Mohammed Shabir, aged 45, who was remanded to HMP Leeds facing charges of murder, attempted murder and arson, died from natural causes, according to a report by the Prisons & Probation Ombudsman (PPO). Shabir was accused of involvement in the deaths of Bryonie Gawith and her three children, Denisty (9), Oscar (5) and 22-month-old Aubree, in Bradford, West Yorkshire.
Details of the Bradford Fire
The family's home was set alight in the early hours of August 21, 2024. Despite emergency services arriving within minutes, Bryonie was declared dead at the scene. Denisty, Oscar and Aubree were taken to hospital with serious burn injuries and tragically died shortly after.
Co-accused Sharaz Ali, 40, the estranged partner of Bryonie, was found guilty of murder following a trial in December last year. Calum Sunderland, 26, of Keighley, was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.
Prison Death and Ombudsman Findings
Shabir died on September 24, 2025, at hospital. The PPO report stated: "Mr Shabir died in hospital of cardiac tamponade (fluid around the heart preventing it from pumping enough blood) caused by hemopericardium (blood accumulating in the pericardial sac which surrounds the heart) and myocardial infarction (heart attack) on 24 September 2025, while a prisoner at Leeds."
An independent clinical reviewer examined Shabir's care at HMP Leeds. The report noted that general health care and the emergency response were "equivalent and of a good standard." However, the clinical care on September 20, when Shabir reported feeling unwell, was found to be "partially equivalent."
Failure to Respond to Health Complaint
The PPO report revealed that an officer contacted a response nurse to assess Shabir, but no one completed the assessment. The clinical reviewer found it unclear who was holding the response radio at the time, leaving uncertainty about responsibility. While Shabir was not seen, his symptoms did not indicate an emergency response was required.
A PPO investigator also probed non-clinical issues. The report stated: "We found that the officer who told us that they made a radio call on 20 September did not record this in Mr Shabir’s prison records, and there was no additional evidence recorded that they had made a call or that Mr Shabir felt unwell. This also meant that operational colleagues did not have the opportunity to identify and follow-up on the officer’s request."
The report recommended that the Governor ensure prison staff properly record important information and requests for assistance about prisoners’ health.
Inquest Conclusion
An inquest held on October 8 into Shabir's death concluded he died from natural causes.
