The brutal murder of 10-year-old Sara Sharif sent shockwaves worldwide, leaving hearts broken and igniting fury against her father, Urfan Sharif, who admitted to the savage killing of his young daughter.
But the story doesn’t stop with the horrific abuse that led to Sara’s death. The details are deeply unsettling.
A Child’s Nightmare
On August 8, 2023, the world learned of Sara Sharif, a vibrant 10-year-old whose life was tragically cut short. According to BBC, Sara endured a two-year “campaign of torture” in her family’s home in Woking, Surrey, where she was hooded, burned, and beaten. Her lifeless body was found in a bunkbed alongside a chilling confession note in her father’s handwriting: “Whoever sees this note, it’s me, Urfan Sharif, who killed my daughter by beating. I am running away because I am scared.”
Urfan claimed he didn’t mean to kill her, writing, “I swear to God my intention was not to kill her. But I lost it.” Shockingly, the day before Sara’s body was discovered, Urfan, along with his wife Beinash Batool and Sara’s uncle Faisal Malik, fled to Pakistan.
Justice Catches Up
After an intense weeks-long international manhunt, the trio—Urfan, 42, Beinash Batool, 30, and Faisal Malik, 29—were apprehended and charged. Court proceedings revealed the horrifying extent of Sara’s suffering: over 70 injuries, including 11 spinal fractures, a traumatic brain injury, a burn from a domestic iron, and human bite marks.
Initially denying involvement, Urfan later confessed in court, saying, “She died because of me.” On December 17, 2024, he was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 40 years. Batool received life with a minimum of 33 years, and Malik was given 16 years for causing or allowing a child’s death. Mr. Justice Cavanagh called their actions a “campaign of torture” with “inconceivable cruelty.”
Sara’s birth mother, Olga Domin, delivered a powerful statement in court, labeling the trio “sadists” and saying, “This word is not enough for you. I would say you are executioners.” She added, “Sara is now an angel watching us from heaven, no longer suffering violence.”
Prison Justice
Inside HMP Belmarsh, dubbed Britain’s Guantanamo Bay, Urfan faced a harsh reality. In prison, there’s an unwritten code among inmates that condemns crimes against children. Word of Urfan’s heinous act spread quickly, marking him as a target.
A source told The Sun that Urfan “tried to keep his head down,” but inmates, despite their own serious crimes, were outraged by his actions. On New Year’s Day, just weeks into his sentence, two prisoners, “sickened by his abuse of Sara,” attacked him in his cell with a makeshift weapon—a jagged tuna can lid. “He was sliced in the neck and face and is still in healthcare, in bad shape,” the source said. Urfan survived but needed stitches and will carry permanent scars.
Guards had tried to protect him, knowing his high-profile case made him vulnerable, but the attack was “always on the cards,” the source added. “A lot of inmates are saying it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving guy.” Reports suggest one attacker was Steve Sansom, a lifer convicted of murdering and dismembering Sarah Mayhew in 2024 and previously killing cab driver Terrence Boyle in 1999.
What Do You Think?
This chilling case raises tough questions about justice, both in court and behind bars. What are your thoughts on the attack on Urfan Sharif? Share your views in the comments, and pass this story along to spark a conversation with your friends!
