A jealous ex-partner, fuelled by drink and drugs, has been found guilty of a shocking murder spree in Bradford. Sharaz Ali, 40, deliberately torched the home of his ex-girlfriend’s sister, Bryonie Gawith, 29, and her three children, leaving a family shattered.
The blaze took place in the early hours of 21 August 2024, claiming the lives of Bryonie and her kids – Denisty, nine, Oscar, five, and baby Aubree, just 22 months old.
Horror Fire Was Revenge on Abusive Ex
Ali targeted Bryonie’s house on Westbury Road after Antonia Gawith, his ex and Bryonie’s sister, fled his abusive seven-year relationship earlier that month. Prosecutors revealed Ali tracked Antonia down, hell-bent on revenge.
Chilling doorbell footage played in Doncaster Crown Court caught Ali ordering accomplice Calum Sunderland, 26, a convicted arsonist, to “kick the door in.” Sunderland, carrying petrol and a lighter, obeyed before fleeing to the getaway car, leaving Ali to commit the deadly arson.
Survivor’s Heartbreaking Plea: “I Couldn’t Save Them”
Antonia escaped the fire but was forced to watch helplessly as her sister and three young nieces and nephews died. In a heart-wrenching police interview, she sobbed, “I was just screaming, trying to get back in the house and I couldn’t get in. I couldn’t save them.”
She described Ali storming in, pouring petrol on her, and setting fire to himself and the house in a drug-fuelled rage designed to punish her.
Despite his own burns, Ali told the court, “I didn’t want to hurt anyone but myself,” a claim the jury swiftly dismissed. He was found guilty of four counts of murder and attempted murder of Antonia.
Accomplices and Callous Acts
- Sunderland was convicted of manslaughter for Bryonie and the three children but cleared of murder and attempted murder charges against Antonia.
- A third co-conspirator, Mohammed Shabir, 45, who drove them to the scene, died of a heart attack in prison before trial.
- The trio stopped to fill a petrol can before attacking, showing clear premeditation.
Justice and Grief Collide
Antonia’s victim statement outside court laid bare the family’s pain: “Nothing will ever make this right… Nothing will ever bring back our family.”
Judge Mr Justice Hilliard called the murders “distressing beyond measure” and praised neighbours and emergency responders for their bravery trying to save the children.
Detective Chief Inspector Stacey Atkinson blasted Ali and Sunderland’s “horrific and truly callous actions,” while prosecutor Amanda McInnes labelled Ali a “selfish killer” driven by jealousy.
The tragic case highlights the deadly consequences of domestic abuse. Antonia’s escape from violence ended in her family’s destruction.
Ali and Sunderland now face long prison terms. But no sentence can heal the ruins left behind by their savage crime.
