Third man charged with murder after house fire

A third man has appeared in court charged with murder following a house fire which killed a mother and her three children.

Bryonie Gawith, 29, Denisty Birtle, nine, Oscar Birtle, five, and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle died following the blaze at their home on Westbury Road, Bradford, on 21 August last year.

Sharaz Ali, 39, who was seriously injured in the same fire and subsequently spent time in a coma, has been charged with four counts of murder.

Mr Ali appeared before Bradford magistrates via video link from a hospital bed on Monday morning and about an hour later he appeared before Bradford Crown Court.

Mr Ali was also charged with the attempted murder of Bryonie Gawith's sister, Antonia, who was his ex-partner.

Mr Ali, who is still being treated at Bradford Royal Infirmary, was asked not to indicate any plea to the charges when he appeared before the crown court.

The court heard the chief medical officer at the hospital where Ali is being treated had said he "would not be physically fit to sit in a courtroom at this present time".

It was added, however, that there was a "realistic expectation that physically he would be fit to take part in a trial process in the coming six to nine months".

A prosecutor had earlier told Bradford Magistrates' Court that Antonia Gawith had recently ended her seven-year relationship with the defendant and had been staying with her sister on Westbury Road.

The court heard that Sharaz Ali was pulled out of the house by the first police officer on the scene but no-one could be rescued from upstairs as the fire was at the foot of the stairwell.

A court was told last week that Mr Ali had initially not been expected to survive the fire but that there had been a "marked improvement" in his condition following the turn of the year.

Mohammed Shabir, 44, and Calum Sunderland, 25, both of Keighley, had also previously been charged with murder and had been due to go on trial at Bradford Crown Court this week.

However, all three suspects are now next due to appear together before the same court on 10 March.

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