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| ‘Evil’ wife made me slap daughter, father of Sara Sharif tells court | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Urfan Sharif denied beating, burning and biting Sara and said he saw no bruises on her body | Urfan Sharif denied beating, burning and biting Sara and said he saw no bruises on her body |
| The father of Sara Sharif described his wife as a “psycho” as he suggested she was responsible for biting his daughter “like an animal”, a court has heard. | The father of Sara Sharif described his wife as a “psycho” as he suggested she was responsible for biting his daughter “like an animal”, a court has heard. |
| Urfan Sharif admitted slapping Sara but said it was only because his wife, Beinash Batool, would accuse the 10-year-old of misbehaving. | Urfan Sharif admitted slapping Sara but said it was only because his wife, Beinash Batool, would accuse the 10-year-old of misbehaving. |
| The taxi driver denied beating, burning and biting Sara and pointed to Batool sitting in the dock and said: “I never knew I was living with evil and psycho.” | The taxi driver denied beating, burning and biting Sara and pointed to Batool sitting in the dock and said: “I never knew I was living with evil and psycho.” |
| Sharif, 42, Batool, 30, and Sara’s paternal uncle Faisal Malik, 29, are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of carrying out a violent “campaign of abuse” before the schoolgirl was found dead in a bunk bed at the family home in Surrey on 10 August 2023. | Sharif, 42, Batool, 30, and Sara’s paternal uncle Faisal Malik, 29, are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of carrying out a violent “campaign of abuse” before the schoolgirl was found dead in a bunk bed at the family home in Surrey on 10 August 2023. |
| The defendants allegedly killed Sara on 8 August before fleeing to Pakistan, from where Sharif called police to say he had “beat her up too much”. He had left a handwritten “confession” near her fully clothed body saying: “I swear to God that my intention was not to kill her. But I lost it.” | The defendants allegedly killed Sara on 8 August before fleeing to Pakistan, from where Sharif called police to say he had “beat her up too much”. He had left a handwritten “confession” near her fully clothed body saying: “I swear to God that my intention was not to kill her. But I lost it.” |
| A postmortem found Sara had suffered fractures and 71 external injuries, including burns from an iron and human bite marks. | A postmortem found Sara had suffered fractures and 71 external injuries, including burns from an iron and human bite marks. |
| Giving evidence for the third day, Sharif said Batool, Sara’s stepmother, would always accuse the schoolgirl of misbehaving. | Giving evidence for the third day, Sharif said Batool, Sara’s stepmother, would always accuse the schoolgirl of misbehaving. |
| Pointing to Batool in the dock, Sharif angrily said: “That poor girl has always been accused by that psycho sitting there, that psycho sitting there. She always accused my daughter ... Nothing happened when I was at home. She always accused her for every single thing that happened at home.” | Pointing to Batool in the dock, Sharif angrily said: “That poor girl has always been accused by that psycho sitting there, that psycho sitting there. She always accused my daughter ... Nothing happened when I was at home. She always accused her for every single thing that happened at home.” |
| His barrister, Naeem Mian KC, then asked: “Did you beat the crap out of Sara?” Sharif replied: “No, sir. I have slapped her, not once, not twice, multiple times, it’s only because I was made to … my daughter Sara was doing everything to make her life hell.” | His barrister, Naeem Mian KC, then asked: “Did you beat the crap out of Sara?” Sharif replied: “No, sir. I have slapped her, not once, not twice, multiple times, it’s only because I was made to … my daughter Sara was doing everything to make her life hell.” |
| Sharif said Batool would say, “Look what your kid is doing,” but he added: “I should not have believed her. I never knew that I’m living with evil and psycho.” | Sharif said Batool would say, “Look what your kid is doing,” but he added: “I should not have believed her. I never knew that I’m living with evil and psycho.” |
| Pointing to the dock again, he said: “I will explain everything … that the one that sits there, who’s showing us that she is very good, I will show what kind of life she gave to my kids at that time.” | Pointing to the dock again, he said: “I will explain everything … that the one that sits there, who’s showing us that she is very good, I will show what kind of life she gave to my kids at that time.” |
| Mian replied: “According to her, you’re the psycho.” Sharif responded: “No. Did I bite my Sara? Did I burn my Sara?” | Mian replied: “According to her, you’re the psycho.” Sharif responded: “No. Did I bite my Sara? Did I burn my Sara?” |
| Jurors previously heard that Sharif and Malik provided their dental impressions to show they were not responsible for the bite marks, but that Batool refused to provide hers. | Jurors previously heard that Sharif and Malik provided their dental impressions to show they were not responsible for the bite marks, but that Batool refused to provide hers. |
| Sharif added: “I gave my dental impression to figure out the person who bit my daughter like an animal on her whole arm and thighs. I didn’t do it. Faisal didn’t do it. Who else was at home?” | Sharif added: “I gave my dental impression to figure out the person who bit my daughter like an animal on her whole arm and thighs. I didn’t do it. Faisal didn’t do it. Who else was at home?” |
| Sharif told jurors he was told it was Sara’s decision to start wearing a hijab at around nine years old and that Batool told him to let her “get into the habit” of wearing the head covering at home as well. | Sharif told jurors he was told it was Sara’s decision to start wearing a hijab at around nine years old and that Batool told him to let her “get into the habit” of wearing the head covering at home as well. |
| He denied seeing bruises on Sara’s body, only a “scratch on the nose” as his daughter wore the hijab, long sleeves, leggings and socks even when she was at home. | He denied seeing bruises on Sara’s body, only a “scratch on the nose” as his daughter wore the hijab, long sleeves, leggings and socks even when she was at home. |
| Sharif also claimed Batool told him in July 2023 that Sara had started wearing a nappy because she “could not control her bladder” but that this was “normal” for growing girls as their bodies changed. | Sharif also claimed Batool told him in July 2023 that Sara had started wearing a nappy because she “could not control her bladder” but that this was “normal” for growing girls as their bodies changed. |
| Sharif told jurors: “Sara wet herself a few times. Beinash told me we need to put her in a nappy, she’s growing up, she’s going through that time of the month.” | Sharif told jurors: “Sara wet herself a few times. Beinash told me we need to put her in a nappy, she’s growing up, she’s going through that time of the month.” |
| Mian asked: “Are you just making this up because you, the psycho, burnt Sara? You burnt her so badly that she wasn’t able to sit down. With an iron. Did you burn, did you brand Sara on her bottom?” | Mian asked: “Are you just making this up because you, the psycho, burnt Sara? You burnt her so badly that she wasn’t able to sit down. With an iron. Did you burn, did you brand Sara on her bottom?” |
| Sharif replied “No” and added that Sara was not allowed to do the ironing because it was dangerous. Jurors have previously heard witnesses say they saw Sara carrying out chores, including taking the washing and bins out. | Sharif replied “No” and added that Sara was not allowed to do the ironing because it was dangerous. Jurors have previously heard witnesses say they saw Sara carrying out chores, including taking the washing and bins out. |
| Sharif said: “She even washed the dishes on the day she passed away, she even put the laundry in the machine the day she passed away.” | Sharif said: “She even washed the dishes on the day she passed away, she even put the laundry in the machine the day she passed away.” |
| He said he did not notice Sara had any mobility issues in the days before she died. | He said he did not notice Sara had any mobility issues in the days before she died. |
| All three defendants have denied murder and causing or allowing the death of a child between 16 December 2022 and 9 August 2023. | All three defendants have denied murder and causing or allowing the death of a child between 16 December 2022 and 9 August 2023. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |