KILLERS SNARED
Moment armed police storm plane at Gatwick to arrest Sara Sharif’s dad & stepmum – as pair found GUILTY of murder
Sara's stepmum replied 'no comment' when asked if she loved the 10-year-old girl
THIS is the moment murdered Sara Sharif's dad, stepmum and uncle were arrested following a major manhunt.
Urfan Sharif, 42, his partner Beinash Batool, 30, and his brother Faisal Malik, 29, were detained after landing back in the UK as they returned from Pakistan in September 2023.
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Today, Sharif and Batool were found guilty of murdering the girl while Malik was convicted of causing or allowing her death.
The trial at the Old Bailey heard that the 10-year-old child died after years of horrific abuse, including being burned, bitten and beaten.
After the verdicts, police released videos showing all three defendants being arrested on the flight in September 13 last year.
The trio arrived at Gatwick after spending nearly five weeks on the run in Pakistan and were immediately taken off the plane by British cops.
The footage shows officers approaching the trio while they are still seated.
They are then cuffed and led off the plane.
Sara was found dead in a bunk bed at the family home in Woking, Surrey, on August 10 2023, after Sharif called police from Pakistan and said he had beaten her up "too much".
'NO COMMENT'
In a 68-second clip, also released today, Batool replies "No comment" to seven questions from officers during an interview, including "Do you love Sara?", "Did you care about her at all?", "What did you see?" and "What happened to Sara?";.
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At the start of the video Batool, wearing a black long-sleeved garment and smiling slightly, confirms her identity and responds "killing someone", when asked what her understanding was of murder.
Another video shows Malik replying "no comment" when asked by police who was responsible for the girl's death and when an officer explains that she thinks he was either "actively involved" in torturing Sara or was "sat there going 'it's not my problem, I can't do anything'".
Sara Sharif’s dad & stepmum GUILTY of murder after beating and burning daughter, 10, in horrific two-year campaign
Taxi driver Sharif is seen in a separate clip providing a handwriting sample of the words "love you Sara, maybe I will be back before you finish the post-mortem", almost the same words that were in a note found next to the girl's body.
Asked by police what he can tell them about the note, Sharif replies "No comment".
Wearing a white polo shirt and jeans, he sat with his arms folded.
Sara was hooded, burned and bitten by Sharif and Batool before she was bludgeoned to death with a cricket bat.
Sara Sharif's mum pays poignant tribute
By Jamie Phillips, Assistant News Editor
SARA Sharif's mum has paid tribute to her "beautiful" daughter after she was murdered by her dad and stepmum.
The schoolgirl, 10, endured a horrid two-year campaign of heinous torture before she was bludgeoned to death with a cricket bat.
She was found dead in a bunk bed at her home in Woking, Surrey, in August last year.
Her mum today paid tribute as Sara's dad and stepmum were found guilty of her murder.
Olga Sharif said: "My dear Sara, I ask God to please take care of my little girl, she was taken too soon.
"Sara had beautiful brown eyes and an angelic voice. Sara's smile could brighten up the darkest room.
"Everyone who knew Sara will know her unique character, her beautiful smile and loud laugh.
"She will always be in our hearts, her laughter will bring warmth to our lives. We miss Sara very much. Love you Princess."
The 10-year-old had suffered at least 71 external injuries when she was found dead.
The dad has now been convicted of murder after earlier accepting "full responsibility" for the horrors inflicted on his daughter.
Batool was also today found guilty of her murder.
Malik, Sara's uncle, was acquitted of her murder, but convicted of causing or allowing her death by a jury at the Old Bailey.
They will be sentenced at the same court on Tuesday.
The trial earlier heard how Sharif dished out brutal punishments to his daughter during the depraved campaign of abuse.
Tragic Sara "suffered dreadfully" and was burned with an iron, bitten and had a bag taped over head before she was found dead.
The schoolgirl was made to wear a hijab to conceal her injuries, which neighbours found "unusual" as she was the only family member to wear one.
Text messages from stepmum Batool described Sharif as a "psycho" who "beat the crap out of Sara".
Describing one incident, she wrote: "Why the hell am I ever letting him in the house.
"I feel really sorry for Sara, poor girl can't walk, she literally fainted in the kitchen in the morning, he made her do sit ups all night.
"It's been so crazy man, you don't even understand.”
Between June 6, 2022, and March 10, 2023, the court heard teachers noted Sara had bruising under her eye on two separate occasions.
The school notified the authorities and a social services referral was made - but officials decided not to intervene just six days later.
On April 17, 2023, Sharif removed Sara from school confirming his daughter would be homeschooled with immediate effect.
Now locked up at home away from preying eyes, Sharif was free to bound his defenceless daughter and subjected her to extreme punishments.
Packing tape was used to tie the terrified schoolgirl to a radiator and she was made to wear a nappy.
This violence reached a fatal head on August 8 when Sara was battered to death with a cricket bat.
She was then taken into the garden, stripped of her dirty leggings and nappy and cleaned with a jetwash.
The following day, Sharif, Batool and Malik fled to Pakistan - leaving the youngster dead in a bunk-bed.
Sharif then called police to say he had beaten Sara "too much" as a punishment for being naughty.
When police arrived, the found a chilling note by the schoolgirl that read: "I swear to God that my intention was not to kill her. But I lost it."
Officers also discovered a cricket bat stained with Sarah's blood, a rolling pin with her DNA and black rope with her hair attached to it.
During his evidence, Sharif dramatically told jurors: "I accept every single thing."
He admitted causing fractures - including to her neck bone - by hitting Sara with a cricket bat.
But the dad claimed he did not mean to "harm" Sara when he bound and beat her with the weapon.
He also denied that he had bitten the youngster and burned her with scalding water.
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When asked if he had intended to kill his daughter, Sharif replied: "Yes, she died because of me."
The defendants pleaded not guilty to murder and to causing or allowing the death of a child between December 16, 2022, and August 9, 2023.
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