The father and stepmother of 10-year-old Sara Sharif have been convicted of her murder following a harrowing trial at the Old Bailey.
Sara endured more than two years of horrific abuse, culminating in her death on 8 August 2023. Her body, bearing over 70 injuries, including burns, bite marks, and fractures, was discovered in a bunk bed at her family’s home in Woking, Surrey.
Her father, Urfan Sharif, 43, stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30, and uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, fled to Pakistan with Sara’s five siblings the day after her death. A note found near Sara’s body in Sharif’s handwriting claimed responsibility for the killing, though he later blamed Batool, before eventually admitting to beating Sara.
Sharif and Batool were found guilty of murder, while Malik was convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child. Sentencing is scheduled for next week.
Jurors heard how Sara was subjected to unimaginable cruelty. Prosecutors revealed she was hooded, tied up, beaten with a cricket bat, burnt with an iron, and scalded with hot water. In the weeks before her death, she was withdrawn from school after teachers noticed bruises, and she began wearing a hijab to hide her injuries.
In court, Sharif admitted inflicting the fatal injuries, including binding Sara with tape and throttling her. However, he denied other injuries, such as the burns and bite marks. Batool and Malik declined to give evidence during the trial.
The case has prompted calls for an inquest and a safeguarding review to examine potential failings by social services, the police, and the education system.
Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Chapman called Sara’s case the most “shocking” of his 30-year career, adding, “The details of her treatment have driven my team to ensure justice for Sara.”
Crown Prosecution Service specialist Libby Clark described Sara as a “happy, lively child cruelly abused and murdered by those closest to her,” adding, “The injuries inflicted on her were absolutely horrendous.”
