Sara Sharif murder trial latest: Pathologist tells jury what caused 10-year-old’s death

Father Urfan Sharif, stepmother Beinash Batool and uncle Faisal Malik deny 10-year-old’s murder

Listen: Sara Sharif’s father tells 999 operator he’s killed daughter

Sara Sharif died as a result of “complications arising from multiple injuries and neglect”, a pathologist has said.

The school girl had suffered two traumatic injuries in the days before her death, as well as 71 recent injuries including bruises, abrasions, skin ulcers consistent with burns and probable bite marks.

On the third day of her murder trial on Wednesday, jurors were shown graphics outlining a string of injuries found on the 10-year-old’s body.

The Old Bailey previously heard her head was covered with “homemade hoods” made of plastic bags and parcel tape in the weeks before her death.

Fingerprints allegedly belonging to the schoolgirl’s father, Urfan Sharif, were found on one of the bags and a bit of parcel tape.

Earlier, the Old Bailey heard neighbour Chloe Redwin, who used to live above the family at a previous address in 2020, would hear “shockingly loud” sounds of “smacking” from their home followed by “gut-wrenching screams”.

Surrey Police discovered Sara dead in a bedroom at her home in Woking on 10 August last year.

Urfan Sharif, 42, is standing trial for her murder before Mr Justice Cavanagh alongside Sara’s stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, and her uncle Faisal Malik, 29.

Key Points

• Schoolgirl suffered at least 71 fresh injuries although true total unknown, jury told
• Pathologist details string of bruises, burns and injuries found on Sara Sharif’s body
• Sara Sharif’s head covered with ‘home-made hoods’ of plastic bags and parcel tape, court told
• Pictured: Note found by Sara’s body saying ‘It’s me Urfan Sharif who killed my daughter’
• Police officer recalls finding Sara’s body under neatly placed white sheet

[16 October 2024 18:00 · Holly Evans]

How did this happen to Sara Sharif? What we know about the events leading to schoolgirl’s death

Schoolgirl Sara Sharif was hooded, restrained and beaten with a belt buckle and pole in a “campaign of abuse” lasting more than two years before her death, a court has heard.

Taxi driver Urfan Sharif, 42, is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of his 10-year-old daughter’s murder alongside Sara’s stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, and uncle, Faisal Malik, 29. All three deny murder and the defence is yet to mount its case.

Police found Sara’s body in a bunk bed in her family home in Woking, Surrey, on 10 August last year, with “disturbing” injuries that included bitemarks, scalding and broken bones.

Read the full article here:

[16 October 2024 17:00 · Holly Evans]

What did the court hear on Wednesday?

On the third day of the trial at the Old Bailey, jurors heard:

• Sara Sharif had suffered more than 70 injuries shortly before she was found dead
• A pathologist gave her cause of death as “complications arising from multiple injuries and neglect”. 
• No natural diseases or drugs had contributed to her death, which was described as “unnatural”. 
• Older injuries included scarring on her left jawline, scars around her pelvis, a puncture wound to her forehead and marks from the lower left leg to the top of the foot. 
• Bruises on her legs were likely caused by “multiple impacts with a linear object”, likely an item used as a weapon. 
• Traces of the 10-year-old’s blood were discovered on the kitchen floor, a vacuum cleaner and a cricket bat

[16 October 2024 16:34 · Amy-Clare Martin]

Pathologist ‘can’t exclude’ possibility that burns contributed to death, court told

The pathologist noted he “could not exclude” the possibility that burns contributed to Sara’s death through sepsis.

Dr Cary said there was a chance that infection could have entered her blood stream and caused generalised collapse.

The schoolgirl had suffered at least 71 injuries inflicted the the days before her death, including a number of skin ulcers consistent with burns. There was a large area of ulceration on Sara’s buttock, the court heard, while there two ulcerated areas over her ankle bones.

The jury previously heard Sara had suffered “probable human bite marks”, an iron burn and scalding from hot water.

The defendants deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a child.

[16 October 2024 16:07 · Amy-Clare Martin]

Schoolgirl had ‘gaping' head injury, court told

A “gaping” head wound was among 71 injuries found on Sara Sharif’s body by a forensic pathologist.

