UK: Father, stepmother get life sentence for 10-year-old's murder
What's the story
A United Kingdom court has handed life imprisonment to a father and his partner for the brutal murder of his 10-year-old daughter. The father, Urfan Sharif (43), was handed a minimum term of 40 years, while the stepmother, Beinash Batool (30), was sentenced to a minimum of 33 years. At the Old Bailey, Justice Cavanagh described the abuse as "torture" and condemned the pair for their lack of remorse.
Emotional statement
Victim's mother labels convicts as 'sadists and executioners'
During the hearing, Sara's biological mother, Olga Domin, called Sharif and Batool "sadists and executioners." The victim was discovered dead in her Surrey home on August 10, 2023. A postmortem found she had endured 71 external injuries and at least 25 fractures. The court was told that Sara was meted out violence from a young age with different weapons, including a cricket bat and a domestic iron.
Family involvement
Uncle sentenced for failing to prevent niece's death
Faisal Malik, Sara's uncle who lived with the family at the time of her death, was also found guilty of causing or allowing her death and sentenced to 16 years. The judge emphasized that Sara was treated like "a skivvy" in the family and targeted for abuse because she was a girl. Sharif and Batool were found guilty of Sara's murder last Wednesday after an eight-week Old Bailey trial.
Escape attempt
Family fled to Pakistan after Sara's death
The family fled to Pakistan after Sara's death, but were arrested on their return to the UK in September 2023. The case has raised concerns about social services' failure to detect the abuse after Sharif withdrew Sara from school months before her death. In court, Justice Cavanagh read pieces of writing by Sara that were described as "heartbreaking," including a birthday card to her father expressing love.