The police officer who discovered Sara Sharif’s body has given evidence at the Old Bailey as he described the moment he pulled back the white sheet covering her.
The 10-year-old girl was allegedly murdered after enduring weeks of violence by her father Urfan Sharif, 42, and her stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30, and her 28-year-old uncle Faisal Malik, jurors heard.
Sara’s body was found in a bunk bed at the family home in Woking on August 10 last year, where she displayed injuries such as bite marks, scalding and broken bones, the court was told.
PC George van der Wart told the Old Bailey that he entered the address after being informed of Urfan Sharif’s 999 call.
The police officer who discovered Sara Sharif’s body has given evidence at the Old Bailey as he described the moment he pulled back the white sheet covering herPAHe said he arrived the house at 2.55am and described the home as "all put together" with no sign of any disturbance.
The officer said he saw a white blanket on the bed, a fan switched on in the room, "and underneath the white sheet I could see a human-shaped figure."
He told the court: "I went up to the bed, pulled back the sheet, and underneath was the body of a 10-year-old girl."
PC van der Wart said there was no movement or breathing that he could detect.
He added that it was clear to him that she was deceased.
Jurors heard that she was placed in a position, she was laying on a bed on her back, arms lying by her side.
He said there was some bruising on her face and a bruise on her little finger, but no other large obvious injuries.
The police officer passed on information to a sergeant present in the house and he was directed to wait outside and wait for an ambulance.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Earlier in today’s proceedings, the Old Bailey heard a recording of the phone call made by Urfan Sharif to report his daughter’s death to Surrey Police.
In his apparent confession, he said: "I beat her up. it wasn’t my intention to kill her, but I beat her up too much.”
Telling the handler "my daughter is alone," he was heard pleading with them to send someone to the property.
Sharif can be heard in the recording saying: “I think she was naughty over the last three, four weeks and I was giving her punishment … to sort her out.”
“I tried to, to give her CPR, everything but I fail [sic], I left in a panic... She is dead I am telling you.”
He told the operator: "I am a cruel father" before confirming that he will return to the property.
Urfan Sharif is believed to have made the call from Islamabad in Pakistan, where he fled with other members of his family.
Sara's father Urfan Sharif, his partner Beinash Batool and his brother Faisal Malik are wanted by policeSurrey PoliceAt proceedings this morning, the court heard that it was "unusual" that Sara was the only person in her extended family to wear a hijab, which the prosecution allege was worn to conceal the injuries to her face and head.
One of Sara’s teachers also said that she noticed that Sara began wearing a hijab to school, describing it as "unusual" as her mother and other family members did not wear the garment.
A neighbour also said that Sara was "always wearing a hijab and it mostly hid her face."
Yesterday the court was told that the 10-year-old’s blood was found on a cricket bat and a vacuum cleaner at the same address.
While jurors heard that bruises found on Sara’s body matched a belt buckle and a metal pole recovered by Surrey Police at the property’s outhouse.
The defendants have pleaded not guilty to Sara’s murder and causing or allowing the death of a child between December, 16 2022 and August 9, 2023.
