A man burned a family home, killing a mother and two children, because he was “caught in a never-ending nightmare” and out for revenge, it is alleged.

Andrew Stubbs QC, the Crown’s barrister in the trial of two brothers accused of murder, told the jury at Bradford Crown Court yesterday the case was about anger and hatred.

In his closing speech, Mr Stubbs branded Asjid Mahmood “a self-confessed killer” who had lied to protect his brother and himself.

Mahmood, 22, admits the manslaughter of Iram Shah and her children, Alina, ten, and Aman, eight, after he set fire to their home in Hendford Drive, Bradford, on July 6 last year.

He and his brother, Arshed Mahmood, 18, plead not guilty to murdering them.

The court has heard that Asjid Mahmood fell out with the children’s father, Zaheer Shah, over a £20,000 Seat Leon FR they bought to hire out. Mahmood was stuck with the £355 monthly loan repayments while others used the vehicle.

Mr Stubbs said he was angered by Mr Shah's “relentlessly selfish and dismissive attitude.”

He had believed the older man was his soul mate and had loved him like a brother until their friendship was exposed as a lie, the jury was told.

Mr Stubbs said Asjid had “an abundant source of motive” for wanting to harm Mr Shah, who was staying with his former wife, Iram Shah, at the time.

“He was obsessed with his own problems. He had lost all sense of judgement and all sense of proportion,” Mr Stubbs alleged.

He claimed the brothers, of Pollard Lane, Undercliffe, Bradford, were not planning to burn the Seat Leon on the night of the fire.

Asjid took paper from one of the family’s takeaway shops and they stopped at a garage to buy petrol.

When they got to Hendford Drive, they did not search for the car, Mr Stubbs said.

“It is an easily-spotted boy-racer kind of car. They did not look round for it,” he told the jury.

He said Asjid took the petrol with him straight away because he knew exactly where he was going.

The jury is expected to retire on Monday to consider its verdicts.