Inquest into Sara Sharif’s death scheduled for 2027
Sara was found dead in a bunkbed at her family home.
An inquest into the death of 10-year-old Sara Sharif, who died in Woking in August 2023, is scheduled for 2027, Surrey Coroner’s Court has confirmed.
Sara was tragically found dead in a bunkbed at her family home. Her father, Urfan Sharif, stepmother, Beinash Batool, and uncle, Faisal Malik, were convicted in December 2024 in connection with her death.
Sharif and Batool were both jailed for life, with minimum terms of 40 years and 33 years respectively, after being found guilty of murdering Sara. Malik received a 16-year sentence for causing or allowing her death.
Friday’s pre-inquest review revealed that the full hearing is set to begin on 5th April 2027, with further preliminary reviews scheduled for this year and next – the first of which will take place on 1st May 2026.
Discussions are ongoing regarding the scope of the inquest. Alison Hewitt, counsel to the inquest, said the inquiry may include issues such as previous investigations and what actions could have been taken; what happened to Sara during the four years she was living with her father; and her cause of death.
Ms Hewitt added the inquiry may also consider whether fears of accusations of racism affected responses to safeguarding concerns connected to Sara’s welfare.
During the hearing, Batool spoke via video link from prison and asked if she could provide evidence as a witness during the inquest. She explained her voice “was not heard in the criminal trial” but acknowledged this would not alter her conviction.
Senior coroner Richard Travers stated: “If it was relevant to my inquiry is the short answer to that. If you wanted to put a statement together I certainly wouldn’t stop you.” He confirmed he would evaluate any submitted statement to determine its relevance to proceedings.
Sara’s death continues to raise questions about the circumstances leading to her murder. Further updates are expected as pre-inquest reviews proceed in the coming months.