Key facts
- Two prisoners, Steven Sansom, 47, and Adam Watson, 39, have denied attempting to murder Urfan Sharif.
- Urfan Sharif is serving a life sentence for the murder of his 10-year-old daughter, Sara Sharif.
- The alleged attack occurred in a cell at HMP Belmarsh on January 1, 2025.
- Prosecutors claim Watson punched Sharif repeatedly before Sansom applied pressure to his throat.
- Watson allegedly passed an object to Sansom, used to make cutting motions to Sharif's throat.
- Sansom and Watson also deny wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and unauthorized possession of weapons.
Two prisoners have pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Urfan Sharif, who is serving a life sentence for killing his 10-year-old daughter, Sara Sharif. Steven Sansom, 47, and Adam Watson, 39, were charged last month following an alleged attack in Belmarsh Prison on January 1, 2025.
Sharif and Sara's stepmother, Beinash Batool, were previously sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering Sara at their home in Woking, Surrey.
During a hearing at the Old Bailey, the court was told that Sansom reportedly invited Sharif into a cell where Watson was waiting. Watson allegedly punched Sharif repeatedly before Sansom applied pressure to his throat. Prosecutors claim Watson then passed an object to Sansom, which was used to make cutting motions to Sharif's throat.
Sansom and Watson also deny wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and unauthorized possession of two weapons, identified as a tin lid and a pen attached to a handle.
Judge Lynn Tayton KC set a two-week trial for July 19 next year and remanded the serving prisoners into custody. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for June 21.