Sharaz Ali’s motives were fueled by a cocktail of jealousy, drugs, and alcohol. At around 2am on August 21 last year, he set fire to the house where Antonia Gawith was staying with her sister Bryonie and their children. The prosecution claimed that this act stemmed from his intent to “take revenge” for an “abusive” seven-year relationship that had ended.
The court heard that Ali intended to inflict maximum pain upon anyone present, but prosecutors argued he must have known the children were at home. Gawith’s sister, Bryonie, 29, and their three young children—Denisty Birtle, nine; Oscar Birtie, five; and Aubree Birti, two months old—were trapped upstairs and perished in the fire.
Antonia Gawith, whose ex-boyfriend Sharaz Ali had set ablaze, shared her torment at a sentencing hearing. “Knowing they died because someone wanted to kill me is a torment I can never put into words,” she said.
Calum Sunderland, 27, who was caught with Ali and kicked in the door for him during the fire, faced life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years for manslaughter.
The judge, Mr. Justice Hilliard, emphasized that Ali will never be out of prison as his intention had been to “wipe out a family.” Injured by the blaze, which claimed his own survival only after police intervention, Ali suffered severe burns across 70% of his body and had lost two fingers on each hand. His recovery was still incomplete as he required oxygen support and continued to struggle with speaking.
A witness in court said that earlier that day, Ali had sent a threatening message to Gawith: “I know who has caused this in my life … Better start praying, cos now I’m going to get involved in her life and everyone is going to feel it. I promise you one thing, they’re going to regret it.”
As the details of Sharaz Ali’s actions came to light, it became clear how his jealousy had led him to a point where he was willing to sacrifice innocent lives for revenge. The tragedy unfolded as Gawith sought justice and the community rallied around survivors, making this case not only about crime but also about understanding such deeply personal conflicts that can lead to extreme acts of violence.