Two Inmates Charged With Attempted Murder of Sara Sharif’s Father at Belmarsh
By AfroAsiaBlog News Desk
Published: August 14, 2026
Two prisoners have been charged with attempted murder in connection with an alleged attack on Urfan Sharif, the father convicted of murdering 10-year-old Sara Sharif, while he was serving his life sentence at HMP Belmarsh in London.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced on August 14 that Steven Sansom, 47, and Adam Watson, 39, had been charged following an incident at the high-security prison on January 1, 2025.
The charges bring a new criminal case involving Sara Sharif’s father, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2024 with a minimum term of 40 years for his daughter’s murder.
The allegations against Sansom and Watson have not been tested in court. Both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
What Happened to Urfan Sharif at Belmarsh?
The alleged attack took place at HMP Belmarsh in southeast London on January 1, 2025, only weeks after Urfan Sharif began serving his life sentence.
The CPS said Sansom and Watson have been charged with attempted murder in connection with the incident after prosecutors worked with the Metropolitan Police to assess the evidence.
According to reporting by the Press Association, Sharif was the prisoner involved in the incident. Reports have also said that he suffered injuries to his neck and face and required medical treatment inside the prison. The injuries were described as non-life-threatening.
Other reports have alleged that the attack involved the jagged lid of a tuna can. Because that detail is part of reporting about an active criminal case rather than a finding established at trial, it should not be treated as a proven account of what happened.
The CPS has now decided there is sufficient evidence for criminal proceedings to continue.
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Who Are the Two Prisoners Charged?
The two defendants named by the CPS are:
- Steven Sansom, 47
- Adam Watson, 39
Both have been charged with attempted murder in connection with the January 2025 incident at HMP Belmarsh.
The pair are scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on August 26, 2026.
Reports also state that the defendants face serious assault-related allegations in addition to attempted murder. The exact charges and how they are dealt with by the courts will form part of the proceedings.
Why Was Urfan Sharif in Prison?
Urfan Sharif was serving a life sentence because of the murder of his daughter, Sara Sharif.
Sara was 10 years old when she was found dead at the family home in Byfleet, Surrey, on August 8, 2023. Her father, stepmother Beinash Batool and uncle Faisal Malik subsequently faced criminal proceedings over her death.
Following a ten-week trial at the Old Bailey, Urfan Sharif and Beinash Batool were convicted of murdering Sara in December 2024.
Sharif was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years, while Batool received a life sentence with a minimum term of 33 years.
Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, was convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child and sentenced to 16 years in prison.
The CPS said the trial heard evidence of a sustained campaign of abuse against Sara, including multiple injuries and neglect.
What Happened to Sara Sharif?
Sara’s death became the subject of an extensive investigation after her body was discovered at the family home.
The CPS said the court heard evidence that Sara had suffered repeated assaults and abuse in the weeks before her death. Evidence presented during the trial included fractures, burns, bruising and a traumatic head injury. The post-mortem concluded that she died from complications arising from multiple injuries and neglect.
After Sara's death, her father, stepmother and uncle travelled to Pakistan. Urfan Sharif contacted police from Pakistan on August 10, 2023, and the three later returned to the United Kingdom, where they were arrested in September 2023.
The resulting prosecution involved cooperation between UK authorities and Pakistani authorities. The CPS has said its international work played an important role in securing evidence used in the case.
Why Were the Belmarsh Charges Announced More Than a Year After the Alleged Attack?
One of the obvious questions surrounding the new case is why an incident that allegedly happened in January 2025 has resulted in charges being announced in August 2026.
A delay between an alleged offence and a charging decision does not, by itself, establish that an investigation was inactive.
In serious criminal cases, investigators and prosecutors may need time to gather, assess and review evidence before deciding whether the legal threshold for prosecution has been met.
The CPS said its prosecutors worked closely with the Metropolitan Police before determining that there was sufficient evidence to bring the case to court.
The charging decision should also be distinguished from a conviction. A charge means that a prosecution is being brought; it does not establish that the defendants committed the alleged offences.
What Does an Attempted-Murder Charge Mean?
Attempted murder is a serious criminal allegation involving an alleged intention to kill.
