Two men have been convicted for their roles in the tragic deaths of a mother and her three children in Bradford.
Bryonie Gawith, 29, and her children Denisty, 9, Oscar, 5, and Aubree Birtle, 22 months, were killed when their Westbury Road home was deliberately set on fire in August 2024.
On 10 December, at Doncaster Crown Court, Sharaz Ali, 40, of Langbar Avenue, was convicted of four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Calum Sunderland, 26, of Calton Street, was convicted of four counts of manslaughter.
Court proceedings revealed that earlier that night, the men filled a petrol canister at a Keighley station before driving to the family home. Sunderland kicked down the door while Ali poured petrol over the property and ignited it. Despite the heroic efforts of emergency services, all four occupants tragically died from their injuries.
Ali was arrested at the scene but was severely injured and required several months of hospital treatment. Sunderland was later found hiding in a basement in Keighley following CCTV-led investigations and was arrested.
Sentencing for both men is expected at a later date.
Detective Chief Inspector Stacey Atkinson of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team said:
“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. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the family, who now face the rest of their lives without them.”
The family of the victims released a heartfelt statement expressing gratitude for the police and prosecution teams while lamenting their loss:
“Nothing will ever fill the silence where their laughter should be. These are only a handful of the memories we hold close. Their futures were stolen. The children will never grow up; never experience life in all the ways they deserved. And our beloved B will never grow old with us. We will love them for the rest of our lives. We will miss them in every breath. Our hearts will never be whole again.”
The conviction marks a significant step toward justice for the family after an agonizing legal process.
