The father and stepmother of 10-year-old Sara Sharif, who was found dead in her home in Woking in August 2023, have been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Urfan Sharif, 43, received a minimum of 40 years, while Beinash Batool, 30, was given a minimum term of 33 years. The couple fled to Pakistan after Sara’s death but were arrested on their return to the UK in September 2023.
During the trial at London’s Old Bailey, prosecutors described Sara’s death as the result of a “campaign of serious and repeated violence.” Evidence detailed her extensive injuries, including burns, multiple fractures, and bite marks.
Judge John Cavanagh said the abuse Sara endured was “akin to torture,” adding, “Few crimes can be more terrible than the account of the despicable treatment of this poor child that the jury in this case have had to endure.”
Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was acquitted of murder but sentenced to 16 years for causing or allowing her death.
In a statement read in court, Sara’s mother, Olga Domin, described Sharif and Batool as “executioners” and called their actions “sadistic.”
Sara’s body was discovered in her family home on August 10, 2023.
