Latest Sara Sharif murder trial: Pathologist tells jury what caused 10-year-old’s death

Taxi driver Urfan Sharif, 42, in the trial at the Old Bailey was accused of the murder of a 10-year-old daughter who was accompanied by her stepmother Sara Beinash Batool, 30, and her uncle, Faisal Malik, 29. All three deny murder and the defense has yet to present its case.

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On the third day of the trial at the Old Bailey, the jury heard:

• Sara Sharif had suffered more than 70 injuries shortly before she was found dead
• A pathologist gave the cause of death as “complications arising from various injuries and neglect”.
• There was no natural disease or medicine that caused his death, which he called “unnatural”.
• Old injuries include scarring on his left jawline, a scar on his pelvis, a stab wound on his forehead and marks from his lower left leg to the top of his leg.
• The bruises on his legs were likely caused by “some impact with a linear object”, possibly an item used as a weapon.
• Traces of the 10-year-old’s blood were found on the kitchen floor, a vacuum cleaner and a cricket bat.

The pathologist noted that he “cannot rule out” the possibility that the burns caused Sara’s death through sepsis.

Dr Cary said there was a chance the infection could enter the bloodstream and cause a general collapse.

The schoolboy suffered at least 71 injuries in the days before his death, including several skin ulcers consistent with pain. There was a large area of ​​ulceration on Sara’s buttocks, the court heard, while there were two ulcerated areas over the ankle bone.

The jury previously heard Sara had suffered “possible human bite marks”, iron burns and scalding from hot water.

The defendants deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a child.

The “gaping” head wound was among the 71 injuries found on Sara Sharif’s body by a forensic pathologist.

Dr Cary, who carried out a three-hour post-mortem examination on August 15, 2023 last year, told jurors she had suffered a “sharp or semi-sharp” stab wound to the forehead and was left “gaping”.

Other new injuries were identified on all parts of Sara’s body, including her face, fingers, ankles and back. He is 4ft 6 and weighs 4 stone 3lbs.

He also identified several scars on his body, including a “blotchy scar” on his left jawline, several purple marks around his wrist, a mark from the lower left leg to the top of his leg and a fine, blotchy brown scar on his left arm.

The court heard there was no natural or drug-induced illness that caused Sara’s death.

Pathologist Dr Cary concluded the 10-year-old died from complications arising from multiple injuries and neglect, the court heard.

His death was described as “cumulative” rather than due to any specific injury or incident.

But the pathologist said she could have suffered two traumatic brain injuries suffered two to five days earlier if left unattended.

In conclusion, he noted “widespread” injuries on the surface of the skin, including puncture wounds, bruising and internal injuries to the abdomen.

“These findings are consistent with significant and repeated blunt force trauma,” the Old Bailey said, adding that the pattern of injuries was consistent with the use of an “instrument”.

The schoolboy suffered two traumatic brain injuries inflicted two to five days before his death, the court heard.

Head injuries can cause neurological symptoms including loss of consciousness, concussion, headache, irritability, vomiting and seizures. This “may have contributed to his death along with other injuries”, the jury was told.

Shortly before his death his brain was deprived of oxygen causing a separate ischemic brain injury described as a potential “terminal event” by Dr Cary.

He also suffered bruising consistent with a blunt force impact to the abdomen, Dr. Cary said.

Describing the internal injuries, pathologist Dr Nathaniel Cary said he found evidence of “obvious bleeding” at a “painful” site on Sara’s chest.

The expert agreed that the wound was a “wide collar” of bruising on the front of the girl’s upper chest which was questioned by the prosecuting attorney, Mr Emlyn Jones.

He previously described the injury as “intense purplish red bruising” on his neck and body. He said this could be the result of “blunt impact or solid pressure, or both”.

Ten-year-old Sara Sharif died after an alleged “campaign of abuse” in the home she shared with her father, stepmother and uncle.

Taxi driver Urfan Sharif, 42, is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of murdering his daughter along with Sara’s stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30, and her uncle, Faisal Malik, 29.

Police found Sara’s body in a bunk bed at her home in Woking, Surrey, on August 10 last year after a phone call from Sharif in Pakistan saying he had “beat her up too much” for being “naughty”, a court has heard.

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Jurors were taken through a catalog of at least 71 new injuries found on Sara Sharif’s body by a pathologist.

But Dr Cary told the Old Bailey that it was impossible to know if each mark was the result of a single injury or multiple injuries, meaning the total number was unknown.

“There were many marks on the body,” the expert told the court. These include bruises, abrasions, skin ulcers consistent with burns, possible bite marks and incised wounds consistent with blunt force trauma to the left arm, the court heard.

In addition, a CT scan revealed multiple bone injuries, the jury said.

The schoolgirl was subjected to a “campaign of abuse” and suffered “brutal” injuries in the week before she died, it is alleged. All three defendants deny charges of murder and causing or allowing her death.