Sara Sharif was burned with an iron, tied to heating pipe and suffered bite marks, bruises and 11 separate fractures to her spine in the weeks before her death, a court heard today.
She sustained fractures to her right collar bone, both shoulder blades, both arms, both hands, three separate fingers, bones near the wrist in each hand and two ribs.
It was estimated that some of the fractures were at least six weeks old, while others were fewer than 10 days old.
Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones, KC, told jurors at the Old Bailey today that multiple fractures to 10-year-old Sara’s hyoid bone suggested there had been incidents where she had been strangled in the weeks before her death.
‘There are other, perhaps even more disturbing, types of injury,’ he said. ‘The evidence shows that Sara appears to have been bitten.’
The court was earlier told how her father Urfan Sharif went on the run to Pakistan after battering his daughter to death.
The 42-year-old is said to have told police that she was ‘naughty’, adding: ‘I beat her up, it wasn’t my intention to kill her, but I beat her up too much.’
Police raced to the family home in Surrey where they found the schoolgirl dead lying under the covers in her bunk bed.
Beside her battered body was a note allegedly in Sharif’s handwriting which read: ‘It’s me Urfan Sharif who killed my daughter by beating. I swear to God that my intention was not to kill her. But I lost it.’ He added: ‘I am running away because I am scared.’
Sara had five bite marks on her lower left arm, and one on her inner left thigh which indicated the teeth had been ‘dragged’ across her skin, the court heard.
Mr Emlyn Jones said: ‘The two male defendants have provided dental impressions for the purposes of comparison – and they have both been excluded – the expert’s opinion is that their teeth exclude them from being responsible.
‘Beinash Batool has refused to provide a dental impression for comparison purposes.’
The third category of injury suffered by Sara was burns.
‘Not only are these horrible and clearly extremely painful injuries, but the apparent manner of their infliction tells us a good deal about how Sara was being treated,’ continued Mr Emlyn Jones.
‘You can see two areas of injury to the buttocks, with the wound to the right buttock clearly much the larger of the two.
‘That wound to the right buttock was approximately 50x60mm. It was a full thickness defect meaning that the overlying skin has been completely lost.’
He added: ‘There was no evidence of residual adhesives, such as you might find if a dressing had been applied to the wound.
‘In Dr Martin’s view, this injury had been caused by contact with a hot, flat surface.
‘Specifically, it appears to have been caused by the sole-plate of a domestic iron, applied with pressure.
‘In his view, this had been done at least two weeks prior to Sara’s death, and probably longer than that. It would, of course, have been extremely painful and had not been treated.’
The iron was placed with the larger area of the sole on the right buttock and the tip reaching over to the left, it was said.
An iron has been recovered from the house and the injuries suffered by Sara do correspond with the size and shape of that iron.
Mr Jones said to jurors: ‘It is a matter for you, of course, but you may have little difficulty in concluding that the application of a hot iron to that part of Sara’s body can only have been deliberate.’
Mr Jones told jurors that Sharif and his family fled on August 9 last year leaving the body of his daughter behind following a ‘brutal’ campaign of violence lasting weeks.
Two days after the murder, Sharif is said to have dialled 999 at 2.47am on August 10 when he was already ‘thousands of miles away’ from the scene.
Mr Jones said: ‘In that call, Urfan Sharif began by asking the operator to take down his address. It sounds like he is crying. The operator interrupted and said ”take a deep breath and tell me what’s happened”.
‘999 operators are used to hearing all kinds of dreadful things, but this one cannot have expected the answer he got to that question. Urfan Sharif told him ”I’ve killed my daughter”.
‘He used an odd expression: ”I legally punished her, and she died”.
‘A little later, when asked for more detail, he added ”she was naughty”, and then ”I beat her up, it wasn’t my intention to kill her, but I beat her up too much”.’
Describing the appalling scene that police later found, the prosecutor said: ‘In an upstairs bedroom, on a bottom bunk bed, the police found the body of a little girl, lying in bed, under the cover, as if asleep. But she was not asleep. She was dead.’
Mr Emlyn Jones went on: ‘When Urfan Sharif said, in that call, ”I beat her up”, he came nowhere near to describing the extent of the violence and physical abuse Sara had suffered; not just at the time of her death, but repeatedly, over time; she had been the victim of assault and physical abuse for weeks and weeks, at least.
