Father claims he begged to save Sara Sharif before being told ‘Leave it, she’s dead’

5 November 2024, 13:46

Sara Sharif’s murder-accused father claims he tried to save his daughter and begged for an ambulance, only to be told “Leave it, she’s dead.”

Sara Sharif was found dead at her home in Woking, Surrey, in August last year and had more than 70 injuries in the weeks and months leading up to her death, jurors were told.

Her dad, Urfan Sharif, 42, stepmum Beinash Batool, 29, and Urfan's brother, Faisal Malik, 28 are all standing trial charged with her murder.

On Tuesday, Sharif denied allegations that the 10-year-old suffered a campaign of abuse that ultimately led to her death.

Read more: Video of Sara Sharif smiling and dancing 'days before murder' shown to court

His barrister, Naeem Mian KC, asked: "Are you responsible for the death of Sara Sharif?"

The defendant replied: "No."

Sharif, who has been accused by his wife of consistently beating Sara, also denied he bit, burned or beat up the child with a cricket bat.

Jurors were told that Sharif initially decided to take the blame for Sara's death and go to Pakistan after Batool claimed that another child had injured her.

His defence argued that Sharif had been wrongly cast as the “villain of the piece” claiming he only ever “slapped” the schoolgirl.

Sharif claims he had been out working when Sara collapsed on August 8, 202, before leaving when Batool told him to “come home.”

Mr Mian told jurors: "He came home and found her upstairs, with Beinash Batool, limp. He will tell you that he asked 'What the hell has happened?', as any one of your number would.

"Having been told what had happened, he said 'I will take the blame'.

"He will tell you that he attempted CPR, that he begged for an ambulance to be called as he did CPR.

"And he was told in Urdu or Punjabi 'Leave it, she's dead, leave it, she's dead'."

Sharif’s defence cast suspicion on his wife Batool, pointing to her refusal to give dental impressions to be compared with bit marks on Sara.

The court also heard that Sharif’s ex-wife, Sara’s biological mother, had accused him of domestic abuse during the acrimonious separation.

Of allegations she levelled at him, he said: "She did accuse me of having an affair with Beinash. She accused me of being controlling. She made accusations of domestic violence and child abuse.

"I was arrested once. When I was arrested I took off my shirt and showed them, actually it was me that was abused by her. Olga admits she was violent towards me."

Mr Mian told jurors that Batool had supported Sharif throughout the custody battle, despite being "perfectly aware of the allegations" being made against him.

Sharif told jurors he had completed a domestic violence programme for six months despite denying he was ever violent towards his ex-wife.

He said he had pleaded guilty to stealing £1,700 but had no other convictions.

All three defendants, formerly of Hammond Road, Woking, have denied murder and causing or allowing the death of a child between December 16 2022 and August 9 2023.