A man named Sharaz Ali committed a heinous crime, driven by jealousy and under the influence of alcohol and drugs. He set fire to the home of his ex-partner’s sister, resulting in the tragic deaths of the sister, Bryonie Gawith, and her three young children, Destiny, Oscar, and Aubree. Despite efforts by Antonia Gawith to intervene, the fire claimed the lives of her family members in an early morning attack on August 21 last year.
Antonia, who had recently ended an abusive relationship with Ali, was at Bryonie’s house when Ali arrived with a petrol can and lighter. She tried to stop him but was unsuccessful. In a police interview, Antonia described the harrowing events of that night, where Ali poured petrol on her and the premises before setting the house on fire.
Ali was found guilty of murdering Bryonie and the children and attempting to murder Antonia. Another individual, Calum Sunderland, was found guilty of manslaughter in the deaths of Bryonie and the children but was acquitted of murder charges. Ali has been sentenced to life in prison for the murders.
Antonia, in a statement outside the court, expressed the profound loss felt by her family, emphasizing that no amount of justice could fill the void left by the tragedy. She paid tribute to her sister and nieces and nephew, describing their stolen futures and the impact on their lives.
During the trial, it was revealed that Ali intended to cause maximum harm and was aware that the children were present in the house during the arson attack. The accomplice, Mohammed Shabir, who drove Ali and Sunderland to the house, passed away before standing trial.