A man accused of killing his former partner’s sister and her three children in a house fire was trying to set himself alight, a court was told.

Sharaz Ali, 40, is alleged to have set fire to the home of 29-year-old Bryonie Gawith and her three small children – Denisty, nine, Oscar, five, and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle – in the early hours of August 21 last year, killing all four.

His acts were ‘motivated by jealousy and fuelled by drink and drugs’, prosecutors said.

After his ‘abusive’ seven-year relationship ended earlier that month, Ali is accused of going to the Bradford house to ‘take revenge’ on his former partner, Bryonie’s sister, Antonia Gawith.

Antonia was staying at her sister’s house at the time.

Doncaster Crown Court heard evidence from Ali today as he sat in a wheelchai

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