Two prisoners have pleaded not guilty to attempting to murder Urfan Sharif, the man convicted of killing his 10-year-old daughter Sara Sharif, in a jail cell attack at HMP Belmarsh on New Year's Day 2025. Steven Sansom, 47, and Adam Watson, 39, are accused of a coordinated assault using makeshift weapons that left Sharif injured and distressed. The case highlights ongoing tensions surrounding high-profile prisoners within the prison system.

The alleged attack involved Sansom and Watson using a tin lid and a pen attached to a handle as weapons, with Watson reportedly punching Sharif repeatedly and Sansom applying pressure to his throat. Prison officers discovered Sharif bloodied on the cell floor with injuries to his face, mouth and neck. Both defendants have also denied unauthorised possession of offensive weapons. A two-week trial has been scheduled for 19 July 2026, with a pre-trial hearing on 21 June. Sharif is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years following his December conviction for torturing and murdering Sara over a two-year period of abuse; his partner Beinash Batool received 33 years.