Man who killed his 10-year-old daughter attacked in prison

The shocking murder of 10-year-old Sara Sharif horrified the world, but even behind bars, her father Urfan Sharif could not escape the consequences of his crime. Fellow inmates at HMP Belmarsh ambushed him with a jagged tuna can lid, leaving him badly injured.

On August 8, 2023, the body of 10-year-old Sara Sharif was discovered at her family home in Woking, Surrey. Investigators found her lying in a bunk bed, her small body showing signs of prolonged abuse. Next to her was a confession letter written by her father, Urfan Sharif, admitting he had beaten her to death.

“Whoever sees this note, it’s me, Urfan Sharif, who killed my daughter by beating. I am running away because I am scared,” he wrote. Before fleeing the country, he added, “I swear to God that my intention was not to kill her. But I lost it.”

Sara’s autopsy revealed over 70 horrific injuries, including 11 fractures to her spine, burns, and human bite marks. Prosecutors described the abuse as a “campaign of torture” lasting two years, inflicted by Sharif, his wife Beinash Batool, and his brother Faisal Malik.

After an international manhunt, the three were arrested and brought back to the UK. In December 2024, a judge sentenced Sharif to life in prison with a minimum of 40 years, Batool to 33 years, and Malik to 16 years.

Sara’s devastated mother, Olga Domin, issued a statement in court, calling the killers “sadists.” She went further, saying, “Although even this word is not enough for you. I would say you are executioners.”

Speaking about her daughter, she added, “She is now an angel who looks down on us from heaven. She is no longer experiencing violence.”

Sharif attacked by inmates

Life in prison has not been easy for Sharif. HMP Belmarsh, often called “Britain’s Guantanamo Bay,” is home to some of the country’s most dangerous criminals. But even among them, child killers are despised.

According to a source who spoke to The Sun, “Word quickly got around about who he was… Inmates were not happy he was in there with them.”

On New Year’s Day, just weeks into his sentence, two prisoners launched a brutal attack on Sharif. Armed with a homemade weapon—a jagged lid from a tuna can—they slashed his neck and face, leaving him severely injured.

“Urfan was sliced up badly in his cell by two others who rushed in. It was planned and they used a makeshift weapon – made from the lid of a tin of tuna. He was sliced in the neck and face and is still in healthcare and in a very bad way,” the source revealed.

“He was lucky to survive, has had to have stitches and will have scars as a permanent reminder of the attack.”

Reports suggest one of his attackers was Steve Sansom, a convicted murderer serving life for killing and dismembering a woman in 2024.

Prison officers had tried to protect Sharif, knowing he was a target. But as the insider put it, “Something like this was always on the cards… A lot of them are saying how it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving guy.”

What’s next for Sharif?

Following the attack, Sharif was placed in a prison healthcare unit to recover. Authorities will likely move him to a more secure area to prevent further violence. However, given his notoriety, staying safe in prison will be a constant battle.

The case of Sara Sharif remains one of the most heartbreaking child abuse cases in recent history. While her killers have been brought to justice, the scars of her suffering will never fade—for her family, for those who followed the case, and now, for the man responsible.

Do you think Sharif’s prison attack was justified? Let us know your thoughts.