This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/may/13/stuart-hazell-admits-murdering-tia-sharp
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Tia Sharp murder: Stuart Hazell changes his plea to guilty | Tia Sharp murder: Stuart Hazell changes his plea to guilty |
| (4 months later) | |
| Stuart Hazell on Monday dropped his campaign of lies and admitted murdering Tia Sharp, 12, saying he confessed because he wanted to spare her family further anguish. | Stuart Hazell on Monday dropped his campaign of lies and admitted murdering Tia Sharp, 12, saying he confessed because he wanted to spare her family further anguish. |
| On the fifth day of his Old Bailey trial, there were gasps from the public gallery and tears from the murdered girl's family as Hazell stood in the dock and changed his plea to announce his guilt for Tia's murder. It is believed he smothered her. | On the fifth day of his Old Bailey trial, there were gasps from the public gallery and tears from the murdered girl's family as Hazell stood in the dock and changed his plea to announce his guilt for Tia's murder. It is believed he smothered her. |
| Hazell had a history of viewing paedophile material online, and police experts are warning that the proliferation of indecent images on the internet is putting children in increasing danger. | Hazell had a history of viewing paedophile material online, and police experts are warning that the proliferation of indecent images on the internet is putting children in increasing danger. |
| Hazell, 37, was the partner of Tia's grandmother, Christine Bicknell, with whom he lived in New Addington, south London. He had previously been the boyfriend of Tia's mother, Natalie Sharp. | Hazell, 37, was the partner of Tia's grandmother, Christine Bicknell, with whom he lived in New Addington, south London. He had previously been the boyfriend of Tia's mother, Natalie Sharp. |
| For nine months Hazell, a window cleaner with a long criminal history, kept up a campaign of lies. He claimed first that Tia had left home on the day she went missing in August last year, and later that she had fallen down the stairs and died in an accident, and he had panicked and put her body in the loft. | For nine months Hazell, a window cleaner with a long criminal history, kept up a campaign of lies. He claimed first that Tia had left home on the day she went missing in August last year, and later that she had fallen down the stairs and died in an accident, and he had panicked and put her body in the loft. |
| But yesterday Hazell admitted that he had murdered the child after the jury heard days of devastating evidence against him. This included forensic evidence that he had violently sexually assaulted Tia. After he killed her on 2 or 3 August, Hazell photographed Tia naked in a sexual position, and police recovered memory cards containing pictures of child pornography and bestiality which he had hidden. | But yesterday Hazell admitted that he had murdered the child after the jury heard days of devastating evidence against him. This included forensic evidence that he had violently sexually assaulted Tia. After he killed her on 2 or 3 August, Hazell photographed Tia naked in a sexual position, and police recovered memory cards containing pictures of child pornography and bestiality which he had hidden. |
| Hazell had become obsessed with Tia, secretly filming her applying cream to her legs, and even searching websites on incest while her family and members of the public searched for her after she disappeared. | Hazell had become obsessed with Tia, secretly filming her applying cream to her legs, and even searching websites on incest while her family and members of the public searched for her after she disappeared. |
| The case revealed elements of a troubled family, and the Metropolitan police apologised for initially failing to find Tia's body, hidden in a loft at her grandmother's home, despite multiple searches. | The case revealed elements of a troubled family, and the Metropolitan police apologised for initially failing to find Tia's body, hidden in a loft at her grandmother's home, despite multiple searches. |
| In a victim impact statement Sharp said she had recently told her three-year-old son that his sister would not be coming home. He burst into tears. | In a victim impact statement Sharp said she had recently told her three-year-old son that his sister would not be coming home. He burst into tears. |
| Tia's father Steven Carter, speaking outside the Old Bailey, said he wished Hazell could be hanged for his crime. "I'm glad that Stuart Hazell changed his plea to guilty this morning. The four days of trial here were very hard to deal with, hearing the vile things Hazell did to Tia. | Tia's father Steven Carter, speaking outside the Old Bailey, said he wished Hazell could be hanged for his crime. "I'm glad that Stuart Hazell changed his plea to guilty this morning. The four days of trial here were very hard to deal with, hearing the vile things Hazell did to Tia. |
| "Hazell will be sentenced tomorrow. In my opinion it will not be enough. He should serve his time and then be hung. I do not see today's events as justice for Tia, merely a legal conviction." | "Hazell will be sentenced tomorrow. In my opinion it will not be enough. He should serve his time and then be hung. I do not see today's events as justice for Tia, merely a legal conviction." |
