hearing noise and saw Ali storm in, shouting and pouring petrol over her. She tried to fight him off and grab the petrol can and lighter, before running outside to try to lure him out of the house.

Realising he had not followed her, she ran back and saw Bryonie confronting him on the stairs and knocking him down. Moments later, Ali struck the lighter, setting the petrol alight and causing a massive fire that engulfed the house.

In an emotional video interview played in court, Antonia broke down as she described desperately trying to save her sister and the children. She tried to get in through the back door, which was jammed, while screaming for help. Bryonie had managed to call 999 as the fire took hold and threw her phone out of the window so Antonia could speak to emergency services.

“I was screaming down the phone, telling them to send everyone — police, ambulance, fire brigade,” Antonia said. “I tried to get back inside but I couldn’t. I couldn’t save them.”

Police officers were first on the scene and managed to pull Ali from the burning house. By the time firefighters arrived, it was too late. Bryonie was found on the floor near her bed, and the three children were discovered in their beds upstairs.

Footage played during the trial was edited to remove the sound of screams, which prosecutors said may have come from one of the children, possibly woken by the noise and terrified by the explosion.

Ali refused medical treatment at the scene and was later placed in an induced coma for several months. Jurors were told he lost two fingers on each hand, still requires oxygen, and struggles to speak. He claimed during the trial that he only intended to kill himself in front of Antonia, a claim rejected by the jury.

Sunderland told the court he believed they were going to torch a car and said he did not know anyone was inside the house.

Following Bryonie’s death, her family released a heartbreaking tribute, describing her as full of life, always singing and dancing with her children. They said her children — lovingly nicknamed Chuch, Oggy and Strawberry — were her entire world, and that their loss had brought unimaginable pain.

After the verdicts were returned, the judge thanked the jury and described the case as distressing beyond measure. He said the desperate cries for help heard in court would never be forgotten, and described the crimes as truly dreadful.