Latest news with #SaraSharif
BBC News
21-07-2025
- BBC News
Sara Sharif: Date set for inquest into death of 10-year-old girl
An inquest into the death of 10-year-old Sara Sharif will not take place until at least autumn 2026, a senior coroner has a pre-inquest review, senior Surrey coroner Richard Travers said he needed to receive documents from Surrey County Council to "really know" what he was dealing father Urfan Sharif and stepmother Beinash Batool were jailed for life in December after being found guilty of her was hooded, burned and beaten during a two-year period before her body was found at the family home in Woking in 2023. Her uncle, Faisal Malik, who was living with the family at the time of her death, was convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child. 'Tip of the iceberg' Sara's mother Olga Domin told the pre-inquest review hearing that her daughter was "the most adorable and beautiful little girl".Ms Domin said she was determined to honour Sara's memory by "establishing why she ended up in a situation where her life was taken from her in the cruellest of ways".Matthew Turner, Ms Domin's barrister, said Surrey County Council social services and Sara's school, St Mary's Primary School in Byfleet, may need legal representation at the inquest."Teachers from the school saw injuries to Sara and made a safeguarding referral or referrals. That might be the tip of the iceberg," he said. In December, the BBC revealed that Sara was in foster care twice by the age of Turner said the inquest would touch upon the home schooling framework, which he said was of "national importance".It was revealed during the criminal trial that Sara began wearing a hijab to hide her injuries in January 2023 after her school noticed bruises on her was later withdrawn from mainstream education and home-schooled. Mr Turner said Batool also sent messages to her sisters about what Sara's father was doing to her."The question arises – what was known by the wider Batool family and what they did about it, if anything? They could be the subject of some criticism," he said.
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Urfan Sharif: New Mail podcast examines how 'monster' who murdered his daughter exploited vulnerable women to stay in UK
A new Mail podcast series investigates the brutal murder of 10-year-old Sara Sharif by her father Urfan and stepmother Bainash Batool in 2023. The first episode of ' On The Case: The Murder of Sara Sharif ' examines how Urfan, a Pakistani national, left a trail of abused women in his wake while seeking an EU national to marry - in order to remain in the UK. Hosted by investigative journalist Andy Jehring - who reported on the case from the discovery of Sara's body to Urfan's sentencing to life imprisonment in December 2024 - the episode features an exclusive interview with the killer's first girlfriend in the UK. Polish national 'Angelika', who was only 17 when she met 26-year-old Urfan working at Burger King, describes a deeply insecure man whose desire to abuse those closest to him often trumped his mission to secure UK residency. Urfan Sharif: From Abusive Partner to Child Killer Urfan Sharif travelled to the UK from Pakistan in 2003 on a student visa paid for by his father Mohamed's military pension. The plan was for Urfan to work and send money back to the family. Working at a Burger King in 2007, he met 17-year-old 'Angelika'. After four years in the UK completing a Business Management course, Urfan knew time was running out to find someone to marry and secure his immigration status. The pair began dating, and Angelika told the podcast that initially, Urfan treated her like 'a princess.' 'He was very wonderful in the beginning', she revealed. 'I felt very safe – he acted almost like a bodyguard. He knew where I was going. He called my friends to tell them to look after me. They would give him information about where I was, who I was talking to. 'I was young, I didn't see the red flags.' By the winter of 2007, Angelika said the 'devil emerged in Urfan' as his paranoia turned violent. Relaxing at home on a break from work, she alleges Urfan burst through the door and launched himself at her. Pinned against the sofa, he held a knife at her throat, telling her: 'you're mine and only mine.' Urfan proceeded to punch Angelika in the face, steal her possessions and lock her inside the house. Angelika reported the incident to Surrey police but decided against pursuing charges against him. Jehring explained her reasons why: 'At this time, Angelika was in her late teens, living in a foreign country, with a limited grasp of English. 'Urfan was almost a decade older, and not only had he completely taken over her life – but he'd also managed to hoodwink her friends and family into thinking he was a decent man. 'This meant those closest to Angelika leant on her not to take things any further.' Angelika returned to Urfan, became pregnant with his child, but later miscarried. Responding to the news, Urfan would again reveal his true colours. 'I was crying like a kid, and he told me, you had a f***ing abortion, you b****', Angelika said. 'Then, he punched me in the face – it was very painful, not only losing a child but having Urfan accuse me of having an abortion.' After this incident, she left him and fled back to Poland, but Urfan pursued her. On this trip searching for Angelika, he would meet another woman, 21-year-old Olga Denim. Olga was convinced to marry Urfan and accompany him to the UK, securing his immigration status. 'They were married quickly and started a family in the ensuing months', Jehring said. 'Social services were repeatedly called to the house. Urfan had gambling and drinking problems – and was fully removed from the family home at one point. 'It was against this toxic backdrop that Olga fell pregnant with their daughter - Sara Sharif.' To find out how Urfan got sole custody over Sara, search for 'On The Case: The Murder of Sara Sharif' now, wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes released every Wednesday. To listen to all 3 episodes today ad-free, subscribe to The Crime Desk, the home of arresting podcasts from The Daily Mail.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Call to end postcode lottery in children's social care after Sara Sharif tragedy
