Sara Sharif murder trial latest: Schoolgirl showed signs of starvation and had ‘unusual’ injuries, jury told
Father Urfan Sharif, stepmother Beinash Batool and uncle Faisal Malik deny 10-year-old’s murder
Sara Sharif showed signs of starvation and had “unusual” injuries, the fourth day of her murder trial has heard.
An osteoarticular pathologist told the Old Bailey on Thursday that the 10-year-old’s bone marrow had been “unusual” in his examination of her body, and had shown up with a “bluey tinge”, which revealed itself to be gelatinous transformation of the bone marrow.
This can often be associated with starvation or the rapid removal of nutrition, although Professor Anthony Freemont could not say if this was a direct cause.
Sara’s father Urfan Sharif, 42, her stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, and her uncle Faisal Malik, 29, all deny her murder.
The court heard on Wednesday that the 10-year-old died as a result of “complications arising from multiple injuries and neglect”, according to a pathologist.
She had suffered two traumatic injuries in the days before her death, as well as 71 recent injuries including bruises, abrasions, skin ulcers consistent with burns and probable bite marks.
Surrey Police discovered the schoolgirl dead in a bedroom at her home in Woking on 10 August last year.
The court heard earlier in the week that Sara’s head was covered with “homemade hoods” made of plastic bags and parcel tape in the weeks before her death.
Jurors were also told neighbour Chloe Redwin would hear “shockingly loud” sounds of “smacking” from their family home followed by “gut-wrenching screams”.
Fractures to her hand and neck could be linked to 'direct blow’ or ‘manual strangulation’
Detailing her injuries, Professor Freemont said that Sara’s injury to the capitate bone in her left hand was “rare” in children, and was usually caused by “falling onto the outstretched hand or a direct blow to the hand”.
Asked if the fractures to her fingers were unusual, he responded: “They’re seen relatively frequently and they’re commonly associated with pulling the fingers apart.”
Of the fracture to her hyoid bone, he said: “It depends on the setting but in the setting of neck compression, it’s fractured in 25 per cent of cases, the most common type of cases is manual strangulation.”
Sara Sharif had sustained fractures to fingers ‘12 to 18 days’ before death
Sara Sharif had suffered fractures in her fingers and left hand up to 12 to 18 days before her death, the Old Bailey has heard.
She had also suffered a fracture to her hyoid bone in her neck, which is believed to have occurred between six to 12 weeks before she died on 8 August.
Jurors have heard from Professor Anthony Freemont, an osteoarticular pathologist, who examined bones from Sara’s body.
He added that her bone marrow had been “unusual” in his examination, and had shown up with a “bluey tinge” which revealed itself to be gelatinous transformation of the bone marrow. This can often be associated with starvation or the rapid removal of nutrition, although Professor Freemont could not say if this was a direct cause.
Watch: Stepmother of Sara Sharif requests ‘earliest possible’ flights after child’s death
Trial resumes for the fourth day
The trial of Urfan Sharif, Beinash Batool and Faisal Malik has resumed for the fourth day at the Old Bailey.
Jurors are expected to hear evidence from Professor Anthony Freemont, an osteoarticular pathologist.
What trial heard yesterday
- Sara Sharif had suffered more than 70 injuries shortly before she was found dead in her home, the court heard.
- Giving evidence on Wednesday, forensic pathologist Dr Nathaniel Cary presented his findings from a post-mortem examination of Sara’s body he carried out on August 15 2023 which took around three hours.
- He gave the girl’s cause of death as “complications arising from multiple injuries and neglect”.
- He said some of Sara’s external injuries, which included dozens of bruises, grazes and burns, were the result of “repetitive blunt trauma” and “blunt impact or solid pressure, or both.”
- He told the more than 71 injuries to the little girl’s body included significant damage internally, including bleeding on her brain, multiple bruises on her lungs and multiple skeletal injuries, jurors heard.
In pictures: Sara’s father, stepmother and uncle stand trial as they deny her murder
Pictured: Note allegedly found by Sara Sharif’s body
A note that was allegedly found by Sara Sharif’s body in her father’s handwriting has been pictured in court.
Taxi driver Urfan Sharif, 42, is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of his 10-year-old daughter’s murder alongside Sara’s stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, and uncle, Faisal Malik, 29.
It is alleged within hours of her death the defendants had booked a flight out of the country.
Read the full article here:
Note allegedly found by Sara Sharif’s body: ‘Urfan Sharif who killed my daughter’
Taxi driver Urfan Sharif, 42, is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of his 10-year-old daughter’s murder alongside Sara’s stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, and uncle, Faisal Malik, 29
Schoolgirl Sara Sharif suffered a catalogue of 71 injuries before her death, jury told
Read the full report from the third day of the trial from our crime correspondent Amy-Clare Martin:
Schoolgirl Sara Sharif suffered a catalogue of 71 injuries before death, jury told
The 10-year-old’s injuries were consistent with ‘significant and repetitive blunt force trauma’ with an ‘instrument’, a court heard
What did the court hear on Wednesday?
On the third day of the trial at the Old Bailey, jurors heard:
- Sara Sharif had suffered more than 70 injuries shortly before she was found dead
- A pathologist gave her cause of death as “complications arising from multiple injuries and neglect”.
- No natural diseases or drugs had contributed to her death, which was described as “unnatural”.
- Older injuries included scarring on her left jawline, scars around her pelvis, a puncture wound to her forehead and marks from the lower left leg to the top of the foot.
- Bruises on her legs were likely caused by “multiple impacts with a linear object”, likely an item used as a weapon.
- Traces of the 10-year-old’s blood were discovered on the kitchen floor, a vacuum cleaner and a cricket bat
Sara Sharif had more than 70 recent injuries after her death, court told
Sara Sharif had more than 70 recent injuries after her death, court told
The Old Bailey heard Sara suffered significant damage internally, including bleeding on the surface level of her brain and multiple skeletal injuries.
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