Sara Sharif’s father says stepmother was ‘true villain’ as he denies murder

The father of Sara Sharif denied killing his daughter as he claimed the 10-year-old's stepmother was the "true villain of the piece", a court was told. Urfan Sharif tried to save his "limp" daughter and begged for an ambulance, only to be told "Leave it, she's dead," jurors heard. Sharif, 42, his wife Beinash Batool, 30, and brother Faisal Malik, 29, are on trial at the Old Bailey in London accused of carrying out a violent "campaign of abuse" before Sara was found dead in a bunk bed at the family home in Surrey on 10 August 2023. The defendants allegedly killed Sara on 8 August before fleeing to Pakistan, from where Sharif called police to say he had "beat her up too much". He had left a handwritten "confession" near her fully clothed body saying: "I swear to God that my intention was not to kill her. But I lost it." In his speech to the jury outlining Sharif's case, the defence barrister, Naeem Mian KC, suggested to jurors that Sharif had been cast wrongly as the "villain of the piece". He said Sharif had accused Batool of being the "true villain".

He said Sharif was "extremely hardworking" and the sole breadwinner of the family, before adding: "Let me make plain I'm not suggesting that he's unimpeachable, that he's some sort of an angel." The barrister said there were times when Sharif would discipline the children with a slap, adding: "You may think that as somebody that's working all the hours, seven days a week, and you're constantly being told there are issues with the children, you inevitably lose you patience sometimes."

Jurors heard 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. Mian said Sharif was working on 8 August when Batool told him to come home, adding: "He came home and found her [Sara] upstairs with Beinash Batool, limp. He'll tell you that he asked 'what the hell has happened here?' as anyone of your number would."

Mian said Sharif was told another child was responsible, saying: "Having been told what had happened, he said: 'I will take the blame.'" Mian added: "He will tell you he attempted CPR, he begged for an ambulance to be called as he was doing CPR and he was told ... in Urdu or Punjabi: 'Leave it, she's dead. Leave it, she's dead.'" Giving evidence, Sharif denied killing Sara. Mian asked: "Are you responsible for the death of Sara Sharif?" The defendant replied: "No."

Sharif also denied that he bit, burned or beat up his daughter with either a cricket bat or a white pole.

Jurors heard that Sara went to live with her father after he had an acrimonious split in 2014 from her biological mother, Olga, whom he had met online in 2009.

During the resulting custody battle allegations "flew around" on both sides, the court was told. He alleged that his former wife had "bitten" another child and "abused" Sara during and after their marriage.

Of the 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."

Mian told jurors that Batool had supported Sharif throughout the custody battle, despite being "perfectly aware of the allegations" 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 while working at a McDonald's restaurant but had no other convictions.

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

The trial before the judge Mr Justice Cavanagh continues.