Two prisoners who attacked Sara Sharif's father behind bars attempted 'to slice his neck' with tin can lid, court hears
Steven Sansom, 47, and Adam Watson, 39, are accused of trying to kill Urfan Sharif at HMP Belmarsh on New Year’s Day last year.
Two inmates attempted to murder the father of schoolgirl Sara Sharif by slicing his nick a with tin can lid, a court has heard.
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Steven Sansom, 47, and Adam Watson, 39, appeared in court on Wednesday accused of trying to kill Urfan Sharif at HMP Belmarsh on New Year’s Day last year.
Prosecutor Jack Wadsworth told Westminster Magistrates’ Court that Sansom invited Sharif, who murdered his 10-year-old daughter, into a cell where Watson was waiting.
“Watson immediately took hold of him and punched him repeatedly,” Mr Wadsworth told the court.
“Sansom then took him by the neck and applied sustained pressure to his throat.”
Prosecutors claim Watson then passed an “unidentified object to Sansom” which he allegedly used to “make repeated cutting motions towards Sharif’s throat”.
Read more: Two charged over prison attack on father who beat to death 10-year-old Sara Sharif
Sansom is also accused of causing Sharif grievous bodily harm with intent and unauthorised possession of an offensive weapon – a tin lid bent to make a weapon, according to the charge sheet.
The court heard prison officers entered the cell and found Sharif “bloodied and distressed” on the floor, with injuries to his face, mouth and neck.
“The Crown’s case is the intention was to kill and this was only prevented by the entry of prison guards and Sharif’s resistance,” Mr Wadsworth said.
The two men, who appeared separately by video link from HMP Wakefield, are serving prisoners, the court heard.
Neither Watson, wearing a bright blue t-shirt, nor Sansom, who wore a light t-shirt and had long hair, gave an indication of their plea at the short hearing, and they were remanded into custody.
“Both of you are charged with offences that can only be tried in Crown court, or linked offences,” Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring told them.
He told them to appear the Old Bailey on September 23 for a plea and trial preparation hearing.
Sharif and Sara’s stepmother, Beinash Batool, were jailed for life in December for years of horrific “torture” and “despicable” abuse that culminated in the 10-year-old’s murder.
The court heard that she suffered “unimaginable pain, misery and anxiety” as she was repeatedly beaten, burned, bitten and restrained at the family home in Woking, Surrey.
Sharif was handed a minimum term of 40 years, and Batool was given 33 years.