Sara Sharif's heartbreaking three words to her evil torturers as she couldn't escape

Sara Sharif, 10, was found dead in a bunkbed at the family home in Woking, Surrey, on August 10 last year following two years of torture at the hands of her father

Tragic schoolgirl Sara Sharif had been hooded, burned and beaten during more than two years of abuse.

Those who knew her described her as "angelic" and "unique." She dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer when she grew up, and her favourite hobbies were singing and playing guitar.

But behind her "bubbly" exterior, she was being cruelly tortured by her father Urfan Sharif, 42, and stepmother Beinash Batool, 30. Their litany of 'punishment' finally came to an end with the 10-year-old's tragic death, where on August 10, 2023, her body, covered with injuries similar to the impact of being "kicked by a horse", was discovered beneath a duvet at her Woking home.

On Wednesday, Mr Sharif and Batool were found guilty of her murder, while her uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was found guilty of causing or allowing her death. During the investigation, the Year 5 pupil's letters and notebook were seized by police.

In an undated and misspelt letter to her father and stepmum shown to jurors, Sara wrote that she was "sorry for being rude" and "answering back". She penned the desperate plea: "Please forgive me". Adding: "I am so, so sorry."

Other notes gave no clue to the beatings and punishments meted out to her which were to culminate in her death. A birthday message to her dad, Sharif, read: "I love you so much. Thank you for looking after us on the weekends. And making food for us at the weekends. THANK YOU DAD. From Sara…Our family is the best in town. We spread love all around the world."

Her notebook contained a short fairy tale story about a queen called "Beinash" and a princess "Sara". She also described Beinash as the "best caring and loving mother in the world" in the notebook. In another note praising the defendants, she wrote: "Ammi my mum who is beautiful and young. Dad my father who earns money for us so we can eat, sleep and have shelter."

Another child Urfan Sharif was connected with had suffered burns and bites in 2013 and 2014, although he was not directly accused of inflicting them. Police records detailed a string of allegations against Sharif by his ex-wife Olga Sharif, who is Sara's mother, and two other Polish ex-girlfriends.

In December 2007, Sharif was arrested for false imprisonment, theft, criminal damage and common assault following allegations by 18-year-old Angelika. During police interviews, Sharif denied the allegations and suggested she assaulted him. In March 2009, 31-year-old Anna made an allegation of false imprisonment and Sharif was arrested and interviewed again. In November 2010, Sharif was suspected of assault following a complaint by Mrs Sharif's mother who was concerned for her daughter.

Mrs Sharif told police her husband had been violent in the home on more than one occasion, but Sharif claimed she had attacked him during an argument. He was bailed and Mrs Sharif withdrew the allegation. In each case, no further action was taken by police against Sharif.

Sara dreamed of being a fairytale princess, even as the reality of her Cinderalla story was a nightmare from which she would never escape. The 10-year-old had gone to live with her Pakistani father and "beautiful" young stepmother following a custody battle with her Polish mother Olga.

Any hopes that her turbulent early years were behind her would have quickly been squashed as a pattern of abuse emerged within two years. She was put to work doing the laundry and housework by Batool, who liked to keep up appearances and keep a tidy home. Batool made her views clear by repeatedly complaining to her sister Qandeela that Sharif was hitting Sara for being "naughty" and "rude and rebellious".

She blamed her stepdaughter for her own misery by baiting Sharif, saying she cut up his clothes, hid his keys and tore up documents, even suggesting she had a "jinn" or demon in her. According to the prosecution, Batool was complicit in Sharif's abuse because of the number of times she would call him home to sort out his daughter's behaviour, knowing what would happen.

Sharif did not hold back with his punishments and tried to beat her into submission with a bat and pole, but nothing could dim her bright, bold and fierce nature. Tragically, covering up at all costs appeared to have been drilled into Sara as she was subjected to degrading and horrific treatment by the adults in her life.

Even when the bruises started to show, she rejected teachers who had tried to find out what was going on. Teaching assistant Hayley Holden described Sara as a "bubbly, confident, chatty, engaging child" who would dance, sing and put on a show for her.

She said: "She was a little feisty. If she had an opinion she would voice it and she was not afraid to answer back. She never spoke about her home life." There were no pretty pink ballgowns for Sara as she was made to wear a black hijab pulled down over her face to hide the many bruises. When the assaults intensified and teachers noticed marks on her face and reported them to social services, she was taken out of school entirely.