Girl, 12, killed by nan’s lover just hours after CCTV showed pair buying treats – how tragic Tia ended up hidden in loft
WEARING a sunshine yellow top that matched her smile as she picked out sweets, Tia Sharp looked like any other youngster being treated for the day.
Just days later, that same top was discovered stuffed in a Sainsbury’s bag alongside bin liners containing the 12-year-old’s decomposing body.
Tia had been horrifically murdered by her gran’s lover Stuart Hazell, who hid her body in the loft.
The paedo also sexually abused the youngster and took X-rated photos of her dead body for his own twisted pleasure.
Now, we revisit the murder which horrified the nation and how Tia was let down at every possible opportunity by her family and the police – even after her death.
Hazell first entered Tia’s life back on 2002 when he began dating the schoolgirl’s mum Natalie Sharp.
After the pair split, he struck up another relationship with Tia’s gran – Natalie’s mum – Christine Bicknell.
The career criminal soon moved into Christine’s home in New Addington, Croydon, and adopted the role of doting step-grandfather.
By gaining Tia’s trust, he was allowed access to the youngster alone as she sought to escape the chaos of her own home.
But while Tia was just looking for stability, the predator was trying to satisfy his depraved fantasies.
Hazell had developed a “sexual interest” in the schoolgirl – filming her as she rubbed cream on her legs in her underwear.
He had also been searching for vile content online in the weeks leading up to Tia’s death – including for young girls who wore glasses, which she did.
What the family didn’t know was that Hazell had a history of viewing similar material online – meaning he was able to gain access to the youngster on nights spent babysitting her alone.
It was for this reason that Tia seemed relaxed in his company on August 2 – unaware just hours later he would murder her.
CCTV showed the pair as they went to a Co-op supermarket together wandering through the aisles.
Hazell appeared to be a doting step-grandad but behind his sweet nature lurked a true monster.
Just hours after the pair were seen stepping off a bus together, Hazell smothered Tia to death and sexually abused her.
Hazell then reported to partner Christine that Tia had gone shopping the following morning but hadn’t returned.
A huge search was launched for the youngster as the small community of New Addington came together to put up posters.
Twisted Hazell was among those appealing for information – appearing in front of TV cameras misty-eyed while wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with Tia’s face.
He told the waiting reporters: “It’s not about me, it’s all about Tia and we’ve got to get her home. I just don’t know what more to do.
“Tia, come home, babe.”
Police suspected Hazell knew more than he was letting on but had no idea the schoolgirl was under their noses the entire time.
In fact, it took bungling officers four visits to the home before they found Tia’s body.
On the third attempt, a dog was taken inside to sniff areas that had not been searched before but never made it to the attic as the entrance was blocked.
Her body was finally found on August 10 – a full seven days after Tia had been reported missing.
The schoolgirl was wearing pink and white pyjama bottoms and “Little Miss Giggles” top.
I interviewed evil killer unaware tragic Tia was just metres away
By Holly Christodoulou, Digital Court Editor
STARING into Hazell’s piercing blue eyes, there was something creepy about him but obviously I could never imagine the true horror of what he had done.
I was sent to New Addington when Tia first went missing and spent a week speaking to her family and locals.
This included chatting to Hazell, who would storm around the estate in a t-shirt with Tia’s face on it begging for her to come home.
As a journalist, you become cynical enough to always expect the worst and there was clearly something off about Hazell.
He would grab us for interviews and insist he had done nothing wrong – even before the net was closing in on him.
Of course, no one could have predicted during all those chilling chats that Tia was lying dead in the attic just metres away.
By at first pleading not guilty, Hazell forced Tia’s already broken family to listen to details of her killing that were too gruesome to publish.
He eventually admitted his evil crimes but it was already too late.
After Hazell was sentenced, I went back to New Addington to speak to residents and get their view on the brutal murder.
It was clear the community had been rocked by Tia’s death after spending every waking hour helping with the search in the belief she’d be found safe and well.
It was this same hope that meant no one ever suspected as they lay flowers at Hazell’s front door that the schoolgirl had never made it out the front door as he claimed.
The house of horrors where Tia was murdered has since been demolished but the memory of what happened there will always remain.
Police also found a memory card hidden in a door frame that contained a macabre photo of Tia taken after she was killed.
Hazell went on trial for murder in May 2013 but dramatically changed his plea to guilty five days into the case.
He was jailed for life with a minimum of 38 years on May 14, 2013, as Tia’s family yelled “beast” from the public gallery.
Sentencing, Mr Justice Nicol said: “She was a sparky girl who was full of life, but you took that life from her. All that lay ahead of her – a career, loves and family of her own – will now never be.
“And the loss of her has been devastating for her mother, her father and all of her relatives and friends.
“The tragedy of their loss and her death is because of your act in murdering Tia Sharp. You are responsible.”