Bryonie Gawith, 29, was killed in the blaze at her home in Westbury Road, Bradford, in the early hours of 21 August 2024. Her children Denisty Birtle, nine, Oscar Birtle, five, and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle died in hospital.
Sharaz Ali, 39, appeared via video-link from his hospital bed on Monday, 3 March, speaking only to confirm his name.
Emergency services in Westbury Road, Bradford
Ali, whose address is currently Bradford Royal Infirmary, has been charged with four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
He was not asked to indicate a plea at Bradford Crown Court.
Prosecutor David Brooke KC said: “Although his prognosis was very poor, he has made a recovery, although as you can see he is still in hospital and in a hospital bed.
“He was charged this morning formally, having been interviewed a week ago and appeared at magistrates court at 10am.”
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Two other men, Mohammed Shabir, 44, of Alice Street, Keighley, and Calum Sunderland, 25, of Calton Street, Keighley, have previously been charged with murder and were due to go on trial this week.
An application to delay the trial of Shabir and Sunderland so that all three men can stand trial together is due to be heard on 10 March.
Mr Brooke KC said: “The question arises whether or not the court takes the view, in light of his recovery, there should be a joint trial. Inevitably, there would then be a postponement to the trial of the two co-accused.”
The court heard the chief medical officer at the hospital where Ali is being treated had said he “would not be physically fit to sit in a courtroom at this present time, however without any unpredictable delays in his recovery … there is a realistic expectation that physically he would be fit to take part in a trial process in the coming six to nine months”.
Previous court hearings were told that Ali was “in a coma” and would not be ready for trial “even if he does wake up”.
Last week, prosecutor Matthew Bean said Ali had now made a “marked improvement” and may be fit to stand trial by the end of the year.