Tia cause of death not clear

The Metropolitan Police have released the following statement in the Tia Sharp investigation:

Coroners have formally identified the body found last Friday in Christine Sharp's home in New Addington as that of 12-year-old Tia Sharp. The inquest into her death opened this morning.

Detective Sergeant Eric Sword, of the Metropolitan Police's specialist crime operations unit , told the inquest that a post-mortem examination is still being carried out by a pathologist and is due to resume later today.

Scotland Yard is apparently prioritising a review into how one of its search officers failed to spot Tia Sharp's body in her grandmother's loft.

But police are refusing to say if officers involved are still carrying out searches on other cases or if they have been withdrawn from those duties.

The man accused of murdering south London schoolgirl Tia Sharp has appeared at the Old Bailey.

Stuart Hazell, who 37, from New Addington, is charged with murdering the 12-year-old between August 2 and 11.

He appeared via video-link from Belmarsh prison in south east London, wearing an orange T-shirt and sitting next to a prison officer. He only spoke to confirm his identity and that he could understand proceedings. No application for bail was made.

Hazell 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.

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

Stuart Hazell has been remanded in custody. A plea and case management hearing will take place at the Old Bailey on November 19.

Stuart Hazell, who 37, from New Addington, south London, is charged with murdering schoolgirl Tia Sharp between August 2 and 11.

Today he appeared at the Old Bailey via video-link from Belmarsh prison in south east London, wearing an orange T-shirt and sitting next to a prison officer. No application for bail was made.

Lord Carlile QC (representing Stuart Hazell) says he is not applying for bail for Hazell today "but may at a later stage".

Stuart Hazell is on screen now from Belmarsh high security prison. He's sitting at a table wearing a bright orange t-shirt with a prison guard sat on his left.

Stuart Hazell is being represented by Lord Carlile QC, a Liberal Democrat peer and former independent scrutiniser of anti-terror laws.

I am at the Old Bailey where Stuart Hazell is appearing by videolink charged with the murder of Tia Sharp. There is no sign of Tia's relatives in the public gallery at the moment. None attended the magistrates hearing two days ago.