Teacher noticed bruises on Sara Sharif’s face, court hears

A TEACHER at Sara Sharif’s school observed bruises on the 10-year-old’s face five months before her death, the Old Bailey court heard.

Helen Simmons, who taught Sara in Year 4 and Year 5, testified that in March 2023, Sara explained her injuries by saying she “had fallen over on some roller-skates,” the BBC reported.

Sara’s body was discovered in her family’s home in Woking, Surrey, in August 2023, with multiple injuries. Her father, Urfan Sharif, 42, stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30, and uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, deny the charges of murder and are currently on trial.

Simmons recalled observing a bruise on Sara’s chin and cheek and mentioned that the school, St Mary’s Primary in West Byfleet, had referred the case to Social Services after Sara’s inconsistent accounts of her injuries.

She described a later incident when Batool approached her and claimed a bruise on Sara’s face was from “a pen,” adding defensively, “Before I jumped to conclusions again, it was just a pen.”

Simmons also noted that Sara had been taken out of school twice for home-schooling, first in June 2022 and later in April 2023, with her family citing concerns over her academic progress and friendships, according to the BBC.

The court was previously informed that Sara suffered abuse over two years. Jurors heard that Batool allegedly swore at Sara’s siblings, and a witness reported seeing her drag the children.

The defendants were arrested after travelling to Pakistan in August 2023, the day before Sara’s body was discovered.

They also face charges of causing or allowing the death of a child, which they deny.