Sara Sharif’s father told police ‘I’ve killed my daughter’ in 999 call – latest

15 Oct 2024

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During the second day of the trial concerning the murder of 10-year-old Sara Sharif, the court was informed that her father had confessed to the police in a 999 call, stating, "I’ve killed my daughter."

Sara Sharif - Figure 1 — Photo The Independent

On Monday, the court learned that the schoolgirl was found dead with injuries that were described as "disturbing." These included bite marks, burns, and fractures, all part of what has been characterized as a "series of abusive acts."

Sara was discovered at her family’s home in Woking after her father, Urfan Sharif, contacted Surrey Police from Pakistan to report that he had “legally punished” his daughter but that she had passed away.

On August 10 of the previous year, authorities found the child's body in a bedroom at a location on Hammond Road. Alongside her, there was a handwritten note from her father that said, "I promise I never meant to harm her. I just lost control," and he mentioned that he was attempting to flee.

Urfan Sharif, 42, is facing trial with Sara’s stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30, and her uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, in front of Mr. Justice Cavanagh. The trial's second day is set to begin on Tuesday.

The individuals accused, who used to live on Hammond Road in Woking, have denied the charges of murdering Sara and of causing or permitting the death of a child between 16 December 2022 and 9 August 2023.

The court proceedings have restarted at the Old Bailey.

Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones KC is likely to proceed with presenting the crown’s case against the defendants on Tuesday.

Sara Sharif's father, Urfan Sharif, aged 42, along with her stepmother, Beinash Batool, who is 29, and her uncle, Faisal Malik, 28, are all pleading not guilty to the charges of murdering the 10-year-old girl and to the allegations of causing or permitting her death.

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Highlights From Yesterday's Trial

Tara Cobham, October 15, 2024, at 10:33 AM.

Sara Sharif Murder Trial Resumes For Second Day

The trial concerning the murder of Sara Sharif will resume for another day today.

The child's father, Urfan Sharif, who is 42, her stepmother Beinash Batool, aged 29, and her uncle Faisal Malik, who is 28, are facing charges related to her murder and for either causing or permitting her death.

The trial is set to last for seven weeks at the Old Bailey in central London.

Sure! Here’s a rewritten version of the blog section in more casual language: Tara Cobham, October 15, 2024, 9:17 AM

Father's 999 Call: Admits To Beating Sara

During a court hearing, it was revealed that Sara Sharif's father confessed to the police, saying, "I’ve killed my daughter," and described his actions as "legally punishing" her, which resulted in injuries that caused her death.

In the early hours of August 10 last year, Urfan Sharif called Surrey Police using the emergency number 999. This was after he had escaped to Pakistan, leaving his daughter's body at their residence in Woking, Surrey.

My coworker Holly Evans has provided the following update:

Tara Cobham, October 15, 2024, at 8:25 AM

Urfan Sharif's Message In His 999 Call

During a distressing phone call that spanned more than eight minutes, jurors listened as Urfan Sharif spoke to Surrey Police about the death of his daughter. He confessed, "I assaulted her; I didn’t mean to take her life, but I hit her harder than I should have."

You can hear him sobbing on the phone, desperately asking the police to come to the location, saying, "Please send someone, my daughter is by herself."

When asked about the situation, he explained, "I believe she had been misbehaving for the past three or four weeks. I was trying to discipline her to correct her behavior, and then I did something that unfortunately led to her passing away."

When questioned about her breathing, he replied, “I attempted to revive her. I gave her CPR and did everything I could, but I wasn’t successful. I just lost my composure.”

"I'm telling you, she's passed away."

He mentioned that he plans to go back to the property and said to the operator, “It occurred 36 hours ago, and I feel like a terrible father.”

Holly Evans October 15, 2024, 7:00 AM

Timeline Of Key Events In Sara Sharif's Death

Ten-year-old Sara Sharif tragically passed away following an reported "pattern of mistreatment" in the household where she lived with her father, stepmother, and uncle.

Sara Sharif - Figure 3 — Photo The Independent

Here’s a chronological summary of how the events transpired, based on the prosecution's perspective.

Father Urfan Sharif notifies Sara's school that she will begin home schooling right away.

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Sara and her family have relocated to a three-bedroom home on Hammond Road in the Horsell neighborhood of Woking.

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8:38 PM – A child messages a school friend on WhatsApp with the word “urgent,” informing them that Sara has “just died.”

