Sharaz Ali Convicted of Killing Ex-Partner's Sister and Her Three Children in Bradford House Fire

The calculated, vengeful act of one man has ended four innocent lives in a fire that has left the community of Bradford reeling and a family broken forever.

Sharaz Ali, 40, has been convicted of the quadruple murder of his ex-partner's sister, Bryonie Gawith, and her three young children, bringing a close to the horrific trial that detailed a crime 'distressing beyond measure.'

The deaths of Bryonie, aged 29, and her children Denisty Birtle, nine, Oscar Birtle, five, and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle in the Westbury Road blaze on 21 August last year marked the devastating conclusion of a campaign of abuse.

Jurors at Doncaster Crown Court heard that Ali was 'motivated by jealousy and fuelled by drink and drugs' when he launched the early morning attack. His ultimate aim was 'to take revenge' on his ex-partner, Antonia Gawith, who was staying at her sister's home after finally ending their 'abusive' seven-year relationship earlier that month.

While Antonia Gawith miraculously managed to escape the burning building, her sister, nieces, and nephew were trapped inside. Ali was swiftly found guilty of four counts of murder and the attempted murder of Antonia.

Meanwhile, Calum Sunderland, 26, who had accompanied Ali to the scene and forcibly kicked the door in for him, was found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter for all four deaths. Sunderland was cleared of the more serious charges of murder and attempted murder.

Sharaz Ali's Twisted Quest for 'Revenge'

The court was presented with irrefutable evidence detailing the horrifying premeditation of the attack. Ali and Sunderland, a convicted arsonist, were driven to the house by Mohammed Shabir, 45, who tragically died of a heart attack in prison in October before the trial could begin. En route to the address, the three men stopped to fill a substantial seven-litre canister with petrol.

Doorbell footage from the property captured the chilling moment Ali instructed Sunderland, who was carrying the petrol and a lighter, to 'kick the door in'. Sunderland complied before quickly retreating to the car.

Antonia Gawith recounted the terrifying moments inside the house. She testified that she saw an 'angry' Ali rush into the house, shouting, as he began pouring petrol over her before setting himself and the house alight.

Ali attempted to argue before the jury that he had no intention of causing harm to others when the house was set ablaze, claiming: 'I didn't want to hurt anyone but myself.' The jury clearly rejected this self-serving defence, finding him responsible for the deaths of an entire young family.

Antonia's ordeal did not end with her own escape. In a harrowing video interview played to jurors, she sobbed as she told police how she 'couldn't save' her sister, nieces, and nephew, as she tried frantically to get back into the house through the back door. 'I was just screaming, trying to get back in the house and I couldn't get in. I couldn't save them,' she pleaded.

'We Will Forever Carry This Brokenness': The Loss of Bryonie Gawith and Her Children

Outside Doncaster Crown Court, the surviving family gathered to express their enduring grief following the verdicts. Antonia Gawith, speaking on behalf of her relatives, bravely read a statement that summed up the magnitude of their loss, describing how her sister, nieces, and nephew's futures have been 'stolen.'

'Even with justice, nothing will ever make this right,' she insisted. 'Nothing will ever fill the silence where their laughter should be. Nothing will ever bring back our family.'

She concluded with a heartbreaking promise of eternal remembrance: 'We will forever carry this brokenness, and yet we will hold on to them tightly in only ways we can now, through our memories, our photos and our precious videos. Those are all we have left now.'

The judge, Justice Hilliard, acknowledged the immense weight of the case, thanking the jurors and stating the matter had been 'distressing beyond measure—three children and their mother murdered.'

He added that he didn't think 'anyone who heard Antonia's desperate cries for help will ever forget them.' He also took time to praise the 'extraordinary bravery' of those community members who had attempted to save the lives of the family trapped inside.

Detective Chief Inspector Stacey Atkinson of West Yorkshire Police was unequivocal: '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.'

The Senior Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor, Amanda McInnes, labelled Ali a 'selfish killer who had no regard for anyone but himself,' motivated solely by jealousy. Both men now await sentencing for their roles in causing the needless deaths of a young family.