The father accused of murdering 10-year-old Sara Sharif wept in court and denied biting, burning or beating her to death.
The young girl was found dead at her home in Woking, Surrey, on August 10, 2023.
At the Old Bailey today, it was heard how Urfan Sharif, denied murder and causing or allowing the death of a child alongside wife Beinash Batool, 30, and Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29.
The family returned on September 13 last year from Pakistan and were arrested at Gatwick Airport
Defence barrister Naeem Mian, KC, directly asked Sharif: ‘Are you, Urfan Sharif, responsible for the death of Sara Sharif?’
Sharif replied: ‘No’.
Sharif also denied that he bit, burned or beat up his daughter with either a cricket bat or a white pole.
He wept in court and said: ‘She was beautiful, an angel, lovely, bubbly…her favourite food was chicken biryani and she hated eating bread.
‘Her hobby was playing guitar and singing, her wish for what she wanted to be when she grew up was a ballet dancer.
‘Her favourite adult was her grandad, my father. Her favourite colour was pink.’
Sharif was asked if he beat her and replied: ‘I did slap her. I have lots of flaws in my life, but I never beat her. Never.’
Mr Mian said Sharif had wrongly been cast as the ‘villain of the piece’ because he only disciplined her with a ‘slap’.
Sharif claimed Batool had hit him on the head with a lemon squeezer when he first wanted to leave and on another occasion attacked him with a broom.
He spoke quietly and was told to speak up so that the jury could hear what he was saying.
The court previously heard Sara was found dead lying on her bed at home.
Her body was found covered in bruises, bite marks, puncture wounds and abrasions from significant blunt force trauma.
She had 11 spinal fractures and had broken ribs, collar bone, shoulder blades, and broken arms, hands and some fingers fractured.
A post-mortem examination found she was beaten with objects, strangled, and was ‘left severely unwell, close to death’ from a series of head injuries.
But it was heard how Sharif believed Sara’s injuries were sustained in fights with other children.
Mr Mian said Sharif tried to give Sara CPR and begged for an ambulance to be called on August 8, but he was told ‘leave it, she’s dead’.
It was also heard how Sharif fought for the custody of Sara after he accused his ex-wife Olga Sharif of abusing Sara.
Jurors were also read texts between Batool and her sister Qandeela Saboohi, in which Batool suggests Sharif took a bank card and cash from her which prevented her from shopping for herself.
She said Sharif had been breaking things in the house and she wanted to end the relationship.
She sent a screenshot of messages between her and Sharif to her sister in which Sharif said both Batool and Sara made his life hell.
These messages allegedly said: ‘Once she is at home, sort her out before I do.
‘Neither of you can be trusted, you are both making life hell for people who care for you.
‘I’m done with you and now it will be her turn if either of you do anything silly.’
Sharif, Batool and Malik, all deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a child.
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