A UK court has sentenced the father and stepmother of 10-year-old British-Pakistani girl Sara Sharif to life in prison after she endured a prolonged “campaign of torture” and abuse.
Urfan Sharif, 43, and Beinash Batool, 30, were handed minimum sentences of 40 and 33 years, respectively, for Sara’s tragic death.
Sara’s body was discovered in August 2023 at her family home in Woking, southwest London. The court at Old Bailey was told her body showed signs of severe abuse, including bruises, bite marks, burns from an electric iron, and 71 fresh injuries. Judge John Cavanagh described the case as “acts of extreme cruelty,” adding that Sara had suffered unimaginable pain, trauma, and stress in the weeks leading up to her death.
“This poor child was battered with great force repeatedly,” said Judge Cavanagh. He explained that Sara had been struck with a metal pole and cricket bat, restrained with tape, rope, and a plastic bag over her head, showing the horrific abuse she faced.
On the day of her death, Sharif hit Sara in the stomach twice with a chair leg while she lay unconscious. Post-mortem findings revealed 25 broken bones alongside other severe injuries. Despite overwhelming evidence, neither Sharif nor Batool showed any remorse, the judge noted.
Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was also found guilty of causing or allowing her death. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
After Sara’s death, Sharif, Batool, and Malik fled to Pakistan with five other children. Sharif reported Sara’s death to UK police from Pakistan, leaving a handwritten note claiming he hadn’t meant to kill her. After a month on the run, they returned to the UK and were arrested upon arrival.
Sara’s case has sparked outrage in the UK over social services’ failures. Despite her father’s known abusive history, Sara had been placed in his care in 2019 after a custody battle with her birth mother, Olga.
In March 2023, Sara’s school reported visible injuries on her face to child services, but no significant action was taken. A month later, Sharif pulled Sara out of school, claiming he would homeschool her. Her teacher recalled Sara using her hijab to hide marks on her body, refusing to explain them.
Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza criticized the failure of protective systems: “Sara was failed in the starkest terms by the safety net of services around her.”
The case has intensified calls for changes in child protection laws. Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised to improve safeguards, especially for home-schooled children, under the proposed Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. If passed, parents will no longer have the automatic right to withdraw their children from school when there are concerns for the child’s safety.
Sara Sharif’s tragic death serves as a stark reminder of the need for stronger child protection measures to prevent similar cases in the future.
