Sara Sharif’s father attacked women, burned children and tried to orchestrate ‘sham marriage’ to stay in Britain before allegedly beating 10-year-old daughter to death, court told

Sara Sharif’s father threatened to kill a woman and attacked children including a one-month-old baby before he allegedly killed his daughter, a court has heard.

Urfan Sharif, 42, once held a woman at knifepoint threatening to kill her and he tried to choke another victim with a belt, it was said.

The Old Bailey heard that the taxi driver had a history of abuse, targeting three women and burning and hitting two children years before he allegedly beat the 10-year-old schoolgirl to death last August.

He was accused of being a ‘lying, manipulative and controlling man’ who preyed on vulnerable women, controlling their finances and attempting to orchestrate a ‘sham marriage’ in order to stay in the UK.

Jurors were told that the defendant had been arrested multiple times for alleged abuse of women and children, including assaulting a one-month-old baby.

Sara Sharif (pictured) suffered dozens of injuries, including burns from an iron, human bite marks and signs of restraint, before she died 

Sara's father Urfan Sharif being arrested by police at Gatwick Airport. He reportedly threatened to kill a woman and attacked children before allegedly killing his daughter

Sara’s father Urfan Sharif being arrested by police at Gatwick Airport. He reportedly threatened to kill a woman and attacked children before allegedly killing his daughter

Two children allegedly suffered bruises, slaps, bites and burns to their legs and face, including marks made with an iron.

One of the youngsters was also punched all over their body, it was claimed.

Years before Sara’s murder, Sharif was accused of choking one woman and tightening a belt around her neck during a fit of rage.

He also threatened another victim with a knife, the court was told.

But he was never prosecuted after Sharif insisted his accusers were all liars.

Social services and police were alerted to allegations of violence dating back more than a decade before Sharif killed his daughter with the help of his third wife Beinash Batool, jurors heard.

The schoolgirl suffered at least 71 external injuries from being bitten, burned with an iron and battered with a cricket bat, belt and a pole.

Sharif, who came to the UK from Pakistan on a student visa in 2003, is said to have travelled to Poland in search of a woman to marry so that he could obtain an EU passport.

One 18-year-old woman told police that Sharif had taken her passport and smashed up her phone shouting: ‘Shut your f****** mouth or I will kill you’.

She claimed that Sharif held her at knifepoint and threatened to kill her before she managed to escape.

A court sketch of Urfan Sharif (right) and Sara's uncle Faisal Malik (left) appearing by video link from HMP Belmarsh for a trial at the Old Bailey in September 2023

A court sketch of Urfan Sharif (right) and Sara’s uncle Faisal Malik (left) appearing by video link from HMP Belmarsh for a trial at the Old Bailey in September 2023

Sara suffered at least 71 external injuries from being bitten, burned with an iron and battered with a cricket bat, a belt and a pole

Sara suffered at least 71 external injuries from being bitten, burned with an iron and battered with a cricket bat, a belt and a pole

Another woman was held captive for five days in Sharif’s home, her passport was taken and she was subjected to threatening emails, the court heard.

As Sharif’s student visa was about to run out he married a Polish woman called Olga, but he later secretly married a second woman in Pakistan.

Caroline Carberry, KC, defending Batool, told jurors that social services were concerned that Olga was a vulnerable woman with possible learning difficulties who was at risk of exploitation.

Ms Carberry suggested Sharif had a history of gambling and heavy drinking, with 11 default credit accounts and a county court debt judgement.

Ms Carberry asked: ‘You are a lying, manipulative and controlling man, aren’t you?”

Sharif replied: ‘No, I am not.’

He denied biting and burning children saying: ‘I’m not cruel, I’m not an animal.’

Ms Carberry went on: ‘It was little Sara who suffered the most at your hands, isn’t it?’

A police cordon at the family home in Woking, Surrey, where Sara's body was found

A police cordon at the family home in Woking, Surrey, where Sara’s body was found 

Faisal Malik, 29, being arrested at Gatwickk Airport in September 2023. Both he and Urfan deny murder and causing or allowing Sara's death

Faisal Malik, 29, being arrested at Gatwickk Airport in September 2023. Both he and Urfan deny murder and causing or allowing Sara’s death

She told jurors that social workers observed how Sara would ‘flinch’ when she was cuddled by her father.

Female social workers also accused Sharif of being coercive and abusive towards them.

Sara was found dead at her home in Woking, Surrey on August 10, 2023 after Sharif and Batool fled to Pakistan where he later made a 999 call saying: ‘I killed my daughter’.

Sharif, Batool and Sara’s uncle Faisal Malik, 29 all deny murder and causing or allowing her death.

The trial continues.

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