Sara Sharif murder sentencing latest: Mother calls father and stepmother ‘executioners’ over schoolgirl’s death
Sara’s father Urfan Sharif and stepmother Beinash Batool are being sentenced at the Old Bailey
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Sara Sharif’s father and stepmother have been described as “executioners” by the schoolgirl’s mother as the pair are sentenced for murdering 10-year-old.
Father Urfan Sharif, 42, and stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, were found guilty of her murder after inflicting a deadly campaign of abuse which saw the schoolgirl being hooded, restrained and beaten during her short life.
Her uncle Faisal Malik, 29, was also convicted of causing or allowing her death after a jury at the Old Bailey deliberated for nine hours and 46 minutes.
At the start of the sentencing hearing at The Old Bailey, prosecutor William Emlyn-Jones KC read out a statement on behalf of Sara’s mother Olga Domin.
It read: “You are sadists although even this word is not enough for you. I would say you are executioners. As a result of Sara’s death, I am under constant psychological supervision and I am also taking strong sedatives.”
Sara died at the family home on 8 August last year after suffering a catalogue of 70 injuries which included a traumatic brain injury, 25 fractures, an ulcerated burn to her buttocks, human bite marks and scalding wounds.
The girl’s father had alerted Surrey Police to her death by calling its non-emergency 101 line in the early hours of 10 August 2023, after fleeing to Pakistan with Batool and Malik.
Judge takes his seat to deliver sentence
After a 10 minute pause, Mr Justice Cavanagh has returned to Court 6 of the Old Bailey to sentence Urfan Sharif and Beinash Batool for murder.
Faisal Malik is due to be sentenced for causing or allowing the death of Sara Sharif.
Judge to return in 10 minutes for sentencing
Mr Justice Cavanagh has retired for 10 minutes before returning to sentence the three defendants.
We’ll continue to bring you all the latest updates.
Uncle 'lacked courage' to stop Sara abuse, lawyer says
Giving mitigation on Faisal Malik’s behalf, Michael Ivers KC said that he “lacked courage” to intervene and stop his older brother Urfan Sharif, who was 14 years his senior.
He added that “there is absolutely no evidence he was ever actually present when any violence took place”.
Mr Ivers tells the judge he is not making the submission that Malik was not aware of the violence being meted out to the schoolgirl, but says he wouldn’t have been able to see many of the injuries suffered by Sara.
At the time, Malik spent large amounts of time out of the house working at a McDonalds and studying at the University of Portsmouth.
Faisal Malik had ‘no idea of the dysfunctional family’ dynamic
Speaking on behalf of Faisal Malik, who was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child, Michael Ivers KC said his client was unaware of the family situation he was entering.
“When one listens to comments on this case... the temptation to simply lump these defendants together will have been a very strong one,” he says.
Ivers then goes on to say Malik “didn’t have full knowledge,” adding: “He will have had absolutely no idea of the dysfunctional family he was arriving into.”
Malik, who is 14 years younger than Sharif, moved from Pakistan to study at university and came to live with Sara’s family during the final months of her life.
Sara’s stepmother expresses ‘genuine remorse’ for schoolgirl’s death
Speaking on behalf of her client, Caroline Carberry KC told the court: “Beinash Batool expresses genuine remorse for Sara’s unintended death, deep personal regret for remaining in her relationship with Urfan Sharif and true sorrow.”
She added that at one point, Batool did have “Sara’s best interests at heart”.
The judge heard that Batool had been an “isolated and vulnerable young woman” who was cast out by her own family when she was 18 after becoming the victim of honour-based abuse.
Ms Carberry highlighted her “complex family background” which “made it difficult to remove herself to a place of safety”, and that it was the nature of her marriage that led to her involvement.
Batool’s requests for her help from her family were ‘ignored'
Caroline Carberry has returned to the WhatsApp messages Batool both received from Sharif and sent to her sister, which showed a “flavour of his cruel and controlling nature”.
They included messages from Sharif in which he said both she and Sara had “made his life hell” and that he would deal with them both when home.
In another message, she told her sister: “I want to report him but I’ll lose the kids, I feel so sorry for Sara.”
Ms Carberry says this shows “how bleak this marriage was” and that Batool “tried to protect Sara” but requests for help from her own family were “ignored”.
“He said he’s going to kill me,” one message reads, while in another she sent images of Sara’s bruises.
Batool was ‘subordinate’ to her husband, her lawyer claims
Caroline Carberry KC for Sara’s stepmother Beinash Batool has suggested a starting point of 15 years, adding there should be a distinction between her client and Urfan Sharif.
“At the forefront of everyone’s mind in this courtroom and beyond is Sara who’s young life was needlessly lost as a result of the physical abuse she sustained in her own home,” she says.
“For her part in Sara’s death the only sentence the court can impose on Beinash Batool is life.
She argued that Batool was the “subordinate” to her husband, and said that jurros had seen from Sharif’s evidence that he was a “controlling manipulative and violent man.”
“He was the insitgator of violence towards Sara and the long term inflictor on violence upon her. Further those features of his character - fear control and mnaipulation - dominated his relationship with Ms Batool.”
Urfan Sharif’s lawyer says he and Batool are ‘equally culpable’
Urfan Sharif’s lawyer Naeem Mian KC has called for the appropriate starting point for his client is 15 years.
He told the judge: “May I say from the outset that nothing I say is intended to diminish or mitigate the horror that poor child was put through.” He added that the crime rightly “invokes a sense of outrage, anger and disgust” but that the judge should approach the case “dispassionately”.
Referring to the sentencing start point, he said: “We know that will be subject to a significant uplift. We understand that as does Mr Sharif.”
He adds: “The case was advanced on the basis that there was no intention to kill.”
Referring to Batool he said that she was “equally as culpable”, drawing reference to the bite marks, the burns and her willingness to call Sharif home to administer punishments.
Prosecutor suggests 14 years for uncle of Sara Sharif
Referring to Faisal Malik, Sara’s uncle who lived with the family and was convicted of causing or allowing a child’s death, the prosecutor suggested the starting point should be 14 years.
The maximum sentence for causing or allowing the death of a child is life imprisonment.
“Sara’s dreadful treatment was taking place in an extremely small flat, and then in a larger but still small house. Faisal Malik was living in that house as a member of the family,” the prosecutor says.
Sara’s death was a ‘gross breach of trust’ at the hands of her family
The court heard that Sara’s murder was aggravated by a number of factors, including the couple’s refusal to seek medical assistance to treat her injuries, and to restrain her using homemade hoods and packaging tape.
As a result of being restrained, the prosecutor said Sara was unable to access the toilet and was forced to wear nappies to soil herself.
“This is a gross breach of trust, because she was the defendant’s own little child in their care. She suffered this violence in her own home where she should have been safe and loved and cared for,” he said.
“Throughout that period, there had been extensive steps taken to cover up Sara’s violent treatment, including twice removing her from school because there were injuries they felt they couldn’t conceal, under the pretence they were going to homeschool her.
“It is further aggravated by the fact all three defendants fled the country and remained at large for upwards of a month.”
