Sara Sharif’s father has admitted being “selfish” and a “bad father” by lying to protect himself over the death of his 10-year-old daughter.
He told a court on Thursday that his previous lies about what happened meant he had no credibility, now that he had accepted responsibility for her death. It came a day after Sharif dramatically said he took “full responsibility” for Sara’s death and admitted beating her with a cricket bat and a metal pole.
Sharif, 42, his wife, Beinash Batool, 30, and his brother Faisal Malik, 29, are on trial at the Old Bailey in London, accused of carrying out a violent “campaign of abuse” before Sara was found dead in a bunk bed at the family home in Woking, Surrey, on 10 August 2023.
They are accusing of killing Sara on 8 August before fleeing to Pakistan. The family returned from Pakistan a month later and were arrested at Gatwick. Sharif, a taxi driver, was asked by Michael Ivers KC, representing Malik, about why he returned from Pakistan.
Ivers said: “You were originally saying you came back to lie to protect [a member of the family] and then you’ve come back and told a pack of lies to protect yourself.”
Sharif replied: “I’ve been selfish.”
Ivers reminded Sharif that before saying he was responsible for Sara’s death, he had blamed his wife for the girl’s death for six days in the witness box. He began Thursday’s hearing by asking Sharif: “Do you think you have a credibility problem?”.
Sharif agreed, and when asked why, said: “Because I didn’t tell the truth.”
Ivers asked: “Your case had been, before you changed it, that you had only learned of other injuries for the first time at the police station. Was that true?”
Sharif replied: “No.”
A postmortem examination found Sara had fractures and 71 external injuries, including burns and human bite marks. Ivers reminded Sharif that he previously cried in front of the jury. “Your actions weren’t you mourning the loss of your daughter but you seeking to persuade these 12 people of a pack of lives,” he said.
Sharif replied: “I did lie but you can’t imagine my pain. I’m a bad father, a very bad father, but I’m still a father.”
Ivers also asked Sharif if he had imagined his daughter’s pain. “You know how many broken bones she suffered, don’t you?” Ivers said. “I don’t want to upset people, but she must have screamed, cried and heaven knows what?.”
Sharif nodded in the dock. He claimed he was telling the truth when he denied abusing Sara’s mother, Olga, and two other girlfriends. Ivers pointed out that all three women alleged they had been locked up and had their passports taken away by Sharif.
Later Sharif was accused of going back on his admission of responsibility for Sara’s death. He was reminded by the prosecutor, William Emlyn Jones KC, that he admitted on Wednesday to hitting Sara with a cricket back intending to cause her serious harm.
Sharif said: “I never intended to do that.”
Emlyn Jones said: “Unfortunately, you’ve realised that you’re admitting murder,” to which Sharif said he had not intended to kill Sara.
“You are still trying to get away with murder,” Emyln Jones said. “You’re having to backpedal from yesterday’s admission.”
Sharif responded: “My daughter died, I take full responsibility.”
Emyln Jones put it to Sharif that it did not seem like he was taking full responsibility: “It feels like you’re wriggling.”
Sharif replied: “I take full responsibility that she died because of my actions, but I did not want to kill her.”
Emlyn Jones suggested that by the “dramatic change” in his account Sharif had altered his plan from blaming his wife and brother for Sara’s death to now trying to protect them. He said: “Your new plan, your plan B so to speak, in this case involves covering for Mr Malik. And are you covering for Ms Batool?”
Sharif replied: “I have been selfish blaming other people for something they did not do.”
Sharif said he did not know how Sara sustained burns. Emlyn Jones said: “If you didn’t burn her with an iron and pour boiling water on her feet, we have more than one abuser in the house.”
Sharif said: “I don’t know.”
Sharif, Batool and Malik all deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a child. The trial continues.
