Sara Sharifs dad should have sentence increased to whole life order, court hears

The father of Sara Sharif should have been given a whole life order for his daughters murder, the Court of Appeal has been told.

Urfan Sharif and Beinash Batool were jailed for a minimum term of 40 years and 33 years respectively in December last year after being found guilty of the 10-year-olds murder.

Saras uncle, Faisal Malik, was found guilty of causing or allowing her death and was jailed for 16 years. All three are appealing for their sentences to be reduced.

At a hearing on Thursday, Tom Little KC, for the Solicitor General, asked the judge to increase Sharifs sentence, stating that Saras murder was a rare case of such "exceptionally high seriousness" that it warranted a whole life order.

Judges at the Court of Appeal are hearing the application on behalf of Lucy Rigby KC MP, who said Sharifs sentence of a minimum of 40 years was "unduly lenient".

Sara was found dead in a bunkbed at their family home in Woking, Surrey, in August 2023.

She suffered 71 injuries, including 25 broken bones, iron burns on her bottom, scalding marks to her feet and human bite marks.

In written submissions to the Court of Appeal, the Solicitor General said the judge was wrong not to impose a whole life order on Sharif.

She said the facts amounted to "the most horrendous and extensive period of torture in the victims own home".

The hearing continues.

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