Jury Hears Sara Sharif Pleaded for Parental Forgiveness

A court was informed that Sara Sharif, in a letter found following her death, pleaded with her parents for forgiveness for “being rude.” Police confiscated the 10-year-old’s letters and notebook after her remains were discovered with numerous injuries at her family’s residence in Woking, Surrey, during the previous year. Testimony previously presented to the court indicated that Sara had endured being hooded, burned, and beaten over a period exceeding two years of mistreatment. Urfan Sharif, Sara’s father, aged 42; Beinash Batool, her stepmother, aged 30; and Faisal Malik, her uncle, aged 29, have all pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and causing or allowing her death. Law enforcement officers visited the family’s residence the day after Mr. Sharif, Ms. Batool, and Mr. Malik departed for Islamabad, Pakistan, accompanied by Sara’s five siblings on 9 August 2023. Jurors were presented with an undated and incorrectly spelled letter addressed to Mr. Sharif and Ms. Batool, in which Sara expressed that she was “sorry for being rude” and “answering back.” The letter contained the plea, “Please forgive me. I am so, so sorry.” Additionally, in a birthday message intended for her father, Sara penned: “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 also featured a brief fairy tale depicting a queen named Beinash and a princess named Sara. Within the notebook, Sara further characterized Ms. Batool as the “best caring and loving mother in the world.” At the Old Bailey, Mr. Justice Cavanagh additionally informed the jury that they had the option to consider an alternative charge of manslaughter. He stated that although murder and causing or allowing the death of a child were the charges listed in the indictment, manslaughter could also be taken into account if the jury was not convinced that murder had been established. For a conviction on a manslaughter charge, the jury must be assured that the defendants intended to inflict “some physical harm,” he further explained. A post-mortem examination revealed that Sara had sustained injuries, including “probable human bite marks,” an iron burn, and scalding from hot water, prior to her death on 8 August 2023. Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC had previously stated that a cricket bat stained with blood, a rolling pin bearing Sara’s DNA, a metal pole, a belt, and rope were discovered in proximity to the family’s outhouse. During cross-examination, Mr. Sharif had previously acknowledged “full responsibility” for Sara’s death, but subsequently denied any intent to kill her. He further informed the jury that he had been untruthful when he referred to his wife, Ms. Batool, as a “psycho” earlier during the proceedings. Mr. Sharif confessed to beating Sara but denied having bitten or burned her. The legal proceedings are ongoing.