Sara Sharif’s father accused of abusing three girlfriends

A court has heard that Urfan Sharif, the father of Sara Sharif, faced accusations of mistreating three former girlfriends prior to his daughter's death.

The 42-year-old is said to have been reported to the police by three unrelated women, all of whom claimed he confined them and exhibited controlling behaviour.

Sara was found dead in her Surrey home on 10 August 2023, having sustained numerous injuries. Her father, Urfan along with his wife, Beinash Batool, 30, and brother Faisal Malik, 29, is accused of causing Sara’s death.

Prosecutors claim Sara endured ongoing abuse leading up to her death. The trio have denied the murder charge, as well as a separate charge of causing or allowing the death of a child.

During the trial, new details emerged about Urfan's alleged abusive history involving three different women, including Sara's mother, Olga.

Caroline Carberry KC, the defence barrister for Batool, presented evidence of previous allegations made against him. These included claims of violence, imprisonment, and intimidation reported by three unconnected women dating back to 2007.

Each woman accused Urfan of controlling behaviour, and all alleged that he had held them against their will and restricted their movements. He denied these claims, arguing they were false accusations.

According to court documents, in one incident, Urfan reportedly held a girlfriend in a locked room, confiscated her passport, and used physical threats. A later report indicated another woman experienced a similar ordeal, during which she alleged that he detained her and confiscated her travel documents. Each accusation, however, ended without charges.

Olga, who is also Sara’s biological mother, provided further allegations against Urfan during the trial. She accused him of assault, restricting her communication, and using violent punishment. Carberry stated that Olga’s accusations reflected a pattern of control and abuse. Urfan refuted these claims, maintaining that the charges were fabricated.

Meanwhile, it was also revealed that Sara shouted at her father to “go away” during a supervised contact session in 2015 when she was a toddler. At the time, she was not living with her father.

The jury heard that by 2019, Sara was living with her mother but later accused her of neglect and violence. Sara alleged that her mother smoked cannabis, neglected to feed her, left her alone with another child, and burned her with a lighter.

Urfan recorded these claims in a video, which ultimately contributed to a court decision awarding custody of Sara to him and his new wife, Batool.

The court also heard that Batool was a victim of "honour-based abuse" and described as vulnerable when she met Urfan.

Carberry KC argued that she was isolated and struggling, with a past marked by family rejection and time in a refuge after being deemed a "shame" by older family members.

The lawyer claimed that Urfan sought out vulnerable partners and was abusive, with Batool suffering his controlling behaviour and manipulation. A message from Batool to her sister showed her despair, calling her relationship with him “abusive.”

During the trial, Urfan dismissed accusations of abuse and claimed Batool was not vulnerable. The jury also reviewed past court orders requiring him to attend a domestic violence program, which he largely failed to complete. Despite this history, he later gained custody of Sara.

The court also reviewed details surrounding Sara’s final days. A video shown during the trial depicted Sara with a black eye shortly before her death. He, however, denied any knowledge of how she received the injury, claiming he could not recall it.

The defence has portrayed Urfan as someone with a history of gambling debts and excessive drinking, further suggesting these issues may have influenced his behaviour.

In response, he denied having an alcohol problem and insisted he never expressed anger towards his family members, particularly his children.

The trial is ongoing at the Old Bailey.