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Prisoners Plead Not Guilty to Attacking Sharif
23 Sep
Summary
- Two inmates deny attempted murder of Urfan Sharif in Belmarsh Prison.
- Sharif is serving a life sentence for the murder of his daughter Sara.
- A trial is scheduled for July 19, 2027, with a pre-trial hearing in June.
Two prisoners, Steven Sansom, 47, and Adam Watson, 39, have pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Urfan Sharif. Sharif is serving a life sentence for the murder of his 10-year-old daughter, Sara Sharif. The alleged attack took place on January 1, 2025, within Belmarsh Prison, reportedly causing cuts to Sharif's face.
Appearing via video link from HMP Wakefield, Sansom and Watson denied charges including attempted murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. They also deny unauthorized possession of weapons, described as a tin lid and a pen attached to a handle.
Urfan Sharif and Sara's stepmother, Beinash Batool, were previously sentenced to life imprisonment for Sara's murder. Their sentencing was a minimum of 40 years for Urfan Sharif and 33 years for Batool. Sara's uncle, Faisal Malik, received 16 years for causing or allowing her death.
A trial for the alleged prison attack is scheduled to commence on July 19, 2027, with a pre-trial hearing set for June. The family had fled to Pakistan with Sara's five siblings the day before her body was discovered in 2023, remaining there for four weeks before returning to the UK where they were arrested.
