The body of 10-year-old British-Pakistani girl Sara Sharif, whose death triggered an international manhunt, was found with burn marks believed to have been inflicted by an iron, a prosecutor revealed in a London court on Monday. Sara was discovered dead in her bed at the family home in Woking, southern England, on August 10, 2023.
The court heard that Sara’s stepmother, Beinash Batool, refused to provide a dental impression to compare with bite marks found on the girl’s body. The prosecutor detailed other injuries, including damage to Sara’s ribs, shoulder blades, fingers, and 11 fractures to her spine.
Jurors were played a recording of a calm phone call made by Batool on the evening of August 8, 2023, in which she inquired about booking flights to Islamabad. Sara’s body was later found in the family’s vacant home following an emergency call made from Pakistan, during which a man identifying himself as Sara’s father, Urfan Sharif, alerted officers.
A note discovered beside Sara’s body appeared to be a confession from her father. “Love you Sara,” the note read. Another page added, “Whoever sees this note, it’s me, Urfan Sharif, who killed my daughter by beating. I am running away because I am scared, but I promise I will turn myself in and accept punishment.”
A third page stated, “I swear to God, my intention was not to kill her, but I lost control.” A handwriting expert confirmed that the note was written by Urfan Sharif.
The three defendants, arrested in September 2023 after arriving from Dubai, deny charges of murder and causing or allowing the death of a child.
