Sara Sharif neighbour tells court ‘I never saw her smile once’ before she ‘was murdered by dad after years of abuse’
TRAGIC Sara Sharif’s neighbour today told jurors she “never saw her smile” before the ten-year-old was allegedly murdered by her dad.
Sara was hooded, burned, bitten and beaten during more than two years of abuse, it is said.
Sara had suffered at least 71 external injuries when she was found dead at home in Woking, Surrey, on August 10 last year.
Her dad Urfan Sharif, 42, his wife Beinash Batool, 30, and brother Faisal Malik, 29, deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a child.
Neighbour Judith Lozeron told the Old Bailey today how she introduced herself to the family when they moved in.
She said she would occasionally see Sara picking up washing from the garden and was told by Batool the youngster was being home-schooled.
When asked by prosecutor Ben Lloyd if she ever saw Sara smiling, Ms Lozeron replied: “Never was she smiling when I saw her, not one time.”
She said she last saw Sara on July 23 last year when the family held a birthday party in the garden.
Mrs Lozeron was asked about her impressions of how Sara was treated within the family.
She replied: “I thought it strange… that she didn’t mix more with the whole family. I thought that it was odd.”
Ms Lozeron told the court that she felt “some separateness” which she did not understand.
Jurors heard the family had moved to that address in April 2023, after living in a flat in West Byfleet.
Rebecca Spencer, who lived in a flat above the previous family home, told the court how she heard “constant crying” and “banging”.
After this reached “fever pitch”, she said she went to the home to ask if everything was OK and was met by Batool at the front door.
The stepmum allegedly replied “yes, yes” before slamming the door in Ms Spencer’s face.
Another neighbour, who rented a flat above the Sharif’s West Byfleet home, said she heard “distressed screams” on the first night she moved in.
Chloe Redwin described a woman at the property yelling: “Shut the **** up you bastard and shut up you ****”.
Sharif, Batool and Malik are accused of carrying out a violent two-year “campaign of abuse” before killing her.
Jurors heard previously how 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 allegedly made to wear a hijab to conceal her injuries, which neighbours found “unusual” as she was the only family member to wear one.
Sharif, Batool and Malik fled to Pakistan the day after Sara died on August 8, the court was told.
Sharif then called police to say he had beaten Sara “too much” as a punishment for being naughty.
The cabbie had also left a note by his daughter’s body 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.
The defendants have pleaded not guilty to murder and to causing or allowing the death of a child between December 16, 2022, and August 9, 2023.
The trial continues.