JUST ONE IS TOO MANY

485 children abused or killed in just one year | PM calls for over answers Sharif scandal

- TOM PETTIFOR and PHIL CARDY

THE sickening abuse dished out to Sara Sharif by her killer dad and stepmum was a harrowing tale of unbelievable cruelty to an innocent child.

But shockingly her case is not isolated, as it yesterday emerged the tragic 10-year-old was just one of 485 youngsters attacked or killed in a year.

Many were tots abused by people who were supposed to care for them the most - their relatives.

The under-ones suffered the most harm, representing more than a third of all incidents.

Figures from the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel were released a day after Sara's dad Urfan Sharif, 42, and her 30-year-old stepmum Beinash Batool were found guilty of murdering her last year. The defenceless child was battered to death at home after suffering at least two years of beatings and torture. The authorities missed 15 chances to save her.

Keir Starmer described her case as "the most awful". The PM said: "There's going to be questions that need to be answered."

The report into child abuse and deaths between April 1 last year and March 31 this year found of the 485 cases there were 330 serious incident notifications which are made by a local council when a youngster is killed or seriously harmed. Of these, 46% died.

And 16% of the youngsters ended their own lives - with 92% of those suffering mental health problems.

Panel chair Annie Hudson warned the child protection system must change.