An undated handout photograph released by Surrey Police on December 11, 2024, depicts British-Pakistani girl Sara Sharif at school. — AFP
The father and stepmother of a 10-year-old British-Pakistani girl were convicted on Wednesday of her murder in a harrowing case of child abuse that stunned the UK and led to an international manhunt. Urfan Sharif, 42, and Beinash Batool, 30, were found guilty of Sara Sharif's murder after she was discovered dead at her home last year, having endured extensive injuries including broken bones, burns, and bite marks. Her uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was also convicted of causing or allowing her death following a week of jury deliberations at London's Old Bailey criminal court. The sentencing for this 'extremely stressful and traumatic' case is scheduled for Tuesday, according to the judge.
Sara was found dead in her bed in Woking, southwest of London, on August 10, 2023. The three convicted family members had fled to Pakistan the day before. Her father left behind a handwritten note by her body stating he hadn't intended to kill her 'but I lost it'. The trio was arrested after returning to the UK a month later. During the intense trial last month, Sharif, a taxi driver, admitted to killing his daughter but claimed he had no intention of harming her. Initially, he denied all charges and blamed Batool for Sara's death. Sharif also confessed to causing multiple fractures in the weeks leading up to Sara's death, beating her with a cricket bat while she was bound with packaging tape, strangling her with his bare hands, and breaking the hyoid bone in her neck.
Batool, who did not testify, refused to provide dental imprints for the bite marks found on Sara, who was described as 'bubbly' and 'very smiley'. The prosecutor argued that Batool and Malik had a 'strong case' against them, given that they lived with Sara as she was 'gradually being beaten to death'. A post-mortem examination revealed that the child had suffered at least 25 broken bones. A cricket bat stained with Sara's blood and plastic bag hoods the size of her head were among the evidence discovered during a house search.
Upon arriving in Islamabad after fleeing last year, Sharif contacted British police and admitted to beating his daughter 'too much'. However, during the trial, all three family members pleaded not guilty. Speaking outside the Old Bailey, Craig Emmerson of Surrey police described it as 'one of the most difficult and distressing cases that Surrey police has ever dealt with'. 'All three defendants have only ever sought to preserve their own interests throughout this investigation and have shown no remorse for their truly dreadful behaviour,' Emmerson added. The trial also highlighted concerns about Sara's safeguarding at school and by local child services.
Sharif had gained custody of Sara in 2019 after separating from his first wife, despite allegations of being abusive towards his ex-wife, as revealed during the trial. Sara was also in and out of foster care. In March 2023, after noticing injuries on her face, Sara's school reported the case to child services, who investigated but took no action. A month later, Sara was removed from school by Sharif to be home-schooled full-time. 'None of us can imagine how appalling and brutal Sara's treatment was in the last few weeks of her short life,' said Libby Clark from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) 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. Sara's teacher, Jacquie Chambers, described her to the BBC as an 'absolute chatterbox' and a 'confident, very smiley, full of energy and life little girl'. 'She was a really vibrant, big character,' Chambers noted.
Source link: https://www.khaleejtimes.com
