Sara Sharif Case: Court upholds sentences

Web Desk: A UK court on Thursday upheld the lengthy prison sentences of the father and stepmother of 10-year-old British-Pakistani girl Sara Sharif, who endured years of horrific abuse before her tragic death.

The case of Irfan Sharif and his wife, Beinash Batool, sent shockwaves across the UK, exposing the horrifying mistreatment Sara suffered and raising serious concerns about the failure of child protection services.

Sharif, 43, Batool, 30, and Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, had all appealed against their sentences. However, their bids were rejected, and the court also denied a request from the solicitor general’s office to impose a whole-life sentence on Sharif.

In December, Sharif was sentenced to 40 years in prison for Sara’s murder, while Batool received a minimum of 33 years behind bars. Malik was sentenced to 16 years for causing or allowing her death.

Brutal Abuse and Failed Appeals

Sara’s lifeless body was discovered in her bed at the family home in August 2023, covered in bruises, bite marks, broken bones, and burns from an iron and boiling water.

During Thursday’s hearing, lawyer Naeem Majid Mian argued that while Sara’s suffering was horrific, Sharif’s 40-year sentence was excessive as her death was not premeditated. However, the court dismissed this argument.

The solicitor general’s office had pushed for a whole-life sentence for Sharif, with lawyer Tom Little stating that the trial judge had erred in not imposing an indefinite term.

Batool’s legal team also argued that her 33-year sentence was too severe and did not fairly represent her level of involvement.

However, Lady Chief Justice Sue Carr, England and Wales’ highest-ranking judge, dismissed all appeals, stating: “We see no arguable basis to challenge the trial judge’s decision.”

‘Acts of Extreme Cruelty’

In his December ruling, Judge John Cavanagh described Sara’s suffering as “acts of extreme cruelty”, adding that neither Sharif nor Batool had shown “a shred of remorse”.

Sara was treated as “worthless” and forced to live under “grotesque” conditions. A post-mortem examination revealed she had 71 fresh injuries, at least 25 broken bones, and had been beaten with a metal pole and cricket bat.

She was restrained using tape, rope, and a plastic bag over her head, with only a small hole cut to allow her to breathe. Denied access to the bathroom, she was left to soil herself in nappies.

A National Failure

The day after Sara’s death, Sharif, Batool, and Malik fled the UK to Pakistan with five other children, leaving behind a handwritten note from Sharif claiming he never intended to kill his daughter.

After a month on the run, they returned to the UK and were arrested upon landing. The five children remain in Pakistan.

The case has sparked outrage over social services’ failure to intervene, despite multiple warning signs. Four months before her death, Sharif withdrew Sara from school. Her school had previously raised concerns, including when she arrived in class wearing a hijab to hide injuries she refused to explain.

Despite Sharif’s known history of abuse, a 2019 court ruling had awarded him custody of Sara and her older brother, further highlighting systemic failings in child protection.

Police have called the case “one of the most distressing” they have ever encountered.