British Couple Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for the Murder of 10-Year-Old Daughter Sara Shariff

london - A British couple has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of their 10-year-old daughter, Sara Shariff, who was found dead at their home in Woking, near London.

In August 2023, Sara Shariff was discovered dead in her bed with burns, bite marks, and broken bones. The court revealed that she had been beaten with a metal rod and a cricket bat, and was bound with a horrific combination of packaging tape, rope, and a plastic bag over her head.

Urfan Sharif (43) and his wife Beinash Batool (30) were found guilty last week of murdering Sara, despite their denials. They have been sentenced to at least 40 and 33 years in prison, respectively.

The judge described Sara as a victim of 'extremely cruel acts' and criticized Sharif and Batool for showing 'no remorse.' Sara's uncle, who lived with the couple, was sentenced to sixteen years in prison for 'causing or allowing' Sara's death.

The trio fled to Pakistan with five other children a day after Sara's death. Sara's father reported her death to the police from Pakistan, claiming in a note left at home that he did not intend to kill his daughter. They returned a month later and were arrested upon landing back in the UK. The other children remain in Pakistan.

The UK has expressed outrage over the abuse that Sara endured. Sharif was granted custody of Sara in 2019 following the breakdown of his marriage to her mother, despite previous allegations of abuse. Sara's school reported injuries to social services in March 2023, but no action was taken. Sharif started homeschooling Sara from April 2023.

The English Children's Commissioner revealed that Sara's death has exposed 'deep weaknesses in our child protection system' and has called for a ban on homeschooling for suspected abuse victims.