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| Tia Sharp murder suspect told father her death was accidental, court hears | Tia Sharp murder suspect told father her death was accidental, court hears |
| (4 months later) | |
| The man on trial for murdering Tia Sharp wrote to his father from prison claiming that her death was an accident and begging for forgiveness, a court has heard. | The man on trial for murdering Tia Sharp wrote to his father from prison claiming that her death was an accident and begging for forgiveness, a court has heard. |
| Stuart Hazell, 37, wrote to his father Keith from Belmarsh prison in August last year, saying he had made "one mistake and my whole world has collapsed". | Stuart Hazell, 37, wrote to his father Keith from Belmarsh prison in August last year, saying he had made "one mistake and my whole world has collapsed". |
| The letter, read to jurors at the Old Bailey on Friday, was topped with the words "forgive me" and a sad face. | The letter, read to jurors at the Old Bailey on Friday, was topped with the words "forgive me" and a sad face. |
| Hazell, who is accused of murdering Tia, is said by prosecutors to have sexually assaulted the 12-year-old then killed her and put her body in the loft of the home that he shared with her grandmother in south London. | Hazell, who is accused of murdering Tia, is said by prosecutors to have sexually assaulted the 12-year-old then killed her and put her body in the loft of the home that he shared with her grandmother in south London. |
| He denies the killing, claiming Tia died in an accident and he panicked and hid her body. | He denies the killing, claiming Tia died in an accident and he panicked and hid her body. |
| Hazell wrote: "What happened I will explain in time, but put it this way, it was an accident and I panicked. Stupid I know but for my stupidity I'm looking at 15 to 18 years. I regret it every second of every day. | Hazell wrote: "What happened I will explain in time, but put it this way, it was an accident and I panicked. Stupid I know but for my stupidity I'm looking at 15 to 18 years. I regret it every second of every day. |
| "I think about ending my life because if I don't someone will, that's definite." | "I think about ending my life because if I don't someone will, that's definite." |
| The letter went on: "God I hate myself. I should have gone about this a different way, told the police everything. They're trying to say it was sexual but I promise you it wasn't." | The letter went on: "God I hate myself. I should have gone about this a different way, told the police everything. They're trying to say it was sexual but I promise you it wasn't." |
| Hazell also asked his father to send money to the prison, saying: "I've got no money, no fags, no hope. It's the Hazell curse and I've only got myself to blame." | Hazell also asked his father to send money to the prison, saying: "I've got no money, no fags, no hope. It's the Hazell curse and I've only got myself to blame." |
| He said he had made "one mistake and my whole world has collapsed. My own fault I know. Don't listen to the papers, like everyone else. I will tell you all in time." | He said he had made "one mistake and my whole world has collapsed. My own fault I know. Don't listen to the papers, like everyone else. I will tell you all in time." |
| The window cleaner wrote that he was "truly, truly sorry", and went on: "May God have mercy on my soul even though I don't deserve it." | The window cleaner wrote that he was "truly, truly sorry", and went on: "May God have mercy on my soul even though I don't deserve it." |
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