The Government has been urged to end the postcode lottery in children's social care after the tragic death of Sara Sharif. Sara was just 10 years old when she was murdered in her own home by her father and stepmother in 2023, despite being known to social services her whole life. Liberal Democrat peer Lord Mohammed of Tinsley has tabled amendments to the Children's Wellbeing And Schools Bill that aim to give a 'basic level of protection' to every child. The former youth worker told the House of Lords on Thursday: 'Every child, no matter where they live or what challenges they face, should be guaranteed a basic level of protection.' One of his amendments, dubbed Sara's Law, would introduce national standards for accessing and receiving support through 'children in need plans' to help reduce regional variations in the type, frequency and duration of support provided. A second amendment would establish the Child Protection Authority, a body that would work to improve child protection practices, advise Government and the sector, and conduct inspections. Lord Mohammed told peers: 'Neither of these proposals are theoretical. Both are urgent responses to real-world system failures, failures that we have seen repeated with devastating consequences across our country… 'We cannot ignore the repeated failures of the current framework. 'The names of Sara Sharif, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson will remain etched in our nation's conscience for years to come. 'Each of these children were known to professionals. Each was failed by a system that saw the risk, but lacked the clarity, coordination and accountability to prevent harm.' Section 17 of the Children's Act 1989 places a duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of children 'in need', those whose health or development would suffer without additional support. However, thresholds are set at a local level, which results in a 'stark regional disparity', Lord Mohammed added. He told peers: 'In the absence of a national threshold or quality standards, this power is deployed in a deeply inconsistent way… 'It creates a system in which access to help is determined, not by a child's vulnerability, but by their postcode.' He added that the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) found that existing child protection mechanisms are 'fragmented, inconsistent and insufficiently accountable'. The former MEP concluded: 'This isn't about removing local flexibility levels, it's about setting a national baseline for protection so that a child's right to support is not dependent on what they have.' Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza has declared her support for the national thresholds proposed by Lord Mohammed, a move that aligns with her own recommendations. Dame Rachel said ahead of the debate: 'Sara Sharif died when she became invisible to local services. 'All the warning signs were missed – a history of domestic abuse, bruises on her body, being removed from school – because her circumstances did not warrant help or support from professionals in Surrey, despite having been known to the local authority since birth. 'As the Children's Wellbeing And Schools Bill returns to Parliament, I urge peers to support the proposed amendment to set national thresholds for triggering an assessment by social care, ending the postcode lottery in children's social care that is putting young lives at risk. 'I also urge them to take this opportunity to give children equal protection from assault, which Sara was cruelly denied. 'My own research shows alarming variation in how and when different areas step in to protect and support a vulnerable child – no child's safety should be determined by inconsistent local decisions. 'The time to act is now, and this amendment is a huge step forward in making sure no child slips through the net.' Responding, education minister Baroness Smith of Malvern said: 'Prescriptive national criteria with automatic referrals would risk narrowing the cohort of children, actually limiting local flexibility in providing support.' She said the existing legislation on providing services to children in need gave local authorities discretion. Lady Smith added: 'A danger of being specific in the way suggested here is that groups are left out, narrowing the cohort who receive support, exactly in fact, what the amendment is seeking to avoid.' The minister also insisted that there was national guidance to local areas on safeguarding children. She added: 'This Government is absolutely committed to protecting children from significant harm, providing the right support at the right time, and ultimately improving outcomes so that all children can thrive.'
