Judges allowed Sara Sharif to live with her murderer father
- Sara Sharif was placed in the custody of her father and stepmother despite serious concerns about her safety reported throughout the years.
- The judges involved in her case, including Alison Raeside, faced previous criticism for a controversial hearing regarding another child's custody.
- The judicial decisions leading to her placement contributed to the circumstances that ultimately resulted in her tragic murder.
In the United Kingdom, a significant judicial ruling took place regarding the family court proceedings involving Sara Sharif, a 10-year-old girl murdered by her father, Urfan Sharif, and stepmother, Beinash Batool. The judges who made critical decisions in her case were finally named following a Court of Appeal ruling. Judges Alison Raeside, Peter Nathan, and Sally Williams oversaw the decisions between 2013 and 2019. Sara was eventually placed in the care of her father and stepmother after numerous proceedings that raised serious concerns about her safety and the risks posed by her home environment. The High Court had previous rulings that suggested the judges acted within the appropriate legal parameters during the decisions regarding Sara’s placement. However, a troubling past surrounding Judge Raeside, who allowed Sara to live with her father, emerged; she had been criticized for a flawed hearing in a different child’s case. That decision led to questions about transparency and fairness in how Sara's case was managed. Justice Newton outlined serious allegations against Judge Raeside that highlighted deficiencies in judgment related to communications concerning children's welfare. Despite substantial evidence and the expressed parental concerns of Sara facing emotional and physical harm, she remained in the custody of her father and stepmother. Reports revealed that the authorities were concerned about the risks to Sara and her siblings, but plans were created for the children to stay under their parents' supervision, indicating insufficient measures to protect them. This culminated in Sara being placed in the home where she was later discovered to have been brutally murdered. Following Sara's death, both Urfan Sharif and Beinash Batool were ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment for their roles in her murder. The tragic circumstances surrounding her case have cast a spotlight on the flaws within the child welfare and judicial systems that failed to prioritize the safety of a vulnerable child like Sara Sharif. The legal system faced significant criticism for how it handled allegations of abuse and the custody arrangements that were ultimately put in place, raising essential questions about accountability and effectiveness in protecting children at risk.