Judges in Sara Sharif Case Identified Following Court of Appeal Decision
Last week, three appeal judges ruled that the judges involved in historic family court proceedings regarding Sara could be named.
The Court of Appeal ruling now allows the identification of Judge Alison Raeside, Judge Peter Nathan, and Judge Sally Williams who were all part of the family court proceedings concerning Sara Sharif between 2013 and 2019.
In those proceedings, Sara was ultimately placed in the care of her father, Urfan Sharif, and stepmother, Beinash Batool, who tragically killed her in 2023 at their home in Woking, Surrey, leading to their life imprisonment the following year.
Initially, the media was forbidden from naming the judges and professionals involved in the case, as the High Court believed they followed the legal and social work guidelines. However, the Court of Appeal decided on Jan. 24 to allow the media to disclose the judges’ names in the name of transparency and open justice.
Documents revealed that Surrey County Council was in contact with the Sharif family for years before Sara’s death, even starting care proceedings shortly after Sara’s birth.
