The British-Pakistani father of 10-year-old Sara Sharif on Thursday denied her murder in court and instead, blamed her stepmother, describing her as “evil” and “psycho.”
Sara Sharif was found dead on August 10, 2023 in her bed in Woking, southwest of London, with over 71 external injuries, including broken bones, burns, and bite marks.
The victim’s father, Urfan Sharif, 42, travelled to Pakistan one day before the discovery, accompanied by his spouse Beinash Batool, 30, and the child’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29.
Shortly after arriving in Islamabad, Sharif contacted UK authorities, tearfully stating, “I killed my daughter,” and admitting he had “beat her up too much.” However, during court proceedings, Sharif later retracted his confession, claiming he made it to “protect his family.”
At London’s Old Bailey court, where the trio pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and causing a child’s death, Batool testified about instances of severe abuse by Sharif.
In his third day of testimony, Sharif acknowledged slapping Sara “multiple times” but rejected accusations of beating, burning, or biting her, maintaining he was “never at home” during her injuries.
‘Biting her like an animal’
During questioning by his lawyer Naeem Mian, Sharif became emotional while discussing the incident of striking Sara with a cricket bat.
The taxi driver refuted claims of burning his daughter with an iron, stating that Batool compelled him to slap Sara, as she regularly accused the child, who received education at home of misbehaviour.
Pointing towards Batool in the dock, Sharif said: “I should not have believed her… I didn’t realise I’m living with evil and a psycho”.
He alleged that Batool was responsible for biting her “like an animal”.
The court had previously heard that while Sharif and Malik provided dental impressions, Batool had declined to do so.
“I didn’t do it. Faisal didn’t do it. Who else was at home?” Sharif said, AFP reported.
‘Her hands were twisted’
He also denied any knowledge of Sara experiencing pain. “She never told me that,” he stated, explaining that Sara’s injuries remained concealed beneath full-sleeve tops, long bottoms and a hijab head covering.
His lawyer, Mian revealed that in the month before Sara’s death, Sharif worked lengthy hours, leaving early and returning late, whilst maintaining regular telephone contact with Batool, who typically remained at home.
Sharif became tearful describing an occasion when he returned home to find Sara’s hands bound behind her with brown packaging tape, attributing this act to Batool.
He told the jury: ‘Her hands were twisted behind her back tied with parcel tape. Sara was terrified.’
Through tears, he recounted: ‘Beinash said, “She was naughty so I tied her hands so she could not hurt anyone else,” Daily Mail reported.
When questioned about his inaction regarding police involvement or Batool’s removal, Sharif explained that his wife was “manipulative” and he accepted her apology.
“I have been an idiot,” he concluded.
DNA analysis revealed…
The court examined forensic proof, which comprised packaging tape bundles and a white plastic carrier bag shaped into a hood, potentially used on Sara’s head.
DNA analysis revealed long brown hairs matching Sara’s profile on the bag, which also had packaging tape attached to it, according to court testimony.
The court learned that Sharif’s fingerprints were found on both the bag and the non-adhesive side of the tape. However, he rejected claims of creating or using a hood from the plastic bag on Sara.
Sharif explained the presence of his fingerprints by stating he had handled these items whilst managing household waste.
‘Dad it’s not me’
Prior to her death, Sara, who performed household tasks, had requested Sharif to remain at home instead of going to work.
He testified to the jury, that Sara said to me, “Dad it’s not me. Whatever is happening at home, it’s Beinash.”
Previously, Sharif had claimed Batool was hostile towards him and stopped him from questioning Sara about the source of her injuries.
Batool’s message to her sister in 2022 revealed Sharif’s suggestion to conceal Sara’s bruises with cosmetics, prompting her sister to respond: “LOL it was going to happen you can tell.”