‘The doctors found dozens of separate injuries, externally and internally, when they examined Sara’s body.
‘She had suffered extensive bruising; burns; broken bones, old and new.
‘So no, Sara had not just been beaten up. Her treatment, certainly in the last few weeks of her life, had been appalling; it had been brutal.’
Police later charged Sharif, his wife Beinash Batool, 30, and his younger brother Faisal Malik, 29, who were all living in the house at the time of the murder.
Today the prosecutor told jurors that Sharif now claims that his ‘apparent confessions were false’ and that he was only saying those things to protect others.
Batool’s case is that ‘her husband was a violent disciplinarian, who regularly assaulted Sara’, but she was scared of her husband, jurors were told.
She wept in the dock today as jurors were played audio of the harrowing 999 call lasting eight-and-a-half minutes.
The stepmother, wearing a tan jacket, bowed her head sobbing as the court heard that Sharif had called 999 just an hour after the family landed in Islamabad on August 10.
In the call, Sharif refused to reveal his location, revealing only that he was driving a relation’s car, jurors were told.
He allegedly told police: ‘She is only 10 years old, oh my god. I did something and she died.’
When asked about her injuries and whether Sara was still breathing, he is said to have told the 999 operator that she was dead adding: ‘I tried to resuscitate.. she is dead I’m telling you.’
He added: ‘I’m a cruel father. I’m driving, I’ll come back’.
Sharif promised to go to Woking police station repeating: ‘I’ll come back, I’ll face the death sentence.’
As police continued to ask where he was, the phone call abruptly ended.
Mr Emlyn Jones said all three defendants had played a part in a ‘campaign of abuse’ that led to Sara’s death on August 8 last year.
He told jurors: ‘Ask yourselves, how could just one person have carried out so much abuse, so many assaults, without the others knowing about it and witnessing it with their own eyes?
‘If any one of them was not a part of it, but had seen it, why then was nothing done to stop it, or report it?’
He continued: ‘Each of them denies that they were the one responsible for any of that violence and abuse.
‘Each of them seeks to deflect the blame onto one or both of the others, to shift responsibility away from themselves, onto someone else.
‘In other words, they are pointing the finger at each other.’
Malik claimed that although he was living in the house he was ‘entirely unaware of any abuse’, the court was told.
Sharif, Batool and Malik deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a child.
All three defendants deny murder.
The trial continues.
Operator: Surrey Police, how can I help?
Urfan SHARIF: Hello?
Operator Hello. How can I help?
Urfan SHARIF Hold on, I couldn’t take… can you write down my address please?
Operator Hello?
Urfan SHARIF Hello.
Operator Yes, hello. Is everything okay?
Urfan SHARIF Hello can you (Inaudible). Nothing is okay. Can you write down my address please?
Operator I don’t understand what you’re saying.
Urfan SHARIF Can you write down my address please?
Operator Okay. What’s your, what’s your postcode?
00:28 Urfan SHARIF G-U twenty one…
Operator Yeah.
Urfan SHARIF …four T-Q.
Operator Tango, Quebec?
Urfan SHARIF Inaudible
Operator Okay. What’s happened?
Urfan SHARIF Hammond…
Operator What number?
Urfan SHARIF Ham…
Operator What number? What number?
Urfan SHARIF Number six.
Operator Okay.
Urfan SHARIF Hammond…
Operator Take a deep…, take a deep breath.
2
Urfan SHARIF …Road.
Operator Take a deep breath and tell me what’s happened.
00:50 Urfan SHARIF I cannot, I… I did legally punish…
Operator Okay.
Urfan SHARIF … my daughter and she died. I left the home in a panic. God she’s al… inaudible
Operator I, I need you to take a breath cos I cannot understand what you’re saying, okay? Your daughter has died?
01:07 Urfan SHARIF I killed my daughter. I killed my daughter.
Operator Okay.
Urfan SHARIF Hello? Hello?
Operator Yes, hello.
Urfan SHARIF I get you go to number six Hammond Road please.
Operator Okay. Don’t worry.
