Sara Sharif's 'sadistic' killers jailed for murder
Baku, December 17, AZERTAC
The "sadistic" father and stepmother of 10-year-old Sara Sharif have been jailed for life for her murder.
According to BBC, Sara was hooded, burned and beaten during a "campaign of torture" that lasted two years before her body was found at the family home in Woking, Surrey, in 2023.
At the Old Bailey, her father Urfan Sharif, 43, was sentenced to a minimum of 40 years in prison for murder, while her stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, received a minimum of 33 years.
Sara's uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was sentenced to 16 years' imprisonment for causing or allowing her death.
Mr Justice Cavanagh told the court "the degree of cruelty involved is almost inconceivable".
"You Beinash Batool did not stand in Urfan Sharif's way. You encouraged Urfan Sharif in his assaults," he said.
The judge said Sara's "despicable treatment" took place in "plain sight" of the rest of the family.
In a statement read out in court, Sara's mother, Olga Domin, said the defendants were "sadists", adding: "Although even this word is not enough for you. I would say you are executioners."
Paying tribute to her daughter, Ms Domin said: "She is now an angel who looks down on us from heaven. She is no longer experiencing violence.
"I hoped that when she grew up would we meet, but now that won't happen."
The trial heard how a post-mortem examination found Sara had suffered injuries including six probable human bite marks, an iron burn and scalding from hot water before she died on 8 August last year.
Next to Sara's body, which was found by police in a bunkbed, was a note in her father's handwriting, which read: "Whoever see this note, it's me Urfan Sharif who killed my daughter by beating."
During the trial, Sharif claimed he came home on the evening of 8 August 2023 to find his wife sitting on the floor in the couple's bedroom, holding Sara.
Giving evidence, he said Batool told him the girl had fallen down the stairs while playing with another child, and that she was "being dramatic".
Sharif's reaction was to "whack" Sara in the stomach twice with a pole for "pretending", jurors heard.
He previously said he also gave his daughter CPR for 10 minutes, but Batool told him to stop.
Sharif said that when he asked where the ambulance was, Batool replied: "There's no need because she's dead."
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