Sara Sharif's father tells court 10-year-old's death was 'all my fault' | UK News

Sara Sharif's father told the court he took “full responsibility” for the 10-year-old's death and admitted hitting her with a cricket bat and a metal rod.

Urfan Sharif told jurors he accepted everything he told police in a 911 call and a handwritten confession after his daughter's death.

Under cross-examination by Caroline Carberry KC, his wife Beinash Batool's lawyer, he was asked: “Did you kill your daughter by beating?” He replied: “Yes, she died because of me.”

He admitted that he beat Sara “severely” for several weeks because he was angry that the student started dirtying herself and vomiting.

Sharif, 42, Batool, 30, and Sharif's brother Faisal Malik, 29, are on trial accused of carrying out a violent “campaign of abuse” before Sara was found dead in a bunk bed at the family's Surrey home on August 10, 2023 became.

The defendants are said to have killed Sara on August 8 before fleeing to Pakistan, from where Sharif called police and said he had “beaten her up too much”. He had left a handwritten “confession” next to her fully clothed body that said, “I swear to God it wasn’t my intention to kill her.” But I lost it.”

An autopsy revealed that Sara had fractures and 71 external injuries, including burns and human bite marks.

Sharif had repeatedly denied being responsible for Sara's death when he gave evidence at the Old Bailey. But when he was about to be cross-examined on the third day, he said: “I want to say something.”

He continued: “I want to admit that it’s all my fault. I would like the court to consider my full note and confession. That I admit what I said in my phone call and in my written note, every single word.”

Carberry asked: “In the weeks before her death she suffered several fractures to her body, wasn't she, and you were the one who inflicted those injuries, weren't you?”

Sharif replied, “Yes, ma’am.”

She asked, “Do you accept to inflict any injuries?” He replied, “Not the burn marks, not the bite marks.” Not the bruises on her head, not the bruises on her face.”

When asked what he was accepting, he replied: “I take full responsibility.”

Carberry asked, “Would it help if we looked at the injury graph?” Sharif replied, “No. I can’t watch this.”

She asked, “Do you accept the fractures on your little girl’s body?” He replied, “Yes.”

Carberry asked: “Did you use the cricket bat to inflict these injuries on her?” He replied: “Yes, ma'am.”

She continued, “Did you use the white metal rod to leave these linear marks that we can see on her stomach and legs?” He replied, “Yes, ma'am.”

She also asked, “Did you hurt your neck, causing your hyoid bone to break?” He replied, “I don't know how that happened.”

Carberry also asked him about a video shown to jurors that shows Sara dancing two days before her alleged murder.

She said: “From the material we have, we know that on August 6, two days before her death, she was walking and dancing and moving around in front of the television and that something happened to her after that, and I will Suggest.” It happened to you afterwards, on the night of August 6th: you beat your daughter badly. Do you accept that?” He replied: “I accept everything.”

She asked again: “Do you accept that you severely beat your daughter on the night of August 6th?” He replied: “I accept everything.”

Batool left the dock sobbing and the trial was briefly interrupted.

When Sharif returned to the witness stand, he accepted that he took full responsibility for Sara's death and the beating killing.

Carberry asked, “Do you think you severely beat Sara over several weeks?” He replied, “Yes, ma'am.”

He further accepted repeatedly attacking Sara with a cricket bat, causing her 25 fractures.

Carberry continued: “I would like to ask you about the occasions on which you attacked her with a cricket bat. What did you think she had done to deserve such a beating?” Sharif replied: “Nothing.”

She asked, “Why did you hit her so hard?” He replied, “I was wrong.”

She continued, “Were you mad at her because she started getting dirty last summer?” He replied, “Yes, ma'am.”

She added: “And she had started vomiting, right?” to which Sharif replied: “Yes, ma'am.”

Carberry asked, “And when she was sick, did you get angry?” And when she soiled herself, did you get angry?” He replied, “Yes, ma'am.”

Sharif admitted that he intended to cause serious harm to Sara by hitting her. Carberry asked, “You knew you wouldn't just give her a little bruise on her body if you hit her like that, didn't you?” Do you accept that?” He replied: “Yes, ma'am.”

He accepted that on August 6, Sara was severely beaten with the cricket bat and metal rod, causing injuries to her face and head.

Carberry asked: “Do you accept that you really intended to cause Sara serious harm in this final serious attack?” He replied: “Yes, ma'am.”

She continued: “You have pleaded not guilty to murder. Would you like this charge presented to you again?” He replied, “Yes, ma'am.”

Sharif's lawyer Naeem Mian KC interrupted him saying: “My Lord, at this time we would like to make a request for a meeting with Mr Sharif before charges are filed against him.”

All three defendants have denied committing murder and causing or allowing the death of a child between December 16, 2022 and August 9, 2023.

The process continues.