Father Denies Killing Daughter, Blames Stepmother in Court

LONDON: The father of 10-year-old Sara Sharif, whose body was found in Woking, southwest of London, in August 2023, has denied murdering her, instead accusing his wife of the crime.

Urfan Sharif, 42, claimed that his daughter’s stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30, was responsible for Sara’s brutal death, which included broken bones, burns, and bite marks. Sharif, who fled to Pakistan the day before the body was discovered, said he made a previous confession to the police to protect his family.

During the trial at London’s Old Bailey court, Sharif admitted slapping his daughter but denied physically harming or burning her. He blamed Batool for repeatedly accusing Sara of misbehaving and claimed she had been the one to inflict the injuries.

Sharif described Batool as “evil” and “psycho” during his testimony, claiming she manipulated him into slapping Sara. He also suggested Batool had bitten Sara “like an animal.”

The court heard that Sharif and his brother-in-law Faisal Malik, who was also arrested, had provided dental impressions, but Batool refused to do so. Forensic evidence, including a plastic bag with Sara’s DNA, linked Sharif to the scene, but he denied any involvement, suggesting the fingerprints might have been from handling trash.

Sharif also described a disturbing incident in which he found Sara’s hands bound with tape, accusing Batool of tying her up. Despite this, he did not call the police or intervene, saying he believed Batool’s apology.

Both Sharif and Batool face charges of murder and child neglect, while Malik denies any involvement in the crime. The trial continues.