9:07 PM – Beinash Batool, Sara’s stepmother, reaches out to Southall Travel agency to inquire about flights to Pakistan. However, after 50 minutes of conversation, the call concludes without confirming any flight arrangements.

At 10 PM, Sharif reaches out to Nadeem Riaz, an employee at a money transfer company, and informs him that he requires a flight to Pakistan for the following day.

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9:25 AM – Security cameras record Sharif and his family arriving at Heathrow Airport for their 2 PM flight to Pakistan.

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At 2:47 AM, Sharif reached Pakistan and called the police in the UK, stating: “I’ve killed my daughter. I disciplined her, and she died. She was misbehaving. I struck her, and while I didn’t mean to take her life, I hit her harder than I should have.”

Officers arrive at the family's residence in Woking and discover Sara’s lifeless body on a bed, along with a note written in Sharif's handwriting positioned by the pillow.

– August 15, 2023

A forensic investigation is conducted, which determines that Sara did not die of natural causes. The jury was informed of indications of repeated blunt force injuries over a period of weeks, along with bruises, burns from iron on her buttocks, marks from restraints, and what appeared to be bite marks from a human.

Sure! Here’s a rephrased version of the blog section: - September 6, 2023

Sara Sharif - Figure 4 — Photo The Independent

Sharif and Batool are seen in a brief video clip shared and aired by Sky News, where Batool describes Sara's death as an "event."

- September 13, 2023

Sharif, Batool, and Sara's uncle Faisal Malik arrive at Gatwick by plane, where police are waiting to apprehend them right on the aircraft.

- 14th of October, 2024

The three individuals from Woking, Surrey, are facing trial at the Old Bailey. They have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and to causing or permitting Sara's death.

Holly Evans, October 15, 2024, 4:00 AM

What Do The Defendants Have To Say?

The individuals from Hammond Road in Woking have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and to either causing or permitting the death of a child during the period from December 16, 2022, to August 9, 2023.

The prosecutor informed the jury that all three accused were involved in the violence and that it was "impossible" for only one of them to have acted independently.

Mr. Emlyn Jones addressed the jury, urging them to consider, “How is it possible for a single individual to commit such extensive abuse and numerous assaults without others being aware of it or seeing it for themselves?”

"If someone witnessed it but wasn't involved, why didn't they take action to prevent it or inform anyone?"

He went on to say, "All of them claim they weren't responsible for any of the violence or abuse."

"Each person is trying to avoid taking responsibility by placing the blame on one or both of the others. Essentially, they are all blaming each other."

The jurors were informed that Sharif's stance was that his wife, Batool, was to blame for Sara's death and that his admission of guilt was untrue, meant to safeguard her.

Batool claimed that Sharif was a harsh disciplinarian, and she expressed that she felt afraid of her husband, according to Mr. Emlyn Jones.

The prosecutor stated that Malik's position is clear: he claims he didn't have any involvement in the situation and was completely unaware of what was happening.

Holly Evans, October 15, 2024, at 1:00 AM

What Did Urfan Sharif's Note Say?

In a handwritten message that an expert analyzed and determined was written by Sharif, he expressed his feelings on a piece of paper, saying: "I love you, Sara."

Another note stated: “To whoever finds this, I am Urfan Sharif, and I am the one who hurt my daughter to the point of death. I am fleeing out of fear, but I assure you that I will turn myself in and accept the consequences.”

"I promise that I never meant to harm her, but I lost control. My daughter was a Muslim. Could you please help with her burial according to Muslim customs? I’ll return before the autopsy is done."

Holly Evans, October 14, 2024, at 10:00 PM

Father Claims He "legally Punished" Sara Sharif

Sara Sharif's father left for Pakistan after being accused of murdering his 10-year-old daughter. During a court hearing, it was revealed that he contacted the authorities to state, "I gave her a legal punishment, and she passed away."

Taxi driver Urfan Sharif, 42 years old, is facing trial at the Old Bailey for the murder of Sara, along with her stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30, and her uncle, Faisal Malik, 29.

As the trial began on Monday, prosecutor William Emlyn Jones KC stated that each of the defendants contributed to a "pattern of mistreatment" directed at Sara, which ultimately resulted in her death.

Check out the complete article here:

Holly Evans on October 14, 2024 at 8:00 PM.