Sarah Sharif's father admitted he was “selfish” and a “bad father” after lying about his 10-year-old daughter's death to protect himself.
Urfan Sharif said on Wednesday that he took “full responsibility” for his 10-year-old daughter's death, admitting that he had beaten her with a cricket bat and a metal rod.
And today he told the court that previous lies about what happened meant he was unreliable and that he had now accepted responsibility for her death.
Sharif, 42, his wife Baynash Batur, 30, and his brother Faisal Malik, 29, died before Sarah was found dead in her bunk bed at home. , is on trial at the Old Bailey for carrying out a violent “campaign of abuse”. Woking Surrey on August 10, 2023.
They accuse him of killing Sara on August 8 before fleeing to Pakistan. The family returned from Pakistan a month later and were arrested at Gatwick Airport.
Mr Sharif, a taxi driver, was asked by Mr Malik's agent Michael Ivers KC why he returned from Pakistan.
Ivers asked. “At first you said you had come back to lie to protect yourself.” [a member of the family] Then I came back and told lies to protect myself. ”
Sharif replied: “I was selfish.”
Mr. Ivers reminded Mr. Sharif on the witness stand that he had been blaming his wife for the girl's death for six days before saying he was responsible for Sarah's death.
He asked Sharif at the beginning of Thursday's hearing: “Do you think there is a credibility issue?”
Sharif replied, “Yes, I am.” When asked why, Sharif replied, “Because I didn't tell the truth.”
Ivers asked. “In your case, before the change, you only learned of the other injuries at the police station. Was that true?”
Sharif answered “no”.
An autopsy revealed that Sarah had 71 injuries, including broken bones, burns, and bite marks.
Ms. Ivers reminded Ms. Sharif that she had cried in front of the jury before.
“Your actions were not about grieving your daughter's death, but about trying to separate these 12 people from the pack of life,” he said.
Sharif replied: “I lied, 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 broken she is, right?” I don't want to upset people, but I'm sure she must have screamed and cried, and who knows what heaven would do? ” Ivers said.
Sharif nodded at the dock.
He claimed he was telling the truth when he denied abusing Sara's mother, Olga, and two other girlfriends.
Ivers noted that all three women claim that Sharif locked them up and took their passports.
Mr Sharif, Mr Batool and Mr Malik all deny murder or causing or allowing the child's death.
The trial continues.
