Video of the moment that police boarded a plane and detained Sara Sharif’s alleged killers has been played in court, with the 10-year-old’s stepmother telling officers: “I think you’re looking for us.”
Beinash Batool, 30; Sara’s father, Urfan Sharif, 42; and her uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, had fled to Pakistan the day after Sara died at the family home in Woking, Surrey, on August 8 last year.
Jurors have viewed CCTV footage of the family as they prepared to board a flight from Heathrow Airport.
Surrey Police had found Sara’s body in a bunkbed after Sharif called from Pakistan to say that he had beaten her “too much” for being “naughty”.
The little girl had suffered dozens of injuries, including burns and human bite marks, in what the prosecution allege was a campaign of abuse culminating in her death.
On September 6 2023, a press conference in Pakistan was broadcast featuring Sharif and Batool, who complained that family were being harassed.
On September 13 last year, police received information that the three defendants would be arriving at Gatwick airport on a flight from Dubai that evening.
On Friday, jurors were shown clips from officers’ body-worn video capturing the moment police boarded the plane and detained the defendants at 7.42pm, seven minutes after touch down.
As officers approached, Batool raised her hand and said: “I think you’re looking for us.”
Sharif, who had been sitting next to her, was asked if he had any items or bags on the flight and replied that he did not.
After being taken off the plane, the defendants were arrested and put into police vans.
The following day, each defendant was interviewed by police but chose to make no comment.
All three defendants, formerly of Hammond Road, Woking, have denied murder and causing or allowing the death of a child between December 16 2022 and August 9 2023.
The Old Bailey trial continues.
