Three men charged with the murders of a mother and her children who died in a house fire will stand trial together, a court has ruled.
Bryonie Gawith, 29; Denisty Birtle, nine; Oscar Birtle, five; and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle died after the blaze at their home in Westbury Road, Bradford, in the early hours of 21 August last year.
West Yorkshire Police have charged Sharaz Ali, 39, Mohammed Shabir, 44, and Calum Sunderland, 25, with their murders and with the attempted murder of Ms Gawith’s sister Antonia.
Mr Shabir and Mr Sunderland, both of Keighley, pleaded not guilty but Mr Ali’s participation in a trial due to start this month was uncertain because of serious injuries he sustained in the fire.
On Monday, Bradford Crown Court was told that all three men would be tried together on 17 November due to Mr Ali’s “marked recovery”.
Mr Shabir and Mr Sunderland’s trial had been due to start last week and Mr Ali had not originally been expected to survive his injuries.
Mr Ali, of no fixed address, attended the hearing by video link while under police guard in hospital.
He was told by Mr Justice Hilliard to appear at court again on 2 April for a plea hearing.