| Hazell had a string of previous convictions for drug offences, a racist assault, and possession of a machete, and was jailed three times. None of his convictions related to sex offences. | Hazell had a string of previous convictions for drug offences, a racist assault, and possession of a machete, and was jailed three times. None of his convictions related to sex offences. |
| The link between Hazell's viewing of paedophile images and his jump from small-time criminal to child sex killer came as the Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre (Ceop) warned in a threat assessment that the growing availability of high-speed internet around the globe and the proliferation of indecent images online was increasing the risk to children. Its full risk assessment will be released in the next few weeks. | The link between Hazell's viewing of paedophile images and his jump from small-time criminal to child sex killer came as the Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre (Ceop) warned in a threat assessment that the growing availability of high-speed internet around the globe and the proliferation of indecent images online was increasing the risk to children. Its full risk assessment will be released in the next few weeks. |
| Since Tia disappeared in August 2012, Hazell had told lie after lie, including pleading for her safe return in TV interviews after she went missing. | Since Tia disappeared in August 2012, Hazell had told lie after lie, including pleading for her safe return in TV interviews after she went missing. |
| Hazell hung his head in the dock as the charge was formally read to him and he pleaded guilty. His barrister, Lord Carlile QC, said his client had dropped his claim of innocence: "Tia's family have suffered enough and he did not want to put them through any further stages of this trial or this process." | Hazell hung his head in the dock as the charge was formally read to him and he pleaded guilty. His barrister, Lord Carlile QC, said his client had dropped his claim of innocence: "Tia's family have suffered enough and he did not want to put them through any further stages of this trial or this process." |
| In mitigation, Carlile said Hazell had an "extraordinary capacity for living through lies that he has made up". | In mitigation, Carlile said Hazell had an "extraordinary capacity for living through lies that he has made up". |
| He added: "The easiest thing for Stuart Hazell would have been to brazen out the rest of this case … His decision to plead guilty today is probably the bravest decision he has ever made in his life – maybe the only brave decision he's made in his life." Carlile said any sexual activity took place "very near to the end of Tia's life". | He added: "The easiest thing for Stuart Hazell would have been to brazen out the rest of this case … His decision to plead guilty today is probably the bravest decision he has ever made in his life – maybe the only brave decision he's made in his life." Carlile said any sexual activity took place "very near to the end of Tia's life". |
| Sharp said: "My eldest son, who is three, asked me just this week if Tia was coming home from school soon. I've had to tell him the truth. It made him really cry." | Sharp said: "My eldest son, who is three, asked me just this week if Tia was coming home from school soon. I've had to tell him the truth. It made him really cry." |
| She said publicity about the case and her lifestyle – she had been referred to social services over her drug use – had led to public hostility: "I have been so badly hurt by people I don't know and who know nothing of me. People have said the most terrible things about me as a mother and Tia's life. I can't understand how people who know nothing about somebody can send such awful messages. | She said publicity about the case and her lifestyle – she had been referred to social services over her drug use – had led to public hostility: "I have been so badly hurt by people I don't know and who know nothing of me. People have said the most terrible things about me as a mother and Tia's life. I can't understand how people who know nothing about somebody can send such awful messages. |
| "I have been stared at and physically attacked and I know people judge me when they see me buying something nice for my sons. They say that I shouldn't be out shopping. But I have two other children and I have to go on. I can't meet Tia on the other side if I don't look after them." | "I have been stared at and physically attacked and I know people judge me when they see me buying something nice for my sons. They say that I shouldn't be out shopping. But I have two other children and I have to go on. I can't meet Tia on the other side if I don't look after them." |
| The last recorded use of Tia's BlackBerry was 12.48am on 3 August. Sometime between 3am and 6am, Hazell took a picture of Tia's body, naked and in a sexual position. The face is not visible in the picture. | The last recorded use of Tia's BlackBerry was 12.48am on 3 August. Sometime between 3am and 6am, Hazell took a picture of Tia's body, naked and in a sexual position. The face is not visible in the picture. |
