A neighbour of Sara Sharif who tried to inquire about “screaming” coming from inside the 10-year-old’s home had the door shut in her face, a court was told.

Rebecca Spencer, who lived in a flat above the Sharif’s previous family home in West Byfleet, said she had also heard “constant crying” and “banging” which on one occasion had reached “fever pitch”.

Ms Spencer told jurors she had gone to the address and asked if everything was OK. Sara’s stepmother, Beinash Batool, told her “yes, yes” before she “had the door shut in my face”.

Ms Batool, 30, and Sara’s father Urfan Sharif, 42, have denied murder, along with Mr Sharif’s brother Faisal Malik, 29. The trial at the Old Bailey continues.

Jurors previously heard Sara had been hooded, burned, bitten and beaten during more than two years of abuse.

Her body was found at their family home in Woking, Surrey, in August last year.

The family had moved to that address in April 2023, after living in the flat in West Byfleet.

Ms Spencer told the court she had heard “crying”, “rattling of doors”, “a lot of door slamming” and “hysterical screaming at the children” coming from the flat.

She also said she had heard a woman shouting “not very nice words”, but had not seen bruises on the children and had not contacted the police or social services.

Another neighbour, Chloe Redwin, lived near the Sharifs in West Byfleet for almost two-and-a-half years.

She said the only time it was quiet was when they were away on holiday.

Ms Redwin said she thought she had heard “smacking” from downstairs followed by a scream.

The court previously heard Mr Sharif, Ms Batool and Mr Malik travelled to Islamabad, Pakistan, on 9 August 2023, the day before Sara’s body was found.

The three defendants are also charged with causing or allowing the death of a child, which they deny.

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