Third man charged with murder following deadly Bradford house fire

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".

It was added, however, that there was a "realistic expectation that physically he would be fit to take part in a trial process in the coming six to nine months".

A prosecutor had earlier told Bradford Magistrates’ Court that Antonia Gawith had recently ended her seven-year relationship with the defendant and had been staying with her sister on Westbury Road.

The court heard that Sharaz Ali was pulled out of the house by the first police officer on the scene but no-one could be rescued from upstairs as the fire was at the foot of the stairwell.

’Marked improvement’

A court was told last week that Mr Ali had initially not been expected to survive the fire but that there had been a "marked improvement" in his condition following the turn of the year.

Mohammed Shabir, 44, and Calum Sunderland, 25, both of Keighley, had also previously been charged with murder and had been due to go on trial at Bradford Crown Court this week.

However, all three suspects are now next due to appear together before the same court on 10 March.