The Independent
19-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Call to end postcode lottery in children's social care after Sara Sharif tragedy
The Government has been urged to end the postcode lottery in children's social care after the tragic death of Sara Sharif. Sara was just 10 years old when she was murdered in her own home by her father and stepmother in 2023, despite being known to social services her whole life. Liberal Democrat peer Lord Mohammed of Tinsley has tabled amendments to the Children's Wellbeing And Schools Bill that aim to give a 'basic level of protection' to every child. The former youth worker told the House of Lords on Thursday: 'Every child, no matter where they live or what challenges they face, should be guaranteed a basic level of protection.' One of his amendments, dubbed Sara's Law, would introduce national standards for accessing and receiving support through 'children in need plans' to help reduce regional variations in the type, frequency and duration of support provided. A second amendment would establish the Child Protection Authority, a body that would work to improve child protection practices, advise Government and the sector, and conduct inspections. Lord Mohammed told peers: 'Neither of these proposals are theoretical. Both are urgent responses to real-world system failures, failures that we have seen repeated with devastating consequences across our country… 'We cannot ignore the repeated failures of the current framework. 'The names of Sara Sharif, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson will remain etched in our nation's conscience for years to come. 'Each of these children were known to professionals. Each was failed by a system that saw the risk, but lacked the clarity, coordination and accountability to prevent harm.' Section 17 of the Children's Act 1989 places a duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of children 'in need', those whose health or development would suffer without additional support. However, thresholds are set at a local level, which results in a 'stark regional disparity', Lord Mohammed added. He told peers: 'In the absence of a national threshold or quality standards, this power is deployed in a deeply inconsistent way… 'It creates a system in which access to help is determined, not by a child's vulnerability, but by their postcode.' He added that the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) found that existing child protection mechanisms are 'fragmented, inconsistent and insufficiently accountable'. The former MEP concluded: 'This isn't about removing local flexibility levels, it's about setting a national baseline for protection so that a child's right to support is not dependent on what they have.' Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza has declared her support for the national thresholds proposed by Lord Mohammed, a move that aligns with her own recommendations. Dame Rachel said ahead of the debate: 'Sara Sharif died when she became invisible to local services. 'All the warning signs were missed – a history of domestic abuse, bruises on her body, being removed from school – because her circumstances did not warrant help or support from professionals in Surrey, despite having been known to the local authority since birth. 'As the Children's Wellbeing And Schools Bill returns to Parliament, I urge peers to support the proposed amendment to set national thresholds for triggering an assessment by social care, ending the postcode lottery in children's social care that is putting young lives at risk. 'I also urge them to take this opportunity to give children equal protection from assault, which Sara was cruelly denied. 'My own research shows alarming variation in how and when different areas step in to protect and support a vulnerable child – no child's safety should be determined by inconsistent local decisions. 'The time to act is now, and this amendment is a huge step forward in making sure no child slips through the net.' Responding, education minister Baroness Smith of Malvern said: 'Prescriptive national criteria with automatic referrals would risk narrowing the cohort of children, actually limiting local flexibility in providing support.' She said the existing legislation on providing services to children in need gave local authorities discretion. Lady Smith added: 'A danger of being specific in the way suggested here is that groups are left out, narrowing the cohort who receive support, exactly in fact, what the amendment is seeking to avoid.' The minister also insisted that there was national guidance to local areas on safeguarding children. She added: 'This Government is absolutely committed to protecting children from significant harm, providing the right support at the right time, and ultimately improving outcomes so that all children can thrive.'
Times
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
We are in danger of going backwards on child protection
The roll call of vulnerable children who have lost their lives as a result of serious failures in child protection is a long and shameful one. It includes Sara Sharif, ten, murdered by her father and stepmother; six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, murdered by his father and father's partner; and toddler Star Hobson, who endured months of abuse at the hands of her mother and her mother's partner. The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, being debated in the House of Lords, is an attempt to prevent such appalling cases from recurring. It contains some broad but welcome thinking about empowering those who work with children, including teachers, to break the cycle of late intervention, a repeated failing identified in child neglect cases. Welcome too is the pilot
