Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing
A source familiar with the workings of HMP Belmarsh prison has shared the alleged reason why Sara Sharif's father was reportedly attacked, as authorities confirmed an investigation is underway.
A spokesperson for the Prison Service confirmed today (January 3) that police are investigating the assault of a prisoner at HMP Belmarsh in South London on 1 January.
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The spokesperson said it would be 'inappropriate to comment further while they investigate', however reports indicate that the victim of the attack was Urfan Sharif; the 43-year-old father of Sara Sharif, who was killed at her home in Surrey in 2023 after what was described as a 'campaign of torture'.
Sara was burned and beaten during the attacks, which lasted two years before her body was found in August, 2023.
Sharif was convicted last month and sent to Belmarsh prison, where he is carrying out a life sentence.
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Now, a spokesperson for the Met Police has confirmed that the victim was a '43-year-old man' who suffered 'non-life-threatening injuries'.
Sources allegedly familiar with the incident told The Sun Sharif was targeted in a 'planned' attack with 'the jagged lid of a tuna tin'.
“He was sliced in the neck and face... He was lucky to survive, has had to have stitches and will have scars as a permanent reminder of the attack," they claimed.
The source told the publisher that Sharif has a 'target on his back' after news of his daughter's murder made headlines.
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They continued: "Inmates were not happy he is in there with them and, although the other prisoners are in for heinous crimes, a lot of them don’t like people who attack children."
The source alleged that guards at the prison 'tried to keep [Sharif] safe', but added: “Something like this was always on the cards, and an attack was probably only a matter of time."
Belmarsh Prison is a Category A facility, meaning it's a high security prison housing male inmates who would 'pose the most threat to the public, the police or national security' if they were to escape.
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Sharif has been sent to Belmarsh for a minimum of 40 years, while his wife, Beinash Batool, was sentenced to a minimum of 33 years for her role in Sara's death. Sara's uncle, Faisal Malik, also received a prison sentence of 16 years.
The day before Sara's body was found, the three adults fled to Pakistan with Sara's five siblings. They remained there for four weeks before returning to the UK, at which point they were arrested.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues or want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.
Emily Brown