Bradford house fire murder accused 'meant to set himself alight' court told
Prosecutors say Sharaz Ali was "motivated by jealousy and fuelled by drink and drugs" when he set fire to the home of Bryonie Gawith and her three small children last year
A man accused of murdering his former partner's sister and her three children in a house fire told a court he was trying to "set myself alight" and denied deliberately pouring petrol into the property.
Prosecutors say Sharaz Ali was "motivated by jealousy and fuelled by drink and drugs" when he set fire to the home of Bryonie Gawith and her three small children in the early hours of August 21 last year, killing all four.
Ali is accused of going to the house to "take revenge" on his former partner - Bryonie's sister Antonia Gawith - who was staying there after ending their "abusive" seven-year relationship earlier that month.
On Thursday, Ali began giving evidence to Doncaster Crown Court while in a wheelchair and dressed in a grey sweatshirt and trousers.
The 40-year-old said he had taken cocaine and drank vodka before travelling to the house with a canister of petrol and a lighter after Antonia had told him she wanted to separate.
When asked what his intention was with the petrol, Ali replied: "To set myself alight."
The court heard that the day before the fire, Ali had decided he wanted to die by suicide by setting himself on fire in front of Antonia.
When asked what his motivation was for this, he replied: "Because I love her and I want to see her."
Jurors heard Antonia tried to grab the canister from Ali during a "scuffle" and the fuel was "splashing out" on the pair before he pushed her out of the house.
Asked why he had pushed her, the defendant replied: "I didn't want her to get hurt and I knew what I was going to do.
"Basically I looked around, she was outside, by that time Bryonie was back at the top of the stairs and I put it next to my chest and I just lit it," he added.
Mohammed Nawaz KC, defending, asked: "Did you deliberately pour petrol from that canister inside that house?"
"No," Ali replied.
In the month before the fire, Antonia went on holiday without Ali during which the couple argued and she messaged him saying: "I don't love you any more", and that she wanted to separate, the jurors heard.
Ali told he court he did not want to break up but told her he would move out when he got paid by universal credit as he did not know where to go.
Three days before the alleged attack, Ali messaged Antonia saying: "I know who caused all this in my life whether they meant to or not they better start praying", adding: "I promise you one thing they're going to regret it, not going to look back," the trial heard.
Ali said he accepted sending the message which he signed off: "love you xx".
Mr Nawaz asked Ali why he sent it, to which the 40-year-old replied: "I was upset," adding "It was an empty threat, it wasn't meant to mean anything."
The defendant said he was upset about "her leaving me".
The trial heard the couple spoke via WhatsApp call "straight after" the message, during which Ali told Antonia he "didn't mean nothing by it".
Mr Nawaz asked Ali of Antonia: "Did you want to harm any member of her family?"
"No," the defendant replied.
Jurors heard the couple met around eight years ago and that Ali moved into Antonia's address around two years into the relationship.
The defendant said a key cause of arguments between the pair was his drinking and use of cocaine.
He denied striking her and preventing her from going out and seeing friends and family during their relationship.
At times, Ali dabbed his eyes while speaking and twice asked to continue when it was suggested to him that the court would take a break.
Bryonie, 29, and her children: Denisty Birtle, nine; Oscar Birtle, five; and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle; died in the blaze on Westbury Road, Bradford.
Ali, of no fixed address, and Calum Sunderland, 26, of Calton Street, Keighley, are charged with murdering Bryonie and the three children, and attempting to murder Antonia.
Mohammed Shabir, 45, who had been due to go on trial with them, died of a heart attack last month after collapsing in prison.
Prosecutors say Shabir drove to and from the house while Sunderland kicked the door in.
The court previously heard that Ali was rescued from the fire by police officers who had arrived at the scene first, that he was arrested at the scene and refused treatment from paramedics.
Ali and Sunderland deny the charges and the trial continues.