The murder trial of 10-year-old Sara Sharif has revealed shocking details of the abuse she endured in the weeks leading up to her death. The Old Bailey heard that Sara had been burned with an iron, tied to a heating pipe, and suffered numerous fractures to her spine, collarbone, arms, and ribs. Prosecutors said she had 11 separate fractures to her spine and multiple other injuries, including bite marks, bruises, and burns, some of which were estimated to be at least six weeks old.
Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones, KC, told the court that Sara’s body showed signs of strangulation, as fractures to her hyoid bone were consistent with such injuries. Sara’s father, Urfan Sharif, 42, is accused of leading a “brutal campaign of violence” against her. In a tearful 999 call, made from hiding after fleeing to Pakistan, Sharif allegedly confessed, telling the operator, “I’ve killed my daughter” and “I beat her up too much.
Police found Sara’s body on August 11, 2023, in the family home in Surrey, lying in her bunk bed under the covers as if asleep. Next to her body was a note allegedly written by Sharif, in which he confessed to killing her, adding, “I swear to God that my intention was not to kill her. But I lost it.
The court also heard evidence of burns on Sara’s body, allegedly caused by a domestic iron, which had been pressed onto her buttocks at least two weeks before her death. Dr. Martin, who examined Sara’s injuries, concluded that the iron had been deliberately applied with pressure.
Sharif, along with his wife, Beinash Batool, 30, and brother, Faisal Malik, 29, fled the UK after Sara’s death. They are now on trial, charged with murder and causing or allowing the death of a child. While Sharif initially confessed, he now claims his statements were false and meant to protect others. Batool’s defence claims she was afraid of her husband, who was described as a violent disciplinarian. Malik denies any knowledge of the abuse despite living in the same house.
The jury also heard an eight-and-a-half-minute recording of Sharif’s 999 call, during which he admitted to beating his daughter but claimed it was not his intention to kill her. In the call, he stated, “I legally punished her, and she died.”
The trial continues as jurors weigh the evidence of what prosecutors have called a “brutal campaign of abuse.” All three defendants deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a child.