Urfan SHARIF Nobody’s at home. Hello?
Operator Hello, I’m still here. I’m still here.
Urfan SHARIF Sorry.
Operator I’m still here.
Urfan SHARIF Can you get someone there, I left my…
01:37 Urfan SHARIF I left my front door keys under the front mat.
Operator Okay.
Urfan SHARIF Oh, my daughter’s dead. I panicked and left home.
Operator Who’s killed your daughter?
01:51 Urfan SHARIF It’s me.
Operator Okay.
Urfan SHARIF Her Dada
Operator How?
Urfan SHARIF I think she was naughty after she just died.
Operator I’m gonna need you to slow…
Urfan SHARIF I…
Operator … down, okay? How have you killed your daughter?
02:05 Urfan SHARIF I beat her up, I it wasn’t my intention to kill her, but (inaudible) I beat her up too much
3
Operator Okay. Where is your daughter now?
Urfan SHARIF She’s number six…
Operator Okay.
Urfan SHARIF …Hammond Road.
Operator Where are you?
Urfan SHARIF I’ve left the property. I’m gonna come back.
Operator Okay.
Urfan SHARIF I’ll come…
Operator What’s your name?
Urfan SHARIF Back if you can go….
Operator What is your name?
02:28 Urfan SHARIF My, my name is Urfan SHARIF.
Operator Er, can you spell that for me?
Urfan SHARIF It’s U for umbrella…
Operator Mm hmm.
Urfan SHARIF …R for Romeo…
Operator Yep.
Urfan SHARIF …F for Freddie, A for alpha and N for November.
Operator Sorry, U-R…
Urfan SHARIF F-A-N.
Operator Okay. Second name please.
Urfan SHARIF SHARIF. S for Sugar, H for Hotel, A for Alpha, R for Romeo, I for
Indigo, F for Freddie.
Operator Brilliant.
Urfan SHARIF Ugh.
Operator Can I get your date of birth?
Urfan SHARIF Sorry? My …
Operator Date of…
Urfan SHARIF … date of birth is the twenty-five, eleven, eighty-one. Hello?
Operator Hello, I’m still here. I’m just writing all of this down.
03:13 Urfan SHARIF Can you send someone? My daughter is alone.
Operator Yes, yes…
Urfan SHARIF Please help…
4
Operator …don’t worry…
Urfan SHARIF …stay on the phone…
Operator …don’t worry, don’t worry…
Urfan SHARIF …inaudible you have to see.
Operator …nothing’s going to be slowed down, okay? What is your…
Urfan SHARIF I’m going to hand over…
Operator Okay.
Urfan SHARIF …hand over myself.
Operator Okay, okay. I need you to slow down, okay?
What is… your daughter’s name?
03:30 Urfan SHARIF Sara SHARIF.
Operator Okay.
Urfan SHARIF S-A-R…
Operator Okay, I need you,
Urfan SHARIF …A
Operator I need you to slow down, okay? How do you spell your daughter’s name?
Urfan SHARIF S-A-R-A.
Operator S-A-R-A?
Urfan SHARIF Yeah.
Operator Yep.
Urfan SHARIF Oh, and SHARIF surname. S-H-A-R-I-F.
Operator Okay. What’s her date of birth?
Urfan SHARIF Oh. It’s eleven, eleventh of the January two thousand thirteen. She’s only ten years old. Oh my God.
Operator Two thousand and what?
Urfan SHARIF Thirteen. Oh. Oh.
Operator Okay. What happened? What, what led you to, what led to this all happening?
04:16 Urfan SHARIF I think she was naughty over the last, three four weeks and I was giving her punishment, but she… to sort her out.
5
Operator Mm hmm.
Urfan SHARIF And yes I did something and she died.
Operator Was she breathing when you left?
Urfan SHARIF No, she wasn’t, I tried to resuscitate her. I tried to, to give her CPR, everything but I fail, I left in a panic
Operator Okay.
Urfan SHARIF I’m gonna
Operator Was she bleeding anywhere?
Urfan SHARIF Ugh. No.
Operator Okay.
04:51 Urfan SHARIF She is dead I am telling you.
Operator What…, what injuries did she sustain? How long ago…
Urfan SHARIF Inaudible
Operator …was this? How long ag…,
Urfan SHARIF Sorry?
