• Source:JND
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Three members of the family of British-Pakistani girl Sara Sharif have been arresfor her death following years of horrific abuse, PA Media reported.

Her father, Urfan Sharif, 42, and stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30, were found guilty of her murder. Her uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was convicted of causing or allowing her death after a trial at the Old Bailey in the UK.

The sentencing will be delivered on Tuesday, as the judge found the case to be “extremely stressful and traumatic” for the jurors.

Sara Sharif was allegedly beaten to death four years after her father, a taxi driver, was awarded custody of her, despite previous abuse allegations against him, jurors heard.

Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones stated that Sharif created a “culture of violent discipline,” where assaults on Sara became “completely routine” and “completely normalised.”

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The prosecution argued that Sharif intended to cause his daughter serious harm, while Batool and Malik participated in the abuse, either by encouraging or assisting him. These convictions have raised questions about the involvement of family courts and social services in Sara’s case.

What Exactly Happened?

The family fled to Pakistan after Sara died at their home in Woking, Surrey, on August 8 last year. Sharif contacted the police upon arriving in Islamabad, admitting he had beaten Sara “too much.”

Upon investigating, officers discovered Sara’s battered body in a bunk bed at the family home, along with a confession note from Sharif. Sara had suffered over 25 broken bones from repeated beatings with a cricket bat, metal pole, and mobile phone. She also had a broken hyoid bone from being strangled, burns from iron on her buttocks, boiling water burns on her feet, and bite marks on her arm and thigh.

Evidence suggested Sara had been bound with packaging tape and hooded during the assaults, causing excruciating pain. Batool had told her sisters that Sharif regularly “beat the crap” out of Sara over more than two years, but did not report the abuse.

The three accused returned to the UK on September 13 last year and were detained shortly after their flight landed at Gatwick Airport.

Sharif admitted to repeatedly hitting Sara with a cricket bat and pole, strangling her with his bare hands, and battering her with a mobile phone. He denied burning her or placing a hood over her head during “punishments” for her alleged “naughty” behaviour.

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Later, Sharif retracted his confession, claiming he did not intend to seriously harm Sara, despite initially indicating he wanted to change his plea. Under cross-examination, it was revealed that two other children he had been involved with had also been burned and bitten, with Sharif being the “common denominator.” Although the bite marks on Sara did not match Sharif’s teeth, it was suggested that he may have influenced Batool, who refused to provide a set of her own tooth impressions.

Sharif was also accused of being controlling and manipulative towards Batool, as well as Sara’s mother, Olga, and two former Polish girlfriends.

Batool and university student Malik refused to give evidence, although both denied any involvement. Batool's defence argued that Sharif was the “sole perpetrator” of the violence against his “spirited, bold, and fierce” daughter.