A British court has upheld lengthy prison sentences for the parents and uncle of 10-year-old Sara Sharif, a British-Pakistani girl who suffered years of abuse before her tragic death.
The trial of Urfan Sharif, 43, Beinash Batool, 30, and Faisal Malik, 29, shocked the UK as details of Sara’s harrowing mistreatment emerged. Despite their appeals, all three had their sentences upheld. Urfan Sharif was sentenced to 40 years for murder, Batool to at least 33 years, and Malik to 16 years for allowing her death.
Sara’s body was discovered at the family home in August 2023, covered in bruises, burns, and broken bones. Evidence revealed she had been beaten with a metal pole and cricket bat and was restrained with tape, rope, and a plastic bag.
Although Sharif’s lawyer argued that the crime was not premeditated and did not warrant a 40-year sentence, the court dismissed the appeal. The solicitor general had also sought a whole-life sentence for Sharif, but this request was denied.
Judge John Cavanagh described Sara’s treatment as “acts of extreme cruelty,” emphasizing that her father and stepmother showed no remorse. The court also heard that Sara was treated as “worthless” because she was a girl and was denied proper care by her stepmother.
Following Sara’s death, the three adults fled to Pakistan with five other children before returning to the UK, where they were arrested. The case has sparked outrage, especially over failures by social services, who had previously been alerted to signs of Sara’s abuse.
In response to this tragedy, the UK government has introduced stricter regulations on home-schooling to prevent similar cases in the future. Sara’s body was later repatriated to Poland, where her mother organized her funeral.