| Blood was on the duvet and tests showed semen was also present. | Blood was on the duvet and tests showed semen was also present. |
| He then hid the body in the loft. When Bicknell returned home from work, she was told by Hazell that Tia had gone shopping to buy flip-flops. | He then hid the body in the loft. When Bicknell returned home from work, she was told by Hazell that Tia had gone shopping to buy flip-flops. |
| At 10pm that day Tia's family went to the police to report her missing. | At 10pm that day Tia's family went to the police to report her missing. |
| The Old Bailey heard Tia idolised Hazell, who had briefly dated her mother before starting a longer-term relationship with her grandmother. | The Old Bailey heard Tia idolised Hazell, who had briefly dated her mother before starting a longer-term relationship with her grandmother. |
| He abused his position of trust and play-acted for the cameras after her disappeareance. In an ITV News interview after he murdered her, Hazell wore a T-shirt saying "find Tia" and said: "I know deep down in my heart that Tia walked out of my house … Tia, come home, babe." | He abused his position of trust and play-acted for the cameras after her disappeareance. In an ITV News interview after he murdered her, Hazell wore a T-shirt saying "find Tia" and said: "I know deep down in my heart that Tia walked out of my house … Tia, come home, babe." |
| The Met's satisfaction in building a case so compelling that Hazell admitted his guilt is tempered by the errors in the searches that initially failed to discover the body. | The Met's satisfaction in building a case so compelling that Hazell admitted his guilt is tempered by the errors in the searches that initially failed to discover the body. |
| The Met apologised to Tia's family and said a review found "that human error around how the search was both conducted and supervised was primarily to blame for Tia's body not being found". | The Met apologised to Tia's family and said a review found "that human error around how the search was both conducted and supervised was primarily to blame for Tia's body not being found". |
| Police at first believed they were searching the house for someone who was alive, guided in part at least by an erroneous witness account. One day after Tia was reported missing, police first checked the loft space. | Police at first believed they were searching the house for someone who was alive, guided in part at least by an erroneous witness account. One day after Tia was reported missing, police first checked the loft space. |
| The next day specialist search officers searched the house again, checking the loft but not thoroughly. Only when the body began to smell was it discovered, on 10 August. | The next day specialist search officers searched the house again, checking the loft but not thoroughly. Only when the body began to smell was it discovered, on 10 August. |
| Commander Neil Basu said: "The MPS deeply regrets that this error caused additional distress to Tia's family by prolonging the situation when it could have been brought to an earlier conclusion." | Commander Neil Basu said: "The MPS deeply regrets that this error caused additional distress to Tia's family by prolonging the situation when it could have been brought to an earlier conclusion." |
| Hazell will be sentenced on Tuesday. The issue will be how long a minimum term of imprisonment the judge imposes, with murder carrying a mandatory life term. | Hazell will be sentenced on Tuesday. The issue will be how long a minimum term of imprisonment the judge imposes, with murder carrying a mandatory life term. |
| DCI Nick Scola, the senior investigating officer, said: "Tia was murdered by a man who had gained the trust of Tia's family and who, on that day, was tasked with looking after her whilst her grandmother was at work. | DCI Nick Scola, the senior investigating officer, said: "Tia was murdered by a man who had gained the trust of Tia's family and who, on that day, was tasked with looking after her whilst her grandmother was at work. |
| "Hazell abused that position of trust by planning an assault on Tia that ultimately led to her murder. | "Hazell abused that position of trust by planning an assault on Tia that ultimately led to her murder. |
| "The evidence was overwhelming and clearly Hazell realised he had no choice but to plead guilty. | "The evidence was overwhelming and clearly Hazell realised he had no choice but to plead guilty. |
| "However, he put Tia's family through a week of heart-breaking evidence in court and I wish for their sakes he had admitted his guilt sooner. | "However, he put Tia's family through a week of heart-breaking evidence in court and I wish for their sakes he had admitted his guilt sooner. |
| "Hazell is an extremely dangerous individual who poses a significant threat to young girls and it is only right that he should be imprisoned and removed from society so that he can no longer pose any risk." | "Hazell is an extremely dangerous individual who poses a significant threat to young girls and it is only right that he should be imprisoned and removed from society so that he can no longer pose any risk." |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |