Hazell In Court Charged With Tia Murder

Stuart Hazell has appeared at the Old Bailey via video-link charged with the murder of Tia Sharp.

Hazell, from New Addington, south London, is accused of killing the 12-year-old schoolgirl between August 2 and 11.

No application was made for bail.

Hazell, 37, appeared via video-link from Belmarsh prison in south east London. He was wearing an orange T-shirt and sat next to a prison officer.

He was remanded in custody and will appear for a plea and case management hearing at the same court on November 19.

Tia's body was found at her grandmother Christine Sharp's home in New Addington last Friday, a week after she was reported missing.

Hazell is the partner of Ms Sharp, 46, who was arrested on suspicion of murder but bailed on Sunday pending further inquiries.

Her next-door neighbour, Paul Meehan, 39, was bailed on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Police only discovered Tia's body after several visits to the terraced property, and have apologised to her mother, Natalie Sharp, for the delay.

Her body has yet to be formally identified, but Tia is named as the victim in the charge against Hazell.

A post-mortem examination is scheduled to resume on Thursday afternoon. No cause of death has yet been given.

A provisional trial date for Hazell was set for January 21 next year.