Sara Sharif's father, stepmother seek to appeal against their sentences

The father and stepmother of Sara Sharif sought the court's permission to file an appeal against their sentences for murdering the 10-year-old girl in the UK.

On August 8, 2023, the 10-year-old girl was killed after severe torture inflicted by her father and stepmother in Surrey, UK.

Her father, Urfan Sharif, 43, and stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30, were sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty following a five-month-long trial.

The ruling announced on December 17 stated that Urfan Sharif must serve a minimum of 40 years in prison, while his second wife received a minimum of 33 years.

Meanwhile, his uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was sentenced to serve 16 years in jail for causing or allowing her death.

In a recent development, the culprits submitted an application for leave to appeal their sentences at the Court of Appeal, requesting a reduction in their jail terms.

According to the BBC, the life sentences of the accused were 'automatic' and cannot be dismissed, but they can appeal to minimize the length of their incarceration.

However, the petitions have not yet been scheduled for a hearing.

Earlier, the postmortem report revealed that Sara had sustained injuries, including six probable human bite marks, an iron burn, and scalding from hot water, before her death on August 8 last year.

According to reports, Sara’s body was found by police in a bunk bed, with a note written by her father stating, “Whoever sees this note, it's me, Urfan Sharif, who killed my daughter by beating.”

Immediately after her murder, all three culprits fled to Pakistan with Sara’s five siblings, and Sharif called the police in England, telling the operator that he had "legally punished" Sara, resulting in her death.