'I was wrong': Sara Sharif’s father 'takes full responsibility' for her death

The father of Sara Sharif, a 10-year-old girl who was found dead in her home in Britain, told a court he "takes full responsibility" for the death of his 10-year-old daughter.

Sara was found dead in August 2023 at her home in Woking, a town southwest of London, after what prosecutors say was a campaign of "serious and repeated violence".

Her father Urfan Sharif, 42, his wife and Sara Sharif's stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, and the girl's uncle Faisal Malik, 29, are on trial at London's Old Bailey, where they all deny murder and an alternative charge of causing or allowing her death.

Sharif said he had initially taken responsibility for saving his family, but later giving evidence in court blamed his wife for killing his daughter.

But on Wednesday, he said: “I admit what I said in a 999 call and my handwritten confession. Every single word.”

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

He admitted he beat Sara “severely” over several weeks because he was angry that the schoolgirl had started soiling herself and vomiting.

Carberry further asked, “You have pleaded not guilty to the offence of murder. Would you like that charge to be put to you again?” He replied in the affirmative.

Meanwhile, Sharif’s barrister, Naeem Mian KC, stood up and asked for time to speak to his defendant. He told the court, “We would like to make an application to see Sharif before any indictment is to put him.”

At his stage, Batool left the dock sobbing and the trial was briefly suspended.

When Sharif returned to the witness stand, he took full responsibility for Sara’s death and for killing her by beating.

Carberry asked, “What had she done to deserve such beatings in your mind?” Sharif replied: “Nothing.” She continued: “Why were you beating her so forcefully?” He replied: “I was wrong.”

A postmortem examination found the 10-year-old girl had fractures and 71 external injuries, including burns and human bite marks.

Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC previously said a bloodstained cricket bat, a rolling pin with Sara’s DNA on it, a metal pole, a belt and rope were found near the family’s outhouse.