Sara Sharif's 'devastated' mum fled Britain just weeks after girl was murdered
Sara Sharif's 'devastated' mother Olga Domin fled the country just weeks after the 10-year-old was murdered by her abusive father, who had custody of her and her siblings
by Patrick Hill · The MirrorSara Sharif's distraught mum fled Britain just weeks after her murder.
Olga Domin moved to Poland with her new husband, Krzysztof Bednarz, after being left heartbroken after her daughter’s death following failings by the UK authorities.
A former acquaintance said: “She was completely devastated. I don’t think she wanted to stay in the country where such a thing had happened to her daughter. She needed to get away. It’s very sad.”
Olga’s mother said she had lost all faith in authorities in Britain: “Did you think I was such a terrible, unfit mother? They had Urfan's file, showing how violent he was, didn't they? If they had taken that into the system, Sara would still be alive.”
Within months of meeting Olga, Sara’s dad Urfan was arrested for assaulting her and two children after Olga said she had been held captive in November 2010. But police released him without charge after Sharif claimed he was the real victim.
Ms Domin told Polish TV channel Uwaga of his sadistic abuse: “Once, he tried to set me on fire, poured oil on me, but his cousin stopped him. He simply locked me in a room. Locked me in all day until the police arrived.”
Social services were called repeatedly after the children suffered unexplained bruises, bite marks, scratches and burns, but Sharif managed to hoodwink them playing on his wife's vulnerability and broken English to blame Olga or even other children for inflicting the wounds.
Ms Domin recalled Sharif would even offer children chocolate if they hit her and he later encouraged a teenager to emulate his sadistic cruelty. The convicted thief spent his time drinking and gambling, eventually leaving Ms Domin to fly to Jhelum where he secretly married his cousin in an Islamic ceremony before he returned to embark on a third marriage with Batool.
However, a family court decided to award Sharif custody in 2019 after Ms Domin was blamed for the attacks.