A Central Criminal Court in England on Tuesday sentenced a father, Urfan Sharif, to 40 years in jail and stepmother, Beinash Batool, to 33 years’ imprisonment after they were convicted of killing a 10-year-old girl, Sara Sharif.

The late victim’s uncle, Faisal Malik, was also sentenced at the Old Bailey to 16 years in prison after the 29-year-old was found guilty of causing or allowing the death of his niece.

Prosecutors said the uncle, along with Mr Sharif, 42, and Ms Batool, 30, fled to Islamabad, Pakistan, with the victim’s five siblings on August 9, 2023, after the murder of the young girl.

Mr Sharif was said to have later called the UK police on the phone to admit he “legally punished her, and she died.” Mr Sharif revealed that he “beat her up too much.”

The trio were, however, apprehended on suspicion of murder when they returned to Britain over a month after fleeing, but they didn’t return with the children.

“Sara’s death was the culmination of years of neglect, frequent assaults and what can only be described as the torture of this small child. The degree of cruelty is almost inconceivable. None of you have shown a shred of true remorse,” said Justice John Cavanagh. “You, Beinash Batool, did not stand in Urfan Sharif’s way. You encouraged Urfan Sharif in his assaults.”

The deceased girl’s mother, Olga Sharif, called the convicts “executioners.”

A post-mortem examination of the girl showed that she was inflicted with over 70 external injuries, including 11 fractures to her spine, signs of a traumatic brain injury, six probable human bite marks, an iron burn and scalding from hot water before she died on August 8, 2023.

The police also found a note in the father’s handwriting beside her body.

“Whoever sees this note, it’s me, Urfan Sharif, who killed my daughter by beating,” said the note.