Watch: Police arrest Sara Sharif’s family after plane lands at Gatwick Airport

Sara was discovered dead with burns, bite marks and fractured bones on a bunk bed at her home. Photo / Surrey Police

Bodycam footage showing the moment Sara Sharif’s alleged murderers were arrested on a plane at London’s Gatwick Airport has been played in court.

The 10-year-old was discovered dead with burns, bite marks and fractured bones on a bunk bed at her home in the British town of Woking, Surrey, on August 10 last year.

Her father Urfan Sharif, 42, her stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, and her uncle Faisal Malik, 28, are all on trial accused of her murder.

After her death, the trio fled to Pakistan before returning to Britain more than a month later.

The 10-year-old was discovered dead with burns, bite marks and fractured bones on a bunk bed at her home. Photo / Surrey Police

On September 13 last year, police received information that the three defendants would be arriving at Gatwick airport on a flight from Dubai that evening.

At the Old Bailey on Friday, jurors were shown clips from officers’ cameras of the moment police boarded the plane and detained the defendants at 7.42pm, seven minutes after touchdown.

As officers approached, Batool raised her hand and said: “I think you’re looking for us.”

The defendants were then arrested and put into police vans.

The next day, each defendant was interviewed by police but chose not to comment.

Jurors were also told that bruising on Sara’s face had prompted her school to make a referral to social services, who decided no further action was required.

Sara was seen with bruises on her face by teachers at St Mary’s Church of England primary school on two occasions.

The second time, on March 10 last year, the school spoke to Sara and she gave different explanations for what had happened.

A teacher had noticed Sara had a bruise on her chin and another on her eye.

Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones, KC, said: “Sara said her eye was just very itchy and the mark on her chin was from falling on roller skates.

“The headteacher spoke to her and Sara lowered her head and refused to lift her head or show her head.”

Sara then gave a different explanation for the bruise, saying that a child had punched her.

“She was reluctant to talk and kept her face lowered and only spoke with her face buried with her arm on the table,” Emlyn Jones said.

“The school contacted their point of advice and a social services referral was made. Beinash Batool was made aware of the social services referral.”

A referral was made to social services but six days later, on March 16, it decided no further action was required.

Sara was withdrawn from school within four weeks of the bruising being noticed to be homeschooled, the court heard.

At 9.40am on April 17, the school was sent an email from Sharif saying Sara would be homeschooled with immediate effect.

All three defendants, formerly of Woking, have denied murder and causing or allowing the death of a child between December 16, 2022, and August 9, 2023.

The trial continues.