Dr Cary, who carried out a three-hour post-mortem examination on 15 August 2023 last year, told jurors she suffered a puncture wound on her forehead which was “sharp or semi-sharp” and had been left “gaping”.

Other recent injuries were identified across all parts of Sara’s body, including on her face, fingers, ankles and back. She was 4ft 6 and weighed 4 stone 3lbs.

He also identified multiple scars on her body, including “blotchy scarring” on the left jawline, multiple purple scars around the pelvis, marks from the lower left leg to the top of the foot and fine scars and blotchy brown discolouration on the left forearm.

The court heard no natural diseases or drugs had contributed to Sara’s death.

[16 October 2024 15:41 · Amy Clare-Martin]

Sara Sharif’s death was caused by multiple injuries and neglect, court told

Pathologist Dr Cary concluded the 10-year-old died from complications arising from multiple injuries and neglect, the court heard.

Her death was described as “cumulative” rather than being attributed to one specific injury or incident.

However the pathologist said she may have gradually succumbed to two traumatic brain injuries she suffered two to five days earlier if she was left unattended.

In his conclusions he noted “widespread” injuries to the skin’s surface, including puncture wounds, bruising and internal injuries to the abdomen.

“These findings are in keeping with significant and repetitive blunt force trauma,” he told the Old Bailey, adding that the pattern of injuries are in keeping with the use of an “instrument”.

[16 October 2024 15:15 · Amy-Clare Martin]

Sara suffered two traumatic brain injuries 2 to 5 days before her death, court told

The schoolgirl suffered two traumatic brain injuries inflicted two to five days before she died, the court heard.

The head injuries could have caused neurological symptoms including loss of consciousness, concussion, headaches, irritability, vomiting and seizures. These “might have contributed to the death together with other injuries”, the jury were told.

Shortly before her death her brain was deprived of oxygen causing a separate ischemic brain injury which was described as a potential “terminal event” by Dr Cary.

She also suffered bruising consistent with blunt force impact to the abdomen, Dr Cary said.

[16 October 2024 14:20 · Amy-Clare Martin]

Schoolgirl suffered ‘conspicuous haemorrhage’ at site of shoulder-to-shoulder bruising, court told

Detailing the internal injuries, pathologist Dr Nathaniel Cary said he found evidence of “conspicuous haemorrhage” at the site of “intense” bruising on Sara’s chest.

The expert agreed the injury was a “broad collar” of bruising over the front of the schoolgirl’s upper chest under questioning by prosecutor Mr Emlyn Jones.

He previously described the injury as “intense purplish red bruising” around her neck and torso. He said these could have been the result of either “blunt impact or solid pressure, or both”.

[16 October 2024 14:00 · Holly Evans]

Pictured: Note found next to Sara Sharif’s body

A note left at the scene where Sara Sharif was found dead (Surrey Police/PA) (PA Media)

[16 October 2024 13:30 · Holly Evans]

The key dates in Sara Sharif’s tragic death

Ten-year-old Sara Sharif died after an alleged “campaign of abuse” in the home she shared with her father, stepmother and uncle.

A court heard on Tuesday that a “high pitched scream” was heard two days before the 10-year-old was killed and her family fled to Pakistan.

Taxi driver 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.

Police found Sara’s body in a bunk bed in her home in Woking, Surrey, on August 10 last year following a call from Sharif in Pakistan saying he “beat her up too much” for being “naughty”, the court has heard.

Read the full article here:

[16 October 2024 13:01 · Amy-Clare Martin]

Schoolgirl suffered at least 71 fresh injuries although true total unknown, jury told

Jurors were taken through a catalogue of at least 71 recent injuries found on Sara Sharif’s body by a pathologist.

However Dr Cary told the Old Bailey that it is impossible to know if each mark was the result of one injury or multiple injuries, meaning the total figure is not known.

“There are multiple marks all over the body,” the expert told the court. They include bruises, abrasions, skin ulcers consistent with burns, probable bite marks and an incised wound consistent with sharp force trauma on her left arm, the court heard.

In addition, a CT scan revealed multiple skeletal injuries, the jury was told.

The schoolgirl was subjected to a “campaign of abuse” and suffered “brutal” injuries in the weeks before she died, it is alleged. All three defendants deny charges of murder and causing or allowing her death.