Jury sworn for men charged with house fire murder of mother and three children

A jury has been sworn in to try two men accused of murdering a mother and her three children in a house fire.

Bryonie Gawith, 29; Denisty Birtle, nine; Oscar Birtle, five; and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle died after the blaze at their home in Westbury Road, Bradford, in the early hours of August 21 last year.

Sharaz Ali, 40, of no fixed address, and Calum Sunderland, 26, of Calton Street, Keighley, are charged with murdering the family, as well as attempting to murder Ms Gawith’s sister Antonia Gawith.

Mohammed Shabir, 45 who had been due to go on trial with them, died of a heart attack last month after collapsing in prison.

On Monday a panel of 14 jurors was selected at Doncaster Crown Court, and was told the case will be opened on Tuesday by prosecutor David Brooke KC before the panel is reduced to 12.

The judge, Mr Justice Hilliard, said the trial is expected to last around four weeks but could go up until December 23.

Ms Gawith died at the scene and the three children died from their injuries in hospital.

Earlier hearings were told that Ali had been in a coma since the fire and was not expected to be well enough to stand trial, even if he did wake up.

His prognosis was later revised and, following a “marked improvement” in his condition, Ali was charged with the offences in March after doctors found him fit to stand trial.