Following a grueling trial which revealed the horrific violence suffered by Sara, a jury found Urfan Sharif, 42, and Beinash Batool, 30, guilty of the girl’s murder, while her uncle, Faisal Malik , 29, was found guilty of “caused or made possible his death“.
Judge at the Old Bailey Criminal Court in London, John Cavanagh described the case as “extremely stressful and traumatic“, and announced that he would pronounce the sentences imposed on them on Tuesday.
All three pleaded not guilty.
Hours after the girl’s death, her father, stepmother and uncle bought plane tickets to Pakistan and flew with their five other children, leaving Sara’s body on a bed at their house. home in Woking (south of England).
From Pakistan, Urfan Sharif had called the police in England to report and blame himself for the death of his daughter. After a month on the run in this country, the three adults returned to London on September 13, 2023, and were arrested on the plane.
During his testimony in court, Urfan Sharif first accused his wife, calling her “psychopath“, before recognizing his “responsibility” in the death of his daughter. But he denied having intended to kill her.
The trial revealed that Sarah’s body had 25 fractures, more or less old, which a pathologist could only explain by violent and repeated blows. Sara also had 70 marks of assault and battery.
In view of the marks, the prosecutor indicated that the little girl had notably suffered “human bites“, as well as a burn caused by an iron and others by boiling water.
DNA from her father and uncle was also detected on a belt, and Sara’s blood and hair were found on hoods made from plastic bags that were apparently taped to her head.
Speaking outside court after the verdict, Surrey Police Chief Inspector Craig Emmerson spoke of “indescribable” violence suffered by the girl.
“This case is shocking and horrific, not only to those who knew and loved her, but also to people across the country and around the world.“, he added.
He also denounced the attitude of Sara’s father, stepmother and uncle who “only sought to protect their own interests (…) and showed no remorse for their terrible behavior”.
“We all saw Sara’s bright smile in the photos, but everyone involved in this case will forever remember the horrific injuries and brutal treatment she received“, for her part declared to journalists the representative of the prosecutor’s office Judith Reed.
The trial also highlighted the failure of social services, which followed Sara’s family, whose custody was taken from her mother and given to her father. They did not detect the violence suffered by the young girl despite a report from her school.
Her teacher, who came to testify, said that Sara arrived in class wearing a hijab in January 2023 when she was the only one in her family to wear one, and pulled on it to hide marks that she did not want to explain.
As of April 2023, the family had moved and Sara no longer went to school.
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