Keir Starmer calls for ‘clarity’ after ‘harrowing’ murder of Sara Sharif

Sir Keir Starmer has called for clarity on children’s social care reform after the “harrowing” murder of 10-year-old Sara Sharif.

Sara – whose battered body was discovered at her family home in Woking, Surrey, in August last year – was removed from school by her family, despite teachers having noticed marks on her face and referred her to social services.

Home schooling her allowed the abuse at the hands of her father Urfan Sharif, 43, and stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, to carry on “beyond the gaze of the authorities”, Mr Justice Cavanagh told them on Tuesday as he sentenced them to life in prison.

Sharif was handed a minimum term of 40 years, with Batool given 33 years. Sara’s uncle Faisal Malik, 29, was found guilty of causing or allowing her death and jailed for 16 years.

During Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Sir Keir vowed to update MPs on the steps taken to “learn those lessons” from her death.

Woking MP Will Forster told MPs: “I know the Prime Minister is aware of the case of my constituent Sara Sharif, who was brutally tortured and appallingly murdered by her father and her stepmother.

“I want Sara’s legacy to be one where she’s the last vulnerable child to be killed by people that should have looked after her.

“Will the Prime Minister ensure that an independent inquest and review is taken into Sara’s death and it’s held immediately in the new year so we can learn why public authorities failed, so we can ensure that it never happens again?”

Sir Keir replied: “He rightly raises this absolutely harrowing case and it is important that all the lessons are learned.

“There is an independent process going on but we must be clear about overhauling children’s social care to keep young people safe and looking again about the framework for home schooling amongst other things.

“So we need to learn those lessons. We are taking steps. There is a process going on at the moment and I’ll update the House in due course.”