High Court Bans Identification of Sara Sharif Family Court Judges

The High Court has banned the identification of the Family Court judges who oversaw proceedings in relation to murdered 10-year-old Sara Sharif.

Urfan Sharif, 43, and Beinash Batool, 30, were convicted of Sara's murder following a nine-week trial at the Old Bailey. The pair are due to be sentenced on Tuesday, 17th December 2024.

Sara's killing is too upsetting to write about in detail. Even more upsetting is the fact that the authorities had concerns about the parental suitability of Urfan Sharif.

Last week Mr Justice Williams made an order preventing the naming of the Family Court judges, and others, involved in the decision to grant custody of the children to Urfan Sharif.

The order prohibits publication of "the name of any third parties referred to in the historic proceedings for the avoidance of doubt including social worker, guardian other named professionals and experts instructed in the proceedings and any judge who heard the historic proceedings".

Such an order is highly unusual.

There is a strong chance the professionals working closely with the Sharif family will face an uncomfortable degree of scrutiny and attract a lot of criticism.

In some cases that might, arguably, be scrutiny and criticism well beyond their pay scale, particularly when those in higher office were aware of the risks posed by Urfan Sharif.

However, if you're a member of the judiciary then criticism comes with the territory - you accept that everyone has an opinion and quite often it will contradict your own.

A fundamental aspect of the principle of open justice is that the public has a right to know which judges preside over which cases.

Even in the Magistrates' Court if a journalist or member of the public asks for the names of the Bench, they are entitled to receive that information.

The Guardian is going to appeal Williams J's decision.