The father and stepmother of 10-year-old British-Pakistani girl Sara Sharif were found guilty on Wednesday of her murder, a case of severe child abuse that has shocked the UK. Urfan Sharif, 42, and Beinash Batool, 30, were convicted of Sara’s murder after she was found dead in her home, bearing extensive injuries such as broken bones, burns, and bite marks. Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was also found guilty of causing or allowing her death. The verdict came after a week of jury deliberations at London’s Old Bailey criminal court.
The judge announced that sentencing for the “extremely stressful and traumatic” case will occur next Tuesday.
Sara was discovered dead in her bed in Woking, southwest London, on August 10, 2023. The convicted family members had fled to Pakistan the day before her body was found. They were arrested upon returning to the UK a month later.
During a highly charged trial, Sharif admitted to killing his daughter under cross-examination but claimed he had not intended to harm her. Initially, he denied all charges and shifted the blame to Batool.
Sharif confessed to using a cricket bat on Sara, tying her with packaging tape, throttling her, and fracturing the hyoid bone in her neck. Batool, who refused to testify or provide dental imprints, did not explain the bite marks found on Sara.
Malik, who also lived in the same household, was implicated in the systematic abuse that led to Sara’s death. The prosecutor stated that Batool and Malik bore significant responsibility, highlighting their presence while Sara “was gradually being beaten to death.”
Gruesome Findings
A post-mortem revealed Sara had suffered at least 25 broken bones. On the day of the family’s arrival in Islamabad after fleeing, Sharif contacted British police, admitting he had beaten his daughter “too much.” A written confession was also discovered beside Sara’s body.
Despite these confessions, Sharif, Batool, and Malik all pleaded not guilty during the trial.
Sharif had gained custody of Sara after separating from his first wife, despite allegations of prior abusive behavior towards his ex-wife. These details emerged during the trial.
“None of us can imagine how appalling and brutal Sara’s treatment was in the last few weeks of her short life,” Libby Clark from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said following the conviction.
“We have today secured justice for Sara, a bubbly young girl, who was killed by the adults who should have protected her,” Clark added.
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