Sara Sharif, 10, was found dead in her home in Woking in the UK in 2023. For two years, she was said to have been abused and subjected to various acts of violence. The judge in the case said that one should usually be careful when using concepts such as torture.
– But isn’t it an exaggeration to describe the abuse campaign against Sara as torture, says judge John Cavanagh in a statement from Surrey Police.
When Sara was found, she had broken bones, burn and bite marks and her body was badly damaged. When the doctors examined her, they found around 100 injuries on her body and there were also signs of burns.
The father and stepmother are sentenced to life
The case has shaken the UK and also sparked reactions in parliament. There, a bill has been presented to tighten controls and more easily scrutinize the children whose parents have chosen to teach them at home. Sara was murdered four months after she switched to home education, reports The Guardian.
Last week, three people were sentenced, on Tuesday the sentence was announced.
Sara’s father, Urfan Sharif, 42, is sentenced to life in prison for murder and must serve at least 40 years in prison. His wife, Sara’s stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30, is also sentenced to life in prison and must serve at least 30 years.
Urfan Sharif’s brother was also sentenced to 16 years in prison, for having caused or not stopped the girl’s death.
“Sara’s life ended as a result of the brutal abuse by her father and stepmother, which her uncle did nothing to prevent,” said Detective Chief Inspector Mark Chapman.
Flee to Pakistan
Urfan Sharif himself called the police and told them that he had killed his daughter and left her at home. Next to the body was a handwritten note stating that he was responsible for her death.
However, the call to the police was made after Urfan Sharif, his brother and his wife Beinash Batool left the UK along with five of Sara’s siblings. They had then traveled to Pakistan and stated that they had not intended to kill her, but that they had beaten her too much.
Arrested at the airport
The British police started an investigation in which they cooperated with Interpol and Pakistani authorities, among others.
When Urfan Sharif, Beinash Batool and the brother returned to the UK in late 2023, they were arrested at the airport.
“I would like to thank the Pakistani authorities for their vital support to the extensive police investigation which has resulted in the imprisonment of Sara’s killer for the foreseeable future,” said Rick Jones, Deputy Chief Constable of the UK National Police.
In court, Sara’s mother paid tribute to her daughter, with whom she had hoped to spend more time before she died.
– She is now an angel who looks down on us from heaven, she no longer experiences violence, says the mother.