Sara Sharif’s father tells jury he ‘takes full responsibility’ for her death

The father of 10-year-old Sara Sharif has told jurors he “takes full responsibility” for her death.

Taxi driver Urfan Sharif, 42, made the admission under cross-examination as his wife Beinash Batool, 30, sobbed in the dock of the Old Bailey on Wednesday.

Previously, Sharif had sought to blame Batool for killing his daughter but in a dramatic admission, told jurors: “I accept every single thing.”

Sara was found dead at the family home in Woking, Surrey, on 10 August last year after Sharif, Batool and Sara’s uncle Faisal Malik, 29, fled to Pakistan.

The schoolgirl suffered dozens of injuries including human bite marks and iron burns, jurors have heard.

Cross-examining for Batool, Caroline Carberry KC had asked Sharif about a note he left beside the body of his daughter before leaving for Pakistan.

In it he wrote: “Love you Sara” on the first page followed by the words: “Whoever see this note it’s me Urfan Sharif who killed my daughter by beating.”

Ms Carberry asked if he did indeed kill his daughter by beating and Sharif replied: “Yes, she died because of me.”

The barrister said: “In the weeks before she died she suffered multiple fractures to her body, didn’t she, and it was you who inflicted those injuries?”

The defendant replied: “Yes.”

Sharif accepted causing the injuries, bar burn and bite marks, and added: “I take responsibility. I take full responsibility.”

He admitted causing fractures to Sara by hitting her with a cricket bat or pole.

Asked if he broke Sara’s hyoid neck bone, he repeated: “I can take full responsibility. I accept every single thing.”

Ms Carberry went on: “I suggest on the night of the 6th August you badly beat Sara.”

Speaking barely above a whisper in the witness box, Sharif replied: “I accept everything.”

Sharif, Batool and Malik deny Sara’s murder and causing or allowing her death.

The trial continues.

This is a breaking news story and it is being updated