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/14/stuart-hazell-tia-sharp-murder
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Tia Sharp murder: Stuart Hazell to serve a minimum of 38 years in prison | Tia Sharp murder: Stuart Hazell to serve a minimum of 38 years in prison |
| (4 months later) | |
| Stuart Hazell has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of 12-year-old Tia Sharp and must serve a minimum of 38 years before he can be considered for release. | Stuart Hazell has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of 12-year-old Tia Sharp and must serve a minimum of 38 years before he can be considered for release. |
| The 37-year-old escaped a whole-life sentence, which would have meant he was never released, after the judge said he could not be sure that the murder was sexually motivated. | The 37-year-old escaped a whole-life sentence, which would have meant he was never released, after the judge said he could not be sure that the murder was sexually motivated. |
| Mr Justice Nicol said Hazell had been sexually interested in Tia, sexually assaulted her and photographed the child's body in a sexual pose. | Mr Justice Nicol said Hazell had been sexually interested in Tia, sexually assaulted her and photographed the child's body in a sexual pose. |
| There were shouts of "beast" from the public gallery at the Old Bailey and some relatives outside court said of the sentence: "Nowhere near long enough." | There were shouts of "beast" from the public gallery at the Old Bailey and some relatives outside court said of the sentence: "Nowhere near long enough." |
| Hazell murdered Tia, whom the judge described as "a sparky girl who was full of life", in August 2012. Hazell was the partner of Tia's grandmother, Christine Bicknell, with whom he lived in New Addington, south London. | Hazell murdered Tia, whom the judge described as "a sparky girl who was full of life", in August 2012. Hazell was the partner of Tia's grandmother, Christine Bicknell, with whom he lived in New Addington, south London. |
| On Monday Hazell changed his not-guilty plea to guilty on the fifth day of his trial in central London. | On Monday Hazell changed his not-guilty plea to guilty on the fifth day of his trial in central London. |
| Murder carries a mandatory life sentence. Nicol said he had to decide whether to impose a whole-life tariff, which is done when the seriousness of a murder is exceptionally high, such as in the case of a sexually motivated murder of a child. Having decided he could not be sure that was the case, the judge had to determine the term Hazell must serve before he could even be considered for release on licence. | Murder carries a mandatory life sentence. Nicol said he had to decide whether to impose a whole-life tariff, which is done when the seriousness of a murder is exceptionally high, such as in the case of a sexually motivated murder of a child. Having decided he could not be sure that was the case, the judge had to determine the term Hazell must serve before he could even be considered for release on licence. |
| The judge said Hazell had "developed a sexual interest in Tia", secretly filming her applying cream to her legs, and searching websites on incest while her family and members of the public looked for her following her disappearance. | The judge said Hazell had "developed a sexual interest in Tia", secretly filming her applying cream to her legs, and searching websites on incest while her family and members of the public looked for her following her disappearance. |
| Hazell had a history of viewing paedophile material online, with police recovering memory cards containing pictures of child pornography and bestiality which he had hidden. | Hazell had a history of viewing paedophile material online, with police recovering memory cards containing pictures of child pornography and bestiality which he had hidden. |
| Hazell killed Tia on 2 or 3 August 2012, most likely by smothering her, the judge said. Hazell had photographed her naked on 3 August in a sexual position on her bed. | Hazell killed Tia on 2 or 3 August 2012, most likely by smothering her, the judge said. Hazell had photographed her naked on 3 August in a sexual position on her bed. |
| The judge said Tia's blood and Hazell's semen had been found on the bedding in her room. The girl's blood and DNA was also found on a sexual device in the drawer of a bedside table in Hazell's room. | The judge said Tia's blood and Hazell's semen had been found on the bedding in her room. The girl's blood and DNA was also found on a sexual device in the drawer of a bedside table in Hazell's room. |
| "Your counsel accepts that the only sensible conclusion which I can draw is that there was sexual conduct of some kind between you and Tia at some point over the night 2 and 3 August." | "Your counsel accepts that the only sensible conclusion which I can draw is that there was sexual conduct of some kind between you and Tia at some point over the night 2 and 3 August." |
| The judge noted there was no pathological evidence of a sexual assault, and said: "I come back to the question of whether I can be sure that sexual motivation was involved in Tia's murder. I have decided that I cannot. | The judge noted there was no pathological evidence of a sexual assault, and said: "I come back to the question of whether I can be sure that sexual motivation was involved in Tia's murder. I have decided that I cannot. |
| "Sexual activity and conduct took place not long before her death, but in order for sexual motivation to be involved in her murder, there would need to be a closer connection than that. | "Sexual activity and conduct took place not long before her death, but in order for sexual motivation to be involved in her murder, there would need to be a closer connection than that. |
| "Shame and fear of what might happen if Tia talked are just two of the alternative possible motives behind her killing." | "Shame and fear of what might happen if Tia talked are just two of the alternative possible motives behind her killing." |
| Nicol said the starting point was a minimum term of 30 years' imprisonment, but a string of aggravating factors increased the minimum sentence to 38 years. The judge said these factors were Tia's age and the breach of trust involved in Hazell attacking and murdering the granddaughter of his partner. Other aggravating factors were the fact that Hazell took a degrading photograph of the child naked and in a sexual position, and then concealed the body in the loft until it was found decomposed, meting out more agony to her family. | Nicol said the starting point was a minimum term of 30 years' imprisonment, but a string of aggravating factors increased the minimum sentence to 38 years. The judge said these factors were Tia's age and the breach of trust involved in Hazell attacking and murdering the granddaughter of his partner. Other aggravating factors were the fact that Hazell took a degrading photograph of the child naked and in a sexual position, and then concealed the body in the loft until it was found decomposed, meting out more agony to her family. |
| The judge told Hazell that "time after time, you spun the wholly false story that Tia had left home on the Friday morning and just disappeared". Indeed as Tia's family waited for news of her, Hazell play-acted in front of the TV cameras urging her to come home. | The judge told Hazell that "time after time, you spun the wholly false story that Tia had left home on the Friday morning and just disappeared". Indeed as Tia's family waited for news of her, Hazell play-acted in front of the TV cameras urging her to come home. |
| His previous convictions for drug dealing and assault were also taken into account, though the judge said they did not include a sexual offence or serious violence. | His previous convictions for drug dealing and assault were also taken into account, though the judge said they did not include a sexual offence or serious violence. |
| The judge said Hazell's guilty plea as the prosecution presented the fifth day of its case earned him only "modest credit" as it came after harrowing evidence was heard by Tia's family and the jury. | The judge said Hazell's guilty plea as the prosecution presented the fifth day of its case earned him only "modest credit" as it came after harrowing evidence was heard by Tia's family and the jury. |
| Nicol said Tia had been fond of Hazell, who had betrayed the trust placed in him "in the most grievous way possible". | Nicol said Tia had been fond of Hazell, who had betrayed the trust placed in him "in the most grievous way possible". |
| "Christine [Bicknell] says she [Tia] idolised you. She was certainly happy to spend much time in your …. | "Christine [Bicknell] says she [Tia] idolised you. She was certainly happy to spend much time in your …. |
| "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. | "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." | "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." |
| After the sentence, Detective Chief Inspector Nick Scola said: "I am very pleased at today's sentence. A minimum of 38 years is satisfying for both the investigating team and Tia's friends and family. | After the sentence, Detective Chief Inspector Nick Scola said: "I am very pleased at today's sentence. A minimum of 38 years is satisfying for both the investigating team and Tia's friends and family. |
| "Hazell will have a very long time in prison to think about what he has done." | "Hazell will have a very long time in prison to think about what he has done." |
| 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. |