A Yorkshire man accused of murdering a mother and three children in a fire has been found dead at Leeds prison

A Yorkshire man accused of murdering a mother and her three children in a house fire has been found dead at Leeds prison.

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 August 21 last year.

Both defendants are accused of murdering Ms Gawith and the three children.placeholder image
Both defendants are accused of murdering Ms Gawith and the three children. | Elizabeth Cook/PA Wire

Mohammed Shabir, 45, of Alice Street, Keighley, was one of three men due to go on trial accused of their murders later this year.

On Thursday, a Prison Service spokesperson said: “Mohammed Shabir died on September 24 2025 at HMP Leeds. As with all deaths in custody, the prisons and probation ombudsman will investigate.”

Shabir had denied the murder charges along with co-accused Sharaz Ali, 40, of no fixed address, and Calum Sunderland, 26, of Calton Street, Keighley.

They also denied attempting to murder and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to Ms Gawith’s sister Antonia Gawith.

The trial has been fixed for November 17 at Bradford Crown Court.

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