Sara Sharif begged for forgiveness for 'being rude' in letter to parents, court hears
20 November 2024, 20:58
10-year-old Sara Sharif begged her parents for forgiveness for “being rude” in a letter written before her death.
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The schoolgirl’s letters and notebook were seized by police at her Woking home following her death.
Urfan Sharif, 42, Sara's stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, and uncle Faisal Malik, 29, are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of her murder after a campaign of abuse.
The 10-year-old was found dead under a blanket at her home in Woking, Surrey, in August last year.
Sara suffered at least 25 broken bones before her passing and had injuries similar to that of a car crash victim.
In one letter, shown to jurors on Wednesday, Sara wrote that she was "sorry for being rude" and "answering back".
She concluded her note with the words: "Please forgive me I am so, so sorry."
Most of the notes shown to jurors did not explicitly suggest the ten-year-old was being beaten by her family.
A birthday message to her father Sharif stated: "I love you so much. Thank you for looking after us on the weekends. And making food for us at the weekends. THANK YOU DAD. From Sara...
"Our family is the best in town. We spread love all around the world."
Her notebook contained a short fairy tale story about a queen called "Beinash" and a princess "Sara".
She also described Beinash as the "best caring and loving mother in the world" in the notebook.
It comes after Sara’s father told jurors he "takes full responsibility" for the death of his 10-year-old daughter.
Previously, Sharif had sought to blame Batool for killing his daughter but in a dramatic admission, told jurors: "I accept every single thing."
Cross-examining for Batool, Caroline Carberry KC had asked Sharif about a note he left beside the body of his daughter before leaving for Pakistan.
In it he wrote "love you Sara" on the first page followed by the words: "Whoever see this note it's me Urfan Sharif who killed my daughter by beating."
Ms Carberry asked if he did indeed kill his daughter by beating and Sharif replied: "Yes, she died because of me."
The barrister said: "In the weeks before she died she suffered multiple fractures to her body, didn't she, and it was you who inflicted those injuries?"
The defendant replied: "Yes."
Sharif accepted causing the injuries, bar burn and bite marks, and added: "I take responsibility. I take full responsibility."
He admitted causing fractures to Sara by hitting her with a cricket bat or pole.
Asked if he broke Sara's hyoid neck bone, he repeated: "I can take full responsibility. I accept every single thing."
The trial continues.
