'Sadistic' killers jailed for murder

Ten-year-old Sara Sharif's “sadistic” father and stepmother have been sentenced to life in prison for murder.

Sara was hooded, burned and beaten during a two-year “torture campaign” before her body was found in the family home in Woking, Surrey, in 2023.

At the Old Bailey, her father Urfan Sharif, 43, was sentenced to at least 40 years in prison for murder, while her stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, received a minimum of 33 years in prison.

Sara's uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for causing or allowing her death.

Mr Justice Cavanagh told the court: “The level of cruelty is almost unimaginable.”

“You, Beinash Batool, did not stand in the way of Urfan Sharif. You encouraged Urfan Sharif in his attacks,” he said.

The judge said Sara's “despicable treatment” took place in full view of the rest of the family.

In a statement read out in court, Sara's mother Olga Domin said the defendants were “sadists” and added: “Although even that word is not enough for you. I would say you are executioners.”

Paying tribute to her daughter, Ms Domin said: “She is now an angel looking down on us from heaven. She no longer experiences violence.”

“I was hoping we would meet when she grew up, but that's not going to happen now.”

Warning: This article contains disturbing details

The trial heard a post mortem revealed Sara had suffered injuries, likely including six human bite marks, an iron burn and hot water scalding, before she died on August 8 last year.

Next to Sara's body, found by police in a bunk bed, was a note in her father's handwriting that read: “Whoever sees this note, it is I, Urfan Sharif, who killed my daughter by beating.”

Sharif initially claimed that Batool was responsible for Sara's death, telling the jury that he made a false confession in the note and a subsequent phone call to protect his wife.

But later, during cross-examination, there was a dramatic about-face assumed “full responsibility”. for the death of his daughter.

Sara had more than 70 new external injuries when her body was found by police, including eleven fractures to her spine and signs of traumatic brain injury.

Sharif, Batool and Malik fled to Islamabad, Pakistan with Sara's five siblings on August 9, 2023, a day before her body was found.

From Pakistan, Sharif called police in England and told the operator that he had “legally punished” Sara and she had died.

The family hid for weeks as police searched for them, at times hiding in cornfields to avoid detection, one man said told the BBC he hid them.

The children were discovered when police searched their grandfather's home in early September last year and were subsequently taken to a government child care facility.

When the three adults flew back to Britain a few days later, they left the children behind.

All five children remain in Pakistan in the temporary care of a relative while the legal battle over their long-term residence continues.

Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC previously said a bloodstained cricket bat, a rolling pin with Sara's DNA on it, a metal rod, a belt and a rope were found near the family's outhouse.

Dental impressions ruled out the bite marks coming from the male defendants, but Batool refused to provide samples.

Sara began wearing a hijab in January 2023 to hide her injuries after she noticed bruises on her face in elementary school. In April last year she was withdrawn from school to be homeschooled.

During the trial, Sharif claimed that he came home on the evening of August 8, 2023 and found his wife sitting on the floor in the couple's bedroom and holding Sara.

When he testified, he said Batool told him the girl fell down the stairs while playing with another child and that she was being “dramatic.”

Sharif's response was to “hit” Sara twice in the stomach with a rod to “pretend”, the jury heard.

He previously said he also gave his daughter CPR for 10 minutes, but Batool told him to stop.

Sharif said that when he asked where the ambulance was, Batool replied: “There is no need because she is dead.”

In his statement, Sharif first claimed his confessions were false before admitting “full responsibility” for Sara's death.

He unexpectedly told the jury: “I admit what I said in my phone call and my written note. Every single word.”

However, he later denied intending to kill Sara and refused to change his request.

He told the court he lied when he called his wife Batool a “psycho” at the start of the trial.

Sharif admitted hitting Sara but denied biting or burning her.

Batool and Malik didn't make any statement during the process.

NSPCC acting chief executive Maria Neophytou said the “shocking” abuse Sara suffered raised questions about child protection.

“To significantly reduce the likelihood of more of these horrific cases occurring, comprehensive nationwide reform and investment in the services we rely on to keep our children safe is needed,” she said.

The judge said the case would inevitably raise questions about whether more could have been done to save Sara.

“This case highlights the risks of unsupervised home schooling of vulnerable children,” he said.

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