The father of 10-year-old Sara Sharif, a British-Pakistani girl, admitted on Wednesday to killing his daughter but insisted that he had not intended to harm her. However, it was reported that the father beat the girl as she lay dying. Sara’s lifeless body was discovered in her bed in Woking, southwest of London, on August 10, 2023, with severe injuries, including broken bones, burns, and bite marks. Her father, Urfan Sharif, 42, had fled to Pakistan a day before her death was discovered, accompanied by his wife, Beinash Batool, 30, and the girl’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29.
At the Old Bailey in central London, Urfan Sharif, along with two others, denied both the murder of his stepdaughter, Sara, and a separate charge of allowing the death of a child.
During his testimony, Sharif initially blamed his wife, Batool, for the death, claiming she forced him to confess to the crime. However, under cross-examination by his wife’s lawyer, the taxi driver changed his stance, stating that he took “full responsibility” for Sara’s death, but insisted that he had not intended to harm her.
When asked if he had killed Sara by beating her, Sharif responded, “Yes, she died because of me.”
He also admitted to causing multiple fractures to Sara in the weeks leading up to her death. Sharif acknowledged using a cricket bat on her while she was bound with packaging tape, strangling her with his hands, and breaking her hyoid bone in the process.
“I can take full responsibility. I accept every single thing,” Sharif said, further admitting that he had severely beaten Sara on August 8, when she collapsed and was dying.
The post-mortem examination revealed the extent of Sara’s suffering, with at least 25 broken bones. The gruesome details of her injuries have shocked the nation and sparked outrage.
The three defendants, Urfan Sharif, Beinash Batool, and Faisal Malik, are currently on trial for murder and allowing the death of a child. The trial is ongoing, and the court will determine their fate based on the evidence presented.
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