A tragic story of a ten-year-old girl named Sara Sharif who, according to court testimonies, was forced to do sit-ups all night as part of harsh punishments before her death, allegedly at the hands of her father.
Sara was reportedly subjected to severe abuse over two years, involving being hooded, burned, bitten, and beaten.
Sara Sharif endured brutal punishments, as the jury was told.
She was found with at least 71 visible injuries on her body when she was discovered dead at her home in Woking, Surrey, on August 10 last year.
Her father, Urfan Sharif, 42, his wife, Beinash Batool, 30, and his brother, Faisal Malik, 29, deny charges of murder and causing or allowing the death of a child.
The court heard allegations of Sharif inflicting harsh punishments on Sara as part of a long period of abuse.
Messages from stepmother Batool described Sharif as “psycho” and claimed he beat Sara severely. She allegedly told her sister she had to cover Sara’s bruises with makeup and sunglasses.
In one message, Batool said, “I feel really sorry for Sara. She fainted in the kitchen in the morning because he made her do sit-ups all night.”
Batool also claimed that after Sharif beat Sara, he made her raise her hands, and she was afraid Sara’s arms or legs might break.
She sent her sister ten photos of Sara’s bruises, saying, “This is how badly he is beating her … I feel really sorry for her.”
In another message, Batool wrote that Sara was beaten for hiding her dad’s keys, saying, “Why doesn’t Sara learn?”
In April 2023, Batool mentioned that Sara was not eating properly and tried to make herself vomit. “Her oxygen level dropped really low, and she was struggling to stay awake,” she added.
Prosecutors questioned if Batool’s texts gave a true account of what was happening to Sara.
The court heard that Sharif, Batool, and Malik allegedly carried out violent abuse on Sara for two years before her death.
Earlier testimony mentioned that Sara was burned with an iron, bitten, and had a bag taped over her head.
Sara, a schoolgirl, was reportedly made to wear a hijab to hide her injuries, which neighbors found unusual since she was the only family member wearing one.
Between June 2022 and March 2023, teachers at Sara’s school noticed bruises under her eyes on two occasions. The school reported this to social services, but officials decided not to take action.
On April 17, 2023, Sharif removed Sara from school, stating she would be homeschooled.
Sharif, Batool, and Malik left for Pakistan the day after Sara died on August 8, the court heard. Sharif later called the police, saying he had beaten Sara “too much” as punishment.
Police found a note from Sharif near Sara’s body, saying, “I swear I didn’t mean to kill her, but I lost control.”
Officers also found a cricket bat with Sara’s blood, a rolling pin with her DNA, and black rope with her hair on it.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to murder and causing or allowing the death of a child between December 2022 and August 2023.
The trial is ongoing.
