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Tia Sharp murder trial: Stuart Hazell pleads guilty | Tia Sharp murder trial: Stuart Hazell pleads guilty |
(35 minutes later) | |
Stuart Hazell has pleaded guilty to the murder of schoolgirl Tia Sharp. | Stuart Hazell has pleaded guilty to the murder of schoolgirl Tia Sharp. |
The 37-year-old had denied murder and sexual assault of the 12-year-old in Croydon, south London, last year. | The 37-year-old had denied murder and sexual assault of the 12-year-old in Croydon, south London, last year. |
She was last seen on 3 August at the house of Hazell's partner, Tia's grandmother, in New Addington. Her body was found in her grandmother's loft a week later. | She was last seen on 3 August at the house of Hazell's partner, Tia's grandmother, in New Addington. Her body was found in her grandmother's loft a week later. |
Hazell's defence said he changed his plea because Tia's family had "suffered enough" during the trial. | Hazell's defence said he changed his plea because Tia's family had "suffered enough" during the trial. |
He had previously claimed Tia died in an accident and he hid her body in panic. | He had previously claimed Tia died in an accident and he hid her body in panic. |
Sexual attraction | Sexual attraction |
Tia's father, Steve Carter, broke down in tears as Hazell changed his plea on the fifth day of his trial at the Old Bailey. | Tia's father, Steve Carter, broke down in tears as Hazell changed his plea on the fifth day of his trial at the Old Bailey. |
The prosecution said Hazell had a sexual attraction to the schoolgirl. | The prosecution said Hazell had a sexual attraction to the schoolgirl. |
The jury had been show an image of a child alleged to be Tia, dead on a bed at her grandmother's house in New Addington. | |
Blood could be seen on the bed linen in the picture, said to have been taken in the early hours of 3 August, when prosecutors say Tia died. | Blood could be seen on the bed linen in the picture, said to have been taken in the early hours of 3 August, when prosecutors say Tia died. |
Jurors heard two memory cards were found in the house, one in the kitchen and one, hidden on top of a doorframe, which contained "extensive pornography" featuring young girls. | Jurors heard two memory cards were found in the house, one in the kitchen and one, hidden on top of a doorframe, which contained "extensive pornography" featuring young girls. |
There were also three video clips and 11 still images of Tia sleeping. | |
'A bully' | 'A bully' |
The trial was read a letter written by Hazell to his father from prison saying he had made "one mistake" and his "whole world collapsed" . | The trial was read a letter written by Hazell to his father from prison saying he had made "one mistake" and his "whole world collapsed" . |
The letter was headed with the words "forgive me" and a picture of a sad face. | The letter was headed with the words "forgive me" and a picture of a sad face. |
It read: "What happened I will explain in time, but put it this way, it was an accident and I panicked. | It read: "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." | "Stupid I know but for my stupidity I'm looking at 15 to 18 years. I regret it every second of every day." |
Hazell, a convicted drug dealer, had a reputation for violence on the estate where he lived and three years ago he was convicted for threatening pub landlord Peter Wilson with a machete. | |
"He was a horrible man, a horrible man," Mr Wilson told the BBC. | "He was a horrible man, a horrible man," Mr Wilson told the BBC. |
"He was a bully, not very popular at all on the estate I would say." | "He was a bully, not very popular at all on the estate I would say." |
During the hunt for missing Tia, Hazell said she was "like my own daughter". | |
He described Tia as "a happy-go-lucky golden angel" and said there had been no problems at her "loving home" before she vanished. | |
Hazell is expected to be sentenced later. | Hazell is expected to be sentenced later. |