London (Web Desk): In a deeply disturbing case that has shocked the UK, the father and stepmother of 10-year-old Sara Sharif have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms after their conviction for her murder.
The young girl was discovered lifeless in her home in Woking, a town located to the southwest of London, in August 2023, having endured unimaginable violence. Authorities revealed that she had been subjected to continuous and severe abuse prior to her death, leaving her with burns, broken bones, and multiple bite marks—evidence of a campaign of relentless cruelty.
Sara’s father, Urfan Sharif, 43, and his wife, Beinash Batool, 30, were both charged with her murder. During the trial at the Old Bailey, prosecutors detailed the brutal nature of the violence that Sara had been forced to endure.
The court heard chilling testimony about the physical toll inflicted on the young girl, suggesting she had been tormented over a long period before her death. Despite these revelations, Sharif and Batool denied their involvement in her murder.
The circumstances surrounding the case became even more harrowing when it was revealed that after Sara’s death, the couple fled the country.
They traveled to Pakistan, presumably in an attempt to escape justice, but were later arrested when they returned to the UK from Dubai, where they had been staying. Their capture at London’s Gatwick airport marked a significant moment in the investigation, as authorities had been actively searching for them.
As the trial unfolded, the impact of Sara's suffering was difficult to fathom. Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones described the injuries inflicted upon the child as the result of "serious and repeated violence," and the jury heard that her abuse had been relentless. The case was so profoundly disturbing that even seasoned legal professionals were taken aback by the nature of the crimes.
In the court, Sara’s mother, Olga Domin, expressed her devastation in a statement that was read aloud.
She denounced the couple as "executioners" and expressed disbelief at the extent of the abuse her daughter had suffered. Her words painted a vivid and painful picture of a mother’s grief and anger, calling the perpetrators "sadists" and condemning them for the cruelty they inflicted on an innocent child.
Following their conviction, the judge, John Cavanagh, spoke of the exceptional nature of the crime, acknowledging that the case had been one of the most shocking he had encountered. He condemned the behavior of Sara’s father and stepmother as nothing short of torture.
The court found no room for leniency, and Urfan Sharif was sentenced to 40 years in prison, while Beinash Batool received a 33-year sentence. Sara's uncle, Faisal Malik, who was involved in the case but was not found guilty of murder, was sentenced to 16 years for causing or allowing her death.