Operator When did this happen?
Urfan SHARIF It, agh, you, agh…
Operator I need you to listen to me, okay?
When did this happen?
05:09 Urfan SHARIF It’s about thirty-six hours ago… about thirty six hours ago.
Operator Thirty…,
Urfan SHARIF But I left.
Operator This happened thirty-six hours ago?
05:18 Urfan SHARIF Yes. I’m a cruel father. I’m gonna come back…
Operator Where…
Urfan SHARIF …and
Operator …are you right now?
Urfan SHARIF I’m not alone, I’m gonna come back.
Operator So, you’re still… you’re driving right now?
Urfan SHARIF I’m driving. I’ll come back.
Operator Okay. What is your registration number?
Urfan SHARIF I feel hurt…
Operator What is your re…
6
Urfan SHARIF I left my…
Operator Okay.
05:38 Urfan SHARIF It’s L for Lima…
Operator Yep.
Urfan SHARIF …R for Romeo…
Operator Yep.
Urfan SHARIF 5-7, Freddie, Victor, Charlie.
Operator What sort of car is it?
05:48 Urfan SHARIF It’s BMW X5. I left that at Heathrow car park. Terminal three.
On the top floor.
Operator Sorry, what was that?
Urfan SHARIF My car is at Terminal three short stop, short…
Operator Sorry…
Urfan SHARIF …stay car park.
Operator …what car are you in right now, if you’re not driving your car?
Urfan SHARIF I’m in someone else car, please I’ll come back. Could you please send someone there…
Operator Don’t, don’t worry…
Urfan SHARIF …my daughter is alone.
Operator …we are already deployed. This is not slowing anything, any of this down. Okay?
Urfan SHARIF Argh.
06:27 Operator Whose car are you in?
Urfan SHARIF I’m in my, someone else car.
Operator Whose car are you in though?
Urfan SHARIF It someone else car. Please, I’ll come…
Operator Okay.
Urfan SHARIF …back.
Operator Do you…
Urfan SHARIF I’ll inaudible myself…
Operator Is anyone else…
Urfan SHARIF …could you…
Operator …at the home with, with your daughter?
7
06:40 Urfan SHARIF No-one’s at home. Was just me. No-one is at home.
Operator Okay. Do you know the re…
Urfan SHARIF Could you please…
Operator Yeah, don’t worry, we’re already sending officers on the way.
Okay? What…, do you know the…
Urfan SHARIF Inaudible.
Operator …registration for the car that you’re driving?
Urfan SHARIF No.
Operator Whose car, is it?
07:02 Urfan SHARIF My Son.
It’s my son’s car, I’m not around, could you please go there? I get back to you soon. I, I’ll hand over myself. I’ll come to Woking Police Station.
Operator No, you need to go back to the address now. Okay? You need to go back to the address.
Urfan SHARIF I will.
Operator Okay?
What is your pho…
Urfan SHARIF Is somebody there right there?
Operator No. Listen to me. What is your phone number?
07:28 Urfan SHARIF It’s zero, double seven…
Operator Yep.
Urfan SHARIF Seven, zero, seven, zero, seven, four, two, four…
Operator Slow down.
Urfan SHARIF …seven, four, six, two.
Operator Slow down. Slow down. Slow down. 0-7-7…
Urfan SHARIF No, seven, four…
Operator …0-7-4…
Urfan SHARIF Two, four, seven, four
Operator …2-4-7-4…
Urfan SHARIF Six, two, eight, five.
Operator So where… where are you? I know you said you were driving, but can you see a road? Where are you right now?
8
Urfan SHARIF Um, I, I cannot give more detail, I… I promise I’ll come back. I’ll, I’ll find, I’ll, I’ll face the death sentence.
Operator I, I need to know where you are.
Urfan SHARIF No response.
Operator Okay. I, like, give me a landmark, give me anything. Where are you? Do you know what town you’re in?
Urfan SHARIF I don’t know.
Operator Okay. So, if you live in Woking, do… are you driving through Guildford, are you driving through West Byfleet, are you driving through Ald…, Aldershot? Where, where are you driving right now?
0:08:34 Recording ends.