For a conviction, the prosecution must prove the required elements of the offence to the criminal standard of proof. The evidence in this particular case will be tested through the court process.
This distinction is important because being charged is not the same as being found guilty.
Sansom and Watson have the right to defend themselves against the allegations, and the prosecution must prove its case in court.
What Has the CPS Said About the Case?
Daren Streeter, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS London, said prosecutors had worked with the Metropolitan Police to establish that there was sufficient evidence to bring the case to court.
The CPS has also stressed the importance of protecting the defendants' right to a fair trial.
That means details that have not been established in court should be treated cautiously, particularly where they could affect the fairness of future proceedings.
AfroAsiaBlog therefore distinguishes between confirmed information from authorities, reported details and allegations that remain to be tested in court.
Who Was Sara Sharif?
Sara Sharif was a 10-year-old girl from Surrey whose murder attracted international attention.
Her death led to a major investigation after her family travelled to Pakistan. The case subsequently resulted in the convictions of her father and stepmother for murder and her uncle for causing or allowing the death of a child.
The case also raised wider questions about child safeguarding, the protection of vulnerable children and whether warning signs in Sara's life had been adequately acted upon.
For readers who want to understand the wider case, the December 2024 convictions and sentencing provide important context for understanding why Urfan Sharif was serving a life sentence when the Belmarsh incident allegedly occurred.
What Happens Next?
Sansom and Watson are expected to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on August 26, 2026.
The hearing will be an early stage in the criminal proceedings. Further hearings may follow, and the case could eventually move to a higher court depending on how the prosecution develops.
The most important developments to watch will include:
- The defendants' first court appearance.
- Any decisions concerning the charges.
- Further information formally presented by prosecutors or the courts.
- Any subsequent plea or case-management hearings.
- Whether the case proceeds to trial.
Until the allegations are resolved through the courts, both defendants remain legally presumed innocent.
Why This New Case Matters
The Belmarsh case is significant for two reasons.
First, it concerns an alleged serious attack inside a high-security prison against a prisoner serving a life sentence.
Second, it creates a new criminal proceeding connected indirectly to one of Britain's most closely followed child-murder cases.
However, the two cases should not be confused.
Urfan Sharif has already been convicted of murdering Sara Sharif. The attempted-murder allegation at Belmarsh concerns a separate incident and separate defendants.
Keeping those facts separate is essential when reporting on an active criminal case.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Alleged victim | Urfan Sharif |
| Age | 43 |
| Location | HMP Belmarsh, London |
| Alleged incident | January 1, 2025 |
| Defendants | Steven Sansom, 47; Adam Watson, 39 |
| Main charge | Attempted murder |
| Next reported hearing | Westminster Magistrates’ Court, August 26, 2026 |
| Current status | Active criminal proceedings |
| Sharif's sentence | Life imprisonment, minimum term of 40 years |
What Readers Should Take Away
The key point is straightforward: two prisoners have now been charged with attempting to murder Urfan Sharif during his imprisonment at Belmarsh.
The alleged attack happened on January 1, 2025, but the charges were announced on August 14, 2026, after prosecutors and police reviewed the evidence.
The defendants will have their first reported court appearance on August 26.
At this stage, however, the allegations remain allegations.
The courts will determine whether the prosecution's evidence is sufficient to establish guilt.
Related Reading
Readers following the case may also want to explore AfroAsiaBlog's related coverage of:
- The conviction and sentencing of Urfan Sharif for Sara Sharif's murder.
- The murder trial involving Sara Sharif's stepmother and uncle.
- How the UK criminal justice system handles attempted-murder cases.
- What happens during a first appearance at a UK magistrates' court.
- The legal meaning of the presumption of innocence.
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Editorial Note
AfroAsiaBlog reports active criminal proceedings using careful language to distinguish allegations from established facts. The charges against Steven Sansom and Adam Watson do not amount to convictions, and the defendants are entitled to a fair trial.
This article will be updated when significant, verified information becomes available from the Crown Prosecution Service, police, courts or other reliable official sources.
Sources checked for this report: Crown Prosecution Service materials concerning the Sara Sharif case and current reporting on the August 14, 2026 charging announcement.
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