Sara Sharif was found to have suffered at least 71 external injuries and was tortured and regularly beaten in the months before she died – her father denies murder
The father of murdered schoolgirl Sara Sharif wept in court today as he described returning home to discover his dying in his wife’s arms.
Sara, 10, was found dead at her home in Hammond Road, Woking, on 10 August 2023. Urfan Sharif, 42 denies murder and causing or allowing the death of a child alongside his wife Beinash Batool, 30, and Sara’s uncle, 29-year-old McDonald’s worker Faisal Malik.
The schoolgirl had at least 71 external injuries inflicted on her and was tortured and regularly beaten in the months before she died, the Old Bailey has heard. After the killing Urfan, Batool and Malik fled to Pakistan, leaving Sara’s body in the three bedroom house in Woking.
Giving evidence at the Old Bailey today, Urfan sobbed loudly as he described returning home on 8 August 2023. Batool also burst into tears as he gave evidence. He said he parked his car on the driveway after Batool had called him and asked him to come home saying that Sara was fighting with another child. He said: “I parked my car on the driveway. I opened the door and I sat on the stairs on the and took off my shoes.
“I put my keys on the shoe cabinet in the hallway then I went to the kitchen and had a glass of water and then I went upstairs. Nobody was downstairs.
“I went into my room and I saw Sara on Beinash’s lap in the corner. I asked Beinash what happened because Sara was lying on her lap with Sara’s head laying on Beinash’s left arm.”
He said that Batool told him that Sara had been chased down the stairs by another child. He continued: “She said ‘she fell down there and now she’s pretending, she’s being dramatic and she’s not getting up.’
“I lifted up her left arm, I asked Sara to get up but she wouldn’t get up. Her arm was limp when I dropped it just went down.
“I knelt down, I tapped her face and said Sara get up but she didn’t get up. I took Sara out of Beinash’s lap. I tapped Sara’s face, she opened her eyes slightly and said she’s thirsty, she needs water and she’s felling sleepy.
“When I came back and gave her the water she didn’t drink. She didn’t wake up. “He said Batool told him to put Sara down on the floor.
“I could not hear her breathing, her chest was numb I checked her pulse and it was numb. I shouted for an ambulance. I started giving her CPR.
“I was numb I’m still there now I was numb like I am now. I was shocked. I was giving CPR. Beinash shouted at me wake her up, wake her up she cannot die.”
But the father said Batool “did not seem emotional.” He said Batool then stopped him from giving CPR.
Beinash stopped me, hugged me and said “leave her, Sara’s dead.”
“I asked her where Sara’s ambulance is. I was all over the place, I was not thinking. I did not want to believe what had happened.”
Sharif said he asked Batool where the ambulance was and she said ‘there’s no point because she’s dead.” He said he got his phone out but Batool snatched it from his hand and told him to wait here while she went to tell Malik what had happened.
“I was with Sara. She was a lifeless body in my arms. I picked her up. I just hugged her. Kissed her. I could not believe that she was dead. I could not believe she was gone. I was not accepting it. I am still not accepting that my daughter is gone.
“I am sitting here and I am still not accepting that my daughter is gone. I wasn’t saying anything, nothing at all she was just in my arms. I was just asking her to wake up just once. I was just sitting there”
“I was shock. I was numb. I could not understand what had happened. My world was crushed. My whole world fallen on me.”
He said Malik then came in, checked Sara’s pulse and burst into tears. Sharif said he wanted to wash Sara’s body and he saw red marks covering her neck.
He said Batool did not let him undress her and give her a bath but Batool told him ‘are you stupid just leave her’ so he only washed her hair and face. He said it was Batool’s suggestion that they go to Pakistan.
The jury was played a telephone call Batool made to an airline to book tickets to Pakistan. Her voice was calm and emotionless as she asked for tickets for the next day.
He said Batool then told him that Sara had been beaten and kicked by the other child. Sharif said Batool told him that he or Malik should take the blame.
He said he left a note falsely confessing to killing Sara himself because he wanted to protect his family and that while he wrote the note Batool dictated the words. The family returned from Pakistan on September 13 last year and were arrested at Gatwick Airport having flown back from Dubai.
Sara was found to have ten spinal fractures and further fractures to her right collar bone, both shoulder blades, both arms, both hands, three separate fingers, bones near the wrist in each hand, two ribs and her hyoid bone in the neck. Sharif, Batool and Malik, all deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a child.
The trial continues.
