Timeline of 'campaign of abuse' suffered by 10-year-old Sara Sharif before death
14 October 2024, 17:10 | Updated: 14 October 2024, 17:41
Ten-year-old Sara Sharif died of a “campaign of abuse” in the home she shared with her dad, stepmum and uncle, a court heard today.
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Speaking at the Old Bailey on Monday, the prosecution against the three revealed a timeline of how the young girl was allegedly abused in the weeks and months before her death.
The 10-year-old was found dead under a blanket at her home in Woking, Surrey, in August last year.
Her father, taxi driver Urfan Sharif, 42, is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of her murder alongside Sara's stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30, and uncle, Faisal Malik, 28.
Here is a timeline of the events that led to 10-year-old Sara’s death, according to the prosecution:
Read more: Sara Sharif’s dad told police 'I've killed my daughter' in chilling 999 call, court hears
April 2023
Sara’s father Urfan Sharif informs her school that she will be home-schooled with immediate effect.
April 6 2023
Sara and her family move to a three-bedroom house in Hammond Road in the Horsell area of Woking.
August 8 2023
Just after 8:30pm, a child sends a WhatsApp message to a school friend labelled "urgent", saying that Sara had "just passed away".
At 9:07pm, Beinash Batool, Sara's stepmother, calls Southall Travel agency to ask about flights to Pakistan but after 50 minutes the call ends without flights being arranged.
10pm - Sharif contacts Nadeem Riaz, who works for a money transfer business, and says he needs a flight to Pakistan the next day.
August 9 2023
9.25am - CCTV captures Sharif and his family arriving at Heathrow Airport to take a flight to Pakistan at 2pm.
August 10 2023
2.47am - Sharif has arrived in Pakistan and phones police in the UK, saying: "I've killed my daughter. I legally punished her, and she died. She was naughty. I beat her up, it wasn't my intention to kill her, but I beat her up too much."
Police go to the family home in Woking and find Sara's body in a bed with a note by the pillow in Sharif's handwriting.
August 15 2023
A post-mortem examination is undertaken which concludes Sara's death was not a natural one. There were alleged signs of blunt force trauma inflicted over several weeks, bruises, iron burns to the buttocks, restraint marks and suspected human bite marks, jurors heard.
Horror injuries
Opening their trial on Monday, prosecutor William Emlyn Jones KC said all the defendants had played a part in a "campaign of abuse" against Sara leading to her death.
Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones told jurors that analysis from a burns surgeon had concluded that an injury to her right buttock had been caused by a "hot, flat surface", specifically "the sole-plate of a domestic iron".
He said that burns had also been found on the inside of both of her ankles that appeared to be from scald burns.
The prosecutor continued: "The pattern of injury was, however, not common because it suggested that hot liquid encountered both feet while they were close together.
"This, you may think, would be extremely unlikely to happen just by spilling something by accident - because, for example, if a child drops or spills hot water down towards their feet, their immediate and reflex reaction is usually to jump or make efforts to avoid the inevitable splash of hot water."
Mr Emlyn Jones added that the doctor had also found "linear features" on Sara's feet and ankles that implied she had been restrained.
An examination of the 10-year-old's body also found a "pattern of injuries" and "signs of traumatic brain injury", the prosecution said.
There were five bite marks found on Sara's lower left arm and one to her inner thigh, the court heard.
Regarding the leg injury, prosecutor William Emlyn Jones said it had "marks which indicated that the teeth had been dragged across the surface and with central bruising probably the result of suction."
Batool, Sara's stepmother, has refused to provide a dental impression for comparison with the bite marks, he told jurors.
Other injuries included to Sara's ribs, shoulder blades, fingers and 11 separate fractures to the spine, Mr Emlyn Jones said.
Chilling note
Earlier, the court heard a note written by Urfan Sharif was found by police next to her body.
The note, shown to the jury, read: "Love you Sara."
The second page continued: "Whoever see this note its me Urfan Sharif who killed my daughter by beating.
"I am running away because I am scared but I promise that I will hand over myself and take punishment."
Another page read: "I swear to God that my intention was not to kill her but I lost it.
"My daughter is Muslim. Can you bury her like Muslim may be.
"I will be back before you finish the post mortem."
The court heard the note had been analysed by an expert who concluded it was Urfan Sharif's handwriting.
