October 20, 2024, 9:01 p.m.

Ministers must now ban parents from hitting their children, England’s children’s commissioner has said.

Rachel de Souza said rules banning mums and dads from hitting their children as a form of discipline should be brought in line with Scotland and Wales’ ban.

Currently, parents can argue that slapping constitutes “reasonable punishment” in court if they are prosecuted.

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Ms De Souza wrote in the Observer: “We have seen too many cases where children have been harmed and died at the hands of the people who should most love and care for them.

“Banning spanking is a necessary step to keep children safe and prevent the escalation of lower-level violence.

“I hate any form of violence against children. Children are more vulnerable than adults, so we must ensure that they are protected and their rights supported.”

His intervention comes after the murder trial of Sara Sharif’s parents heard that her father Urfan, 42, told police he had “legally punished” his daughter in a phone call.

Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones KC told the Old Bailey on Monday that Sara’s father told a 999 operator he had “killed” his daughter after claiming he had “legally punished” her.

Her father, Urfan Sharif, 42, her stepmother Beinash Batool, 29, and Urfan’s brother, Faisal Malik, 28, are all on trial for her murder.

They deny the accusations.