Mother and children killed in blaze 'will never be forgotten'

The family of Iram Shah said her life and those of her children Alina, 10 and Aman, eight, had been brutally cut too short.

Asjid Mahmood, 22, was yesterday found guilty at Bradford Crown Court of the murder of the three, while his brother Arshed was convicted of their manslaughter in July last year.

The jury heard Asjid Mahmood was involved in a financial dispute with Mrs Shah's former husband.

After the case a statement from the Shah family said: "The children and their mother deserved to live long and prosperous lives. They will never be forgotten by anyone who had the pleasure of knowing them.

"Now that justice has been served, we can only begin to try and replace our hurt with fond memories of the children and their mother."

After the deaths in Bradford last year, relatives said Alina had talked of becoming a doctor while Aman dreamed of being a footballer, neither would have a chance to fulfil their dreams.

Following the verdicts Detective Chief Inspector Simon Bottomley said it was "everyone's worst nightmare" to be faced with fire while sleeping upstairs.

"Our investigations revealed that a dispute over money had led Asjid and Arshed Mahmood to commit this heartless act. Their selfish actions have destroyed a family and had a profound impact on local people who were profoundly shocked by these events."

"The efforts of neighbours to save those in the house were commendable and simply show the sheer strength of community here in Bradford."

Malcolm Taylor, of Yorkshire and Humberside Crown Prosecution Service, said: "This was a particularly tragic and senseless crime. Our thoughts must be with the family of Iram, Alina and Aman. I hope that today's result will bring them some small measure of closure."