Sara Sharif’s father denies being a ‘lying, manipulative and controlling man’

Sara Sharif’s murder suspect father has denied being a “lying, manipulative and controlling man”.

Taxi driver Urfan Sharif, 42, appearing at the Old Bailey on Monday, once again denied killing his daughter by beating her.

He told jurors that he found the 10-year-old collapsed after his wife Beinash Batool called him home from work on the evening of August 8 last year.

Sharif was cross-examined in court by Batool’s barrister Caroline Carberry KC having previously accused his wife of abusing Sara, her stepdaughter.

I didn’t pay that much attention to what was going on

Ms Carberry KC asked him: “You are a lying, manipulative and controlling man, aren’t you?”

Sharif replied: “No, I am not.”

The barrister detailed Sharif’s history of alleged domestic violence which the defendant denied.

Ms Carberry also asked Sharif if he is a “cruel father” as he stated in a phone call to police from Pakistan in the early hours of August 10 2023.

Sharif said: “I said I was cruel because I left my daughter behind, I should not have done that.”

He went on: “I did not kill my daughter by beating her.”

Sharif was shown photographic and video evidence of bruises and marks on Sara, but he denied knowing about them.

After seeing one, he replied: “I didn’t pay that much attention to what was going on.”

The defendant was also shown a photograph of Sara with a “badly” cut fringe and a scratch on her nose.

He pointed to the dock and said: “I did not cause it, somebody who caused it (is) sitting there.”

Sharif was also accused by Ms Carberry of being an “angry” drinker and a gambler, which he denied.

Ms Carberry went on: “It was little Sara who suffered the most at your hands, isn’t it?”

Sharif replied: “No, ma’am.”

Ms Carberry asked if he is “thoroughly dishonest”, “manipulative and cunning” and that he only admits to wrongdoing when his “back’s against the wall”.

To each accusation, he said: “No”.

The defendant also denied ever using a belt to “punish” Sara.

Sharif is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of Sara’s murder, along with her stepmother Batool, 30, and uncle Faisal Malik, 29.

The defendants, formerly of Hammond Road, Woking, deny Sara’s murder and causing or allowing her death.

The cross-examination continues on Tuesday.