Sara suffered 'constellation' of healed and healing injuries, court told
World
A post-mortem examination found that Sara had suffered "multiple and extensive injuries"
(Web Desk) – A London court was told on Tuesday that 10-year-old Sara Sharif suffered a “constellation” of healed and healing injuries.
British-Pakistani Sara’s body was found in her house in Woking, Surrey, on Aug 10.
The court was informed that Sara had a broken collarbone, multiple rib fractures and a brain haemorrhage.
A post-mortem examination found that Sara had suffered "multiple and extensive injuries".
Prosecutor Giles Bedloe told the court that the post-mortem investigations to establish how Sara died were continuing.
Sara’s father Urfan Sharif, 41, her stepmother Beinash Batool, 29, and her uncle Faisal Malik, 28, appeared in the Old Bailey court via video link.
Sharif and Malik appeared from Belmarsh high-security jail in south London and Batool from Bronzefield women’s prison in Surrey. They only confirmed their identities and birthdates.
They were arrested on Sept 13 when they returned from Pakistan. They fled to Pakistan on Aug 9 along with five children and informed police over telephone of the death of Sara.
Judge Mark Lucraft KC remanded all three defendants in custody until their next hearing.
Earler, the Surrey police unveiled the discovery of Sara’s lifeless body before the court.
“Upon officers’ arrival at the Sharif family residence, Sara was found lying on her back, fully clothed under a blanket in an upstairs bunk bed. Her identity was confirmed through DNA analysis, comparing her genetic profile to that of her mother, Olga Sharif, residing in Somerset, as well as another relative.”
Prosecutor Bedloe informed the court that Sara’s injuries included a healed collarbone fracture, a healed hyoid bone fracture in her neck, multiple rib fractures, extensive bruising across her torso and limbs, and a brain haemorrhage.
A hyoid bone fracture is a rare occurrence and is usually the result of direct trauma to the neck because of strangulation, hanging or blunt trauma.
He asserted that Sara had been subjected to multiple events of violence over a sustained period of time that must have culminated in her death. “There is quite a significant amount of post-mortem work ongoing and that will continue.”
Meanwhile, the court set a provisional date for Sept 2, 2024 for a six-week trial for murder. A plea hearing will take place on Dec 1. The charges against them include the murder of Sara and causing or permitting the death of a child.
