Father who murdered 10-year-old daughter is attacked in prison

The disturbing circumstances surrounding the death of 10-year-old Sara Sharif have left a deep mark on the public conscience, exposing a level of suffering that words can hardly ease. During the final stage of the trial, the court described her last weeks as a “campaign of torture,” a chilling portrayal of the abuse she endured at home. Sara’s mother, overcome with grief, could find only one word for those responsible: “executioners.”

Medical evidence presented in court revealed a heartbreaking pattern of repeated cruelty inflicted on a defenseless child. Sara suffered severe injuries, including deep burns caused by a household iron, human bite marks, a broken spine, and a devastating brain injury. These were not accidents, but the result of a long period of deliberate abuse that no child could have survived.

Throughout the trial, the three main suspects—Sara’s father, her stepmother, and her uncle—attempted to appear innocent. Each tried to deny personal responsibility, shifting blame and hiding behind conflicting accounts. But as forensic evidence continued to accumulate, the truth gradually emerged, weakening their defense.

The case ended with life sentences for those found guilty, a major outcome for the prosecution. Yet for many people who followed the story, the verdict brought little sense of closure. To the public, even the harshest punishment seemed far too small compared with the life and future Sara was denied.

As the convicted individuals began serving their sentences, another development unfolded inside the walls of HMP Belmarsh. News of Urfan Sharif’s crimes against his daughter spread quickly among the inmates. Within the harsh hierarchy of prison life, the informal rule against child abusers meant that Sharif was immediately viewed as a target.

On New Year’s Day, tensions erupted when two prisoners forced their way into Sharif’s cell in a planned attack. Armed with a makeshift weapon—a sharpened lid from a tuna can—they struck him, cutting his face and neck. The assault was sudden and violent, forcing prison officers to step in as the attackers attempted to deliver what they saw as their own form of justice.

Urfan Sharif survived the assault but was left with serious scars. The marks of violence he now carries serve as a permanent reminder of the brutality once inflicted on his daughter. While Sara’s short life was taken from her, her father will spend the rest of his years carrying the visible consequences of his actions.