Urfan Sharif, 43, and his wife Beinash Batool, 30, were found guilty of murdering 10-year-old Sara Sharif at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, following an eight-week trial. Faisal Malik, 29, Sara’s uncle, was convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child. The jury reached their verdicts after approximately two days of deliberations.
The court was presented with harrowing details of Sara’s prolonged suffering, described as a “daily living hell” marked by months of torture culminating in her tragic death. Prosecutors labeled Sharif as a psychopathic, controlling, and violent individual.
Sara’s lifeless body was found on August 10, 2023, in a bunk bed at the family’s Surrey home. Evidence revealed she had died two days earlier. Sharif fled to Pakistan after the incident but later contacted police, confessing to excessive violence. A handwritten note found near Sara’s body claimed he hadn’t intended to kill her but admitted he had “lost it.”
A post-mortem examination uncovered 71 external injuries, including burns, bruises, and bite marks, alongside 25 fractures, 11 of which were to her spine.
During the trial, Sharif initially denied assaulting Sara but later confessed to binding her with tape and beating her using a cricket bat, metal pole, and mobile phone. He denied allegations of burning her or using a homemade hood. Batool, who refused to provide dental impressions, chose not to testify.
The sentencing was adjourned to the following Tuesday by Justice Cavanagh, who acknowledged the emotional toll on the jury, praising their service in a deeply distressing case.
