The Moulton father of murdered schoolgirl Tia Sharp today said his daughter’s killer should “serve his time and then be hung”.
Speaking outside the Old Bailey, Steven Carter said he was pleased that Stuart Hazell had suddenly pleaded guilty to Tia’s murder, but did not see the conviction as “justice”.
Hazell changed his plea on the fifth day of his trial for killing 12-year-old Tia, which involved graphic evidence including a grotesque picture of the schoolgirl after she died.
Mr Carter said: “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. I would now ask to be left alone so I can grieve and put my life back together.”
During the trial, jurors were told how Hazell, the boyfriend of Tia’s grandmother Christine Bicknell, had secretly filmed Tia while she was asleep using his mobile phone, and had searched the internet for child pornography using terms including “violent forced rape” and “little girls in glasses”.
Her blood was found on a sex toy that was in the house, and on Hazell’s belt, and his semen was found on bed clothes in the room where she slept.
Senior investigating officer detective chief inspector Nick Scola said: “The conviction today of Stuart Hazell for the murder of 12-year-old Tia Sharp in August 2012 will, I hope, bring some closure for her family who have seen justice served. However, Hazell’s conviction will never bring Tia back and her family will have to live with her loss for the rest of their lives.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“I would like to pay tribute to Tia’s family for showing such courage and stamina throughout this horrendous ordeal - from the time of the murder through to the conviction - and I truly hope they can move forward with their lives in the knowledge that Hazell will now pay for his crime.”