TWO men have denied charges of murdering a mother and her three young children, who tragically lost their lives in a house fire in Bradford.
The victims, identified as 29-year-old Bryonie Gawith and her children, Denisty Birtle, nine; Oscar Birtle, five; and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle, were killed following a devastating blaze at their home on Westbury Road in the early hours of 21 August.
On Wednesday, Mohammed Shabir, 44, of Alice Street, Keighley, and Calum Sunderland, 25, of Calton Street, Keighley, appeared via video link from prison at Bradford Crown Court, where they both pleaded not guilty to four counts of murder. They also denied a charge of attempting to murder Ms Gawith’s sister, Antonia Gawith, who was also present at the scene of the fire.
The court heard that a man arrested at the scene, described as the “main suspect”, remains unconscious in hospital and is not expected to be fit for trial in the foreseeable future. West Yorkshire Police have previously confirmed that this individual is the former partner of a woman who was visiting the family at the time of the fire.
Ms Gawith tragically died at the scene, while her three children succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Their deaths have left a community in mourning, and tributes have poured in from loved ones.
In a statement issued following the tragedy, the family expressed their profound grief, saying the loss of “our B” and the children—fondly referred to by their nicknames “Chuch, Oggy, and Strawberry”—had brought “unimaginable sadness and grief.”
The children’s father, Jonathan, also released an emotional statement, saying: “I am absolutely distraught at the sudden loss of my fiancée, Bryonie, and our three beautiful children. Bryonie and I were together for a long time, and we had a good life together. She was a beautiful woman and a loving mother to Oscar, Aubree, and Denisty. I loved them with all my heart, and if I had the chance, I would take their place in a heartbeat. I cannot imagine life without them.”
The two defendants are due to stand trial in March.
