Coroner rejects request for anonymity on behalf of council workers in Sara Sharif inquest

Sara was aged 10 when found dead at her family home in Woking, and her father Urfan Sharif and stepmother Beinash Batool were jailed for life in 2024 for murder.

A review into the case found multiple failings from agencies in the lead-up to Sara’s murder and said "the system failed to keep her safe”.

According to the BBC, at a pre-inquest review hearing last week, Surrey County Council applied to prevent the identities of the workers being reported by the press during the full hearing, but the application was resisted by media organisations.

It was argued on behalf of the council that anonymity would protect the employees from "harm to their health and private and family lives".

However, the request was denied.

Earlier this month, the coroner conducting the inquest ordered Surrey to disclose more than 24,000 pages of documents.

The inquest is expected to examine what state agencies knew, or ought to have known, about Sara's safety.

Surrey has previously apologised and said it had taken “robust action” to address earlier findings.

The council declined to make further comment.

Lottie Winson