Three members of 10-year-old Sara Sharif’s family, including her father, have pleaded not guilty to her murder.
The youngster’s father, Urfan Sharif, stepmother, Beinash Batool, and uncle, Faisal Malik, are accused of killing the child, whose body was discovered at her home in Woking, Surrey, on August 10.
All three appeared at the Old Bailey via video-link on Thursday and pleaded not guilty ahead of a trial in September next year.
They also pleaded not guilty to causing or allowing the death of a child between December 16 2022 and August 9 2023.
A previous court hearing was told that police found Sara’s body under a blanket on a bunk bed at her home after receiving a call from Pakistan, which lasted eight minutes and 34 seconds, at 2.47am on August 10.
The court was also told the defendants had booked a flight to the country two days earlier.
Prosecutors told the Old Bailey that Sara was found to have “a constellation of healed and healing injuries”.
They also said that police found the body after receiving a call from Pakistan.
The day before her body was discovered, the three defendants had left the UK for Pakistan with five children.
They returned to the UK on September 13 and were arrested on landing at Gatwick Airport.
Sara’s death prompted an outpouring of grief among the local community. Flowers and tributes were left outside the home, with one poignant message simply saying: “Sweet girl.
“I’m so sorry that your sparkle was put out too soon. Rest in peace.”
