A father accused of murdering his 10-year-old daughter tried to save her and called for an ambulance but was told to “let it go, she’s dead”, a court has heard.

Sara Sharif’s body was found with dozens of injuries at the family home in Woking, Surrey, last year, the Old Bailey was told.

His father Urfan Sharif, 42, stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, and uncle Faisal Malik, 29, have denied the murder.

During his testimony, Mr. Sharif told jurors that he never bit, burned or beat Sara.

Warning: this article contains disturbing details

Naeem Mian KC, for Mr Sharif, told jurors he arrived home and found Sara “limp” on August 8, 2023.

Mr Sharif attempted CPR on Sara and begged for an ambulance to be called, Mr Mian KC told the court.

“She was told in Urdu or Punjabi: ‘let it go, she is dead'”, by Ms Batool, Mr Mian KC added.

He also told jurors that disciplining his children with corporal punishment was a “last resort” for Mr. Sharif.

“Not with a cricket bat as has been suggested, nor with a white pole as has been suggested, but with a slap,” Mr Mian KC added.

Jurors were told that Mr. Sharif’s case was that Ms. Batool was responsible for Sara’s death, and he made false confessions in the phone call as well as in a note to protect his wife.

Mr Sharif also told the court he had previously completed voluntary courses called Parenting Puzzle and Dad Discipline, as well as pediatrics and nutrition courses.

He also said he completed a five-day first aid course at St John Ambulance, during which he was taught CPR.

Mr Sharif said Sara was a “beautiful angel, lovely, bubbly” and wanted to become a ballet dancer when she was older.

He told the court he slapped Sara several times.

“I have a lot of faults in my life, but I never beat her. Never,” he added.

He also denied “controlling” his wife Batool, saying they had a traditional relationship – he worked and she was the “boss” at home.

Mr Sharif claimed that in 2016 Ms Batool hit him on the head with a wooden lemon squeezer when he wanted to leave for the first time and attacked him on another occasion with a broom.

An autopsy found that Sara suffered dozens of injuries, including “probable human bite marks,” an iron burn, and hot water burns, before she died on August 8, 2023.

The court has previously heard that Sara was hooded, burned and beaten during more than two years of abuse.

Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC previously said a blood-stained cricket bat, a rolling pin bearing Sara’s DNA, a metal pole, a belt and rope were found near the family’s latrine.

The court also heard that Mr Sharif, Ms Batool and Mr Malik traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan, with other members of their family on August 9, 2023, the day before Sara’s body was discovered.

Prosecutors said Mr. Sharif called Pakistani police and admitted killing Sara about an hour after his family’s flight landed in Islamabad.

The three defendants, who lived with Sara in Woking before her death, are also accused of causing or allowing the death of a child, which they deny.

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