Man Sentenced to Die in Prison for Arson Murder of Sister and Three Children
A man who killed his ex-partner's sister and her three young children in a revenge arson attack will spend the rest of his life behind bars without the possibility of parole. The horrific crime has shocked the community and highlighted the devastating consequences of domestic violence.
Deadly Revenge Attack
Sharaz Ali, 40, was found guilty in December of four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder following a trial at Doncaster Crown Court. The court heard how Ali set fire to Bryonie Gawith's home in Bradford in the early hours of August 21 last year in what the judge described as a plan to "wipe out a family."
While Ali's ex-partner Antonia Gawith managed to escape the blaze, her sister Bryonie, 29, and Bryonie's three children—Denisty Birtle, 9, Oscar Birtle, 5, and Aubree Birtle, just 22 months old—were trapped upstairs and could not be saved from the inferno.
Premeditated Violence
Judge Mr Justice Hilliard imposed the rare whole life sentence, stating that Ali was "full of hatred for Bryonie," whom he blamed for the breakdown of his relationship with Antonia. The judge noted "substantial pre-meditation" went into the murders, with the young children considered "acceptable collateral damage" in Ali's quest for revenge.
"I'm sure, on all the evidence, that Ali had determined to burn down the house and anyone in it, including the children, if Antonia did not change her mind," Justice Hilliard said. "She did not do so."
Traumatic Details Emerge
Prosecutor David Brooke KC described the murders as "particularly cruel," noting that Ali poured petrol directly on Antonia, showing "an intention to kill through means that would have been excruciatingly painful."
During the trial, jurors heard audio of Antonia's 999 emergency call, though they were shielded from the full trauma of what sounded like a child screaming in the background. "We say it's plain that at least one child did wake, sadly," Mr Brooke told the court. "Although the pathologist's view is that the children would have succumbed pretty quickly, nevertheless the screams of children could be heard."
Escape and Tragedy
Antonia told police that Bryonie had given her the "confidence and support" to leave her violent and controlling relationship with Ali just weeks before the fire. On the night of the attack, Ali and convicted arsonist Calum Sunderland, 26, were driven to the house on Westbury Road, Bradford, by Mohammed Shabir, who died of a heart attack while on remand before trial.
The men stopped to fill a seven-litre canister with petrol on the way, and Ali sent Antonia a series of aggressive messages accusing her of being with someone else. 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.
Heroic Last Moments
Antonia described hearing a noise and going downstairs to find an "angry" Ali running into the house and pouring petrol on her while shouting. She tried to wrestle the canister and lighter from him before running outside in an attempt to lure him away from the house.
When she realized he hadn't followed, Antonia returned to find Bryonie, who had woken up, kicking Ali down the stairs. Ali then ignited the lighter, setting himself and the house ablaze.
Justice Hilliard praised Bryonie's "immense courage," noting she stayed in the house with her children when she saw Ali pouring petrol. "Although she must have known what Mr Ali was going to do, there was no way she was going to run out of the house and desert her children," the judge said. "She remained at the top of the stairs to protect them."
Unbearable Loss
In a video interview played to jurors, Antonia sobbed as she described how she "couldn't save" her sister, nieces, and nephew. She told of frantically trying to get in through the back door, which was jammed shut, while screaming for help.
"What haunts me the most is the attack was meant for me," Antonia told the hearing. "I was the target, petrol was poured on me and my life was meant to end that night. I can't escape the thought that I was spared when they were taken. How can I move on when they never had the chance to."
She described Bryonie's children as "my babies, my joy" and said "knowing they died because someone wanted to kill me is a torment I can never put into words."
Sentencing and Aftermath
Sunderland was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years for manslaughter. Sobs could be heard from family in the public gallery as Antonia described her sister as having "warmth that could fill a room and a heart so big she would give the world away if she could."
The case has drawn attention to the ongoing epidemic of violence against women, with organizations continuing to campaign for greater awareness and support for victims of domestic abuse.
