The father of 10-year-old Sara Sharif, Urfan Sharif, confessed to killing his daughter in an eight-minute call to police from Pakistan, a court heard. The call was made on August 10 last year, about an hour after his family landed in Islamabad. Sara’s body was later found at their home in Surrey.
Mr. Sharif, 42, along with Sara’s stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30, and her uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, denied murdering the young girl during their trial at the Old Bailey. The court was told that Mr. Sharif claimed in his defense that Ms. Batool was responsible for Sara’s death. He said his confession, both on the phone and in a note found later, was false and made to protect Ms. Batool.
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Weeks of Abuse and Severe Injuries
Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC detailed how Sara had endured violent assaults over several weeks before her death. He described the external and internal injuries she had suffered, including extensive bruising, burns, and broken bones. Sara had old and new injuries, with some caused by a domestic iron on her buttocks. She also had six probable human bite marks on her arms and legs.
The court heard that dental impressions ruled out the male defendants as the source of the bite marks. However, Ms. Batool refused to provide dental impressions, raising further suspicion about her involvement.
Sara also had injuries to her ribs, shoulder blades, fingers, and 11 separate fractures to her spine. Prosecutors said these were signs of a traumatic brain injury.
Confession to Police
During his call to Surrey Police from Pakistan, Mr. Sharif admitted to killing his daughter. He told the operator that he had “legally punished her” and she died as a result. Later in the call, he said Sara had been “naughty,” and he beat her, but insisted he had not intended to kill her. “It wasn’t my intention to kill her, but I beat her up too much,” he admitted.
The prosecution emphasized that Sara’s treatment in the last few weeks of her life was brutal, far beyond just a beating.
Note Found Next to Sara’s Body
When police found Sara’s body in her Surrey home, she was discovered on a bottom bunk bed, under covers, as if she was asleep. Next to her body, officers found a handwritten note by Mr. Sharif. In the note, he confessed to killing Sara by beating her. He also expressed fear and promised to surrender and accept punishment. “I swear to God that my intention was not to kill her, but I lost it,” the note read.
Prosecutor Emlyn Jones said the note, like the 999 call, appeared to be a confession to Sara’s death caused by the father’s violence.
Shifting Blame Among Defendants
The three defendants, who had lived with Sara before her death, also faced charges of causing or allowing the death of a child. They all denied the charges. Prosecutors argued that each defendant tried to shift the blame onto the others.
Mr. Emlyn Jones said it was “inconceivable” that any of the adults could have carried out the abuse without the involvement of the others. None of the defendants reported Sara’s abuse to authorities, despite the horrific injuries she sustained.
The trial continues.
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