Coroner rejects anonymity requests for three witnesses in Sara Sharif inquest

A coroner has rejected requests for anonymity made by three council workers expected to give evidence in the inquest for murdered 10-year-old Sara Sharif.

Concerns were raised about Sara’s care within a week of her birth in 2013, and her parents were known to social services as early as 2010, it has been reported.

At a pre-inquest review hearing last week, three Surrey County Council staff applied for anonymity to prevent their identities being reported in the press during the full hearing, which is expected to take place next year.

Alethea Redfern, acting on behalf of Surrey Council, had sought anonymity to protect the employees “from harm to their health and private and family lives” which could result “from their identity being made public when they give evidence”.

Urfan Sharif, 44, and Beinash Batool, 32, were convicted of Sara’s murder

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Ms Redfern added that there would be a “risk that the employees could no longer work if their identities were revealed” which would be a “loss of valuable resource to Surrey County Council”.

In a written judgment, senior coroner Richard Travers rejected all three applications.

In his decision, Mr Travers said: “I have considered the evidence carefully in the context of all the legal principles and I have decided that all three of the applications for anonymity should be refused.

“I am not satisfied, on the basis of the evidence provided, that granting anonymity is justified by reference to common law principles of fairness or as a result of balancing the Article 8 rights (respect for private and family life) of the employees against the Article 10 rights (freedom of expression) of the media and the important principle of open justice.”

Mr Travers previously ordered Surrey County Council to disclose 24,606 documents about Sara’s siblings.

Sharif was jailed for a minimum term of 40 years, while Batool has to serve at least 33 years in custody.

Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 31, was found guilty of causing or allowing her death and jailed for 16 years.