10-year-old Sara Sharif: Father and stepmother sentenced to life imprisonment

The father and stepmother of 10-year-old Sara Sharif have today (17 December 2024), been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of her murder at The Central Criminal Court in London.

Sara’s father, Urfan Sharif, 42, was ordered to serve a minimum term of 40 years, while Sara’s stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30, was ordered to serve a minimum term of 33 years.

Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment after being found guilty of causing or allowing Sara’s death.

All three were convicted last Wednesday (11 December), following a 10-week trial at The Central Criminal Court in London.

Passing sentence, Justice John Cavanagh described Sara as a “beautiful little girl” who was “full of personality”. He went on to say that she was a “very courageous little girl” with an “unquenchable spirit”, who loved to sing and dance.

Justice Cavanagh said that judges must be careful about using the word “torture” and that it should not be “overused”, adding: “But is it no exaggeration to describe the campaign of abuse against Sara as torture.”

He said that the treatment inflicted on a 10-year-old child was “nothing short of gruesome” and that the cruelty involved was “almost inconceivable”.

He went on to say that none of the defendants had shown a “shred of true remorse”, and that nothing he could do would “provide recompense for the loss of this young child’s life”.

Referencing the change in Sharif’s testimony during the trial, from blaming Batool for the abuse inflicted on Sara, to then admitting he had beaten her but hadn’t meant to kill her, Justice Cavanagh said that Sharif’s “stated remorse” had been “no more than a ploy” and that even after he had made admissions, he continued to “conceal the true extent of (his) cruelty towards Sara”.

Turning to Batool, Justice Cavanagh said: “You were prepared to sacrifice Sara because you did not want to lose your other children. Put bluntly, you did not care enough about Sara to save her.”

Justice Cavanagh said Malik should have recognised that what was being done to Sara was “dangerous and wrong and had to be stopped” and yet he had taken “absolutely no steps to protect Sara.”

In her victim impact statement, which was read out to the court, Sara’s mother Olga Domin, paid tribute to her daughter, and said that she was “always smiling” and had “her own unique character”.

Ms Domin continued: “The only thing I had left to give to my daughter was to give her a beautiful Catholic funeral that she deserves.

“Sara is not far from home, and she is visited every day, I always light candles for her and there are flowers with her. She is now an angel who looks down on us from heaven, she is no longer experiencing violence.

“To this day, I can't understand how someone can be such a sadist to a child. I hoped that when she grew up, we would meet but now it won't happen, she left us too soon.”

Sara’s body was found at the family home in Hammond Road, Woking, in the early hours on Thursday, 10 August 2023, after her father, Urfan Sharif, called police and told them that he had killed his daughter and left her at the address.

A note was found next to Sara’s body in Sharif’s handwriting in which he also claimed to be responsible for her death.

The call was made after Sharif, Batool and Malik left the UK to fly to Pakistan with five of Sara’s siblings, aged between 1 and 13 years at the time.

During the call, which lasted eight and a half minutes, Sharif told the operator that he had killed his daughter, and instructed officers to go to the family home.

Sharif said he had “panicked and left home” and said he had “beaten her up too much” but that it wasn’t his intention to kill her. However, he refused to say where he was and gave no indication that the family had flown to Islamabad the night before Sara’s body was found.

It later transpired that Batool had booked the one-way tickets for the three adults and five children on 8 August 2023, the day that Sara is believed to have died.

The post-mortem found the cause of Sara’s death to be complications arising from multiple injuries and neglect.

Specialist doctors and pathologists who examined Sara’s body found evidence of around 100 separate internal and external injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, multiple broken bones, extensive bruising and scarring. There was also evidence of burns, including one on Sara’s buttocks which had been intentionally inflicted using a domestic iron, and human bite marks.

Many of the injuries that Sara suffered had been inflicted using implements, including a cricket bat, a vacuum, and a metal pole.

There was also evidence that Sara had been restrained and her head covered with homemade hoods made from parcel tape and plastic bags while some of the injuries were inflicted.

An investigation was launched by the Surrey Police and Sussex Police Major Crime Team, which involved working with Interpol, the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office, the National Crime Agency, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Pakistani authorities to locate Sharif, Batool and Malik in connection with Sara’s death.

On 13 September 2023, Sharif, Batool and Malik left Pakistan and returned to the UK.

They were arrested on suspicion of Sara’s murder and causing or allowing the death of a child as they disembarked at Gatwick Airport and charged with both offences two days later.

On 14 December 2023, they appeared at The Central Criminal Court in London where they all pleaded not guilty to both offences.

Sharif, the only one of the defendants to give evidence, began by blaming Batool for what had happened to Sara but changed his testimony during the trial, at one point claiming “full responsibility” for Sara’s death in a bid to protect his wife and brother.

He then said he had beaten her but that he hadn’t intended to kill her. He maintained throughout his evidence that he was not responsible for the bites or burn injuries to his daughter.

Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Chapman from the Surrey Police and Sussex Police Major Crime Team, which led the investigation, said: “The father and stepmother of 10-year-old Sara Sharif have today been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of her murder. Her uncle was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment after being found guilty of causing or allowing her death.

“Sara was a bright and lively little girl who loved singing and dancing, and on behalf of Surrey Police, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to her mother, Olga, her siblings, and all those who knew and cared for her.

“Sara’s spirit, bravery and resilience in the face of the abuse she suffered has shone through from the vast enquiries that have been undertaken in this case.

“Sara’s young life was brought to an end as a result of the brutal abuse inflicted on her by her father and stepmother, which her uncle did nothing to prevent.

“This case has shocked and horrified not only those who knew and loved her, but people across the country and around the world.

“From the day we found Sara’s body after receiving a phone call from Sharif, Surrey Police has worked tirelessly to build a case to prove that Sharif, Batool and Malik had played their part in Sara’s death.

“Sara’s death has been one of the most difficult and distressing cases that Surrey Police has ever dealt with. I would like to thank those who came forward to provide information, and those who gave evidence in such harrowing circumstances.

“I would also like to thank the jury for their careful consideration of the evidence which has been presented throughout this trial, much of which has been extremely disturbing.    

“I also extend my thanks to the National Crime Agency, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Interpol and authorities In Pakistan for their support with the wider investigation.

“Now that the criminal case has concluded, we will work closely with our partners to undertake the Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review, which will examine the practice of all agencies involved with the family and identify any learning.

“The murder of a child is shocking, but the injuries and abuse that Sara suffered during her short life has made this case particularly disturbing.”

Rick Jones, National Crime Agency’s Deputy Director of International, said: “Sara Sharif’s life was taken in truly horrific circumstances at the hands of the very people who were meant to protect and nurture her. Our thoughts remain with her mother and those who knew and loved her.

“The tireless work of NCA officers alongside our international partners, including Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency and the Government of Pakistan, was crucial to the success of the investigation and prosecution, and ultimately securing justice for Sara.

“I would like to thank the Pakistan authorities for their vital support to the extensive Surrey Police investigation that has resulted in Sara’s killers being imprisoned for the foreseeable future.”

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