Sara Sharif murder trial latest: Radiologist had never seen 10-year-old’s ‘very rare’ injury on child before
Jury presented with evidence by radiologist as trial of father, stepmother and uncle continues
Sara Sharif had suffered an “extremely rare” fracture in her neck, which a radiologist said he had “never seen” in a child before.
Examinations showed she had an injury to her hyoid bone in her throat, which was likely to have been caused between six to 12 weeks before her death.
Professor Owen Arthurs told jurors that the schoolgirl had suffered “multiple unexplained fractures in 25 locations on the body” which could not have occurred by accident or in a single event.
It comes after jurors at the Old Bailey were told on Thursday that the 10-year-old’s bone marrow had been “unusual” in an examination of her body, which can often be associated with starvation or the rapid removal of nutrition.
Sara’s father Urfan Sharif, 42, her stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, and her uncle Faisal Malik, 29, all deny her murder.
Surrey Police discovered the schoolgirl dead in a bedroom at her home in Woking on 10 August last year.
The court heard earlier in the week that Sara’s head was covered with “homemade hoods” made of plastic bags and parcel tape in the weeks before her death.
Jurors were also told neighbour Chloe Redwin would hear “shockingly loud” sounds of “smacking” from their family home followed by “gut-wrenching screams”.
Listen: Sara Sharif's father tells 999 operator he's killed daughter
Pictured: The three defendants on trial for Sara Sharif’s murder
Police bodycam footage from night Sara Sharif's body was discovered
Sara Sharif was strangled until a bone in her neck broke, court hears
Sara Sharif had been strangled until a bone in her neck broke up to three months before she died, a court has heard.
Jurors previously heard the 10-year-old had suffered more than 70 injuries, shortly before she was found dead in her home in Woking, Surrey, on August 10 last year.
Sara’s father Urfan Sharif, 42, is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of his daughter’s murder, alongside Sara’s stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, and uncle, Faisal Malik, 29.
Read the full article here:
Sara Sharif was strangled until a bone in her neck broke, court hears
Sara’s father Urfan Sharif, stepmother Beinash Batool and uncle Faisal Malik are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of the 10-year-old’s murder.
Trial adjourns for the day
The trial of Urfan Sharif, Beinash Batool and Faisal Malik has been adjourned for the day, and will resume on Friday.
Cell site data shows defendant’s going to work and hairdressers
Cell site data shows in the weeks before Sara’s death, the defendants continued life as usual, with both Urfan Sharif and Faisal Malik attending work.
Meanwhile Beinash Batool had spent time organising a child’s birthday party and visited the hairdresser.
Earlier this morning, jurors heard that she been strangled until a bone in her neck broke up to three months before she died. Other injuries analysed included two fractures in the girl’s fingers which had occurred between 12 and 18 days before her death, based on his analysis of the stage of healing the injuries were at.
Pathologist says ‘high likelihood’ injuries are non-accidental
Earlier this morning, Professor Freemont said was questioned on the nature of the injuries and told jurors: “If you find fractures of different ages and different bones, there is a high likelihood they are non-accidental injuries.”
The pathologist went on to say that the bone marrow he examined from Sara’s body showed changes which could have been caused by starvation or “the rapid removal of all food”.
The previous day, jurors heard that another pathologist who carried out a post-mortem examination on Sara’s body gave the girl’s cause of death as “complications arising from multiple injuries and neglect”.
Trial resumes
Proseuctor Bill Emlyn-Jones has resumed questioning Surrey Police analyst Vernie Govender at the Old Bailey.
We’ll bring you all the latest updates.
In pictures: The family home where schoolgirl was found dead
In pictures: Sara Sharif before her death
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.