Police have apologised again to Tia Sharp’s parents after a catalogue of errors led to a delay in the schoolgirl’s body being discovered.

The Met's specialist search officers searched the home in the Lindens four times, before finding the 12-year-old’s body, eight days after she was reported missing.

The Old Bailey heard the loft was checked on a number of occasions, but was not searched thoroughly.

On August 4, the day after Tia was reported missing, two police sergeants and two PCs searched the property, including the loft space, but those involved were not specialist search officers.

Another search took place in the early hours of August 5, involving a team of specially-trained officers, including one police sergeant and five PCs, but a systematic search of the loft was not carried out.

A search dog attended the property on August 8 for a fourth search, but did not go into the loft.

Tia’s body was eventually found wrapped in a sheet and layers of plastic bags only after detectives noticed a smell of decomposition in the house.

The blunder led to police bosses disciplining a police constable and a sergeant.

On Monday, senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Nick Scola reiterated Scotland Yard’s apology to Tia’s family.

Speaking outside the Old Bailey Detective Chief Inspector Scola said while finding the body during the first searches would have meant Hazell was charged sooner, it would not have made any difference to what happened, a view shared by Tia’s father Steven Carter.

Commander Neil Basu said: “The MPS launched a review of the searches and in particular the loft search, which concluded human error was primarily to blame for Tia’s body not being found, rather than broader organisational failings, although the inexperience of the PC who searched the loft was also a contributing factor.

“Both officers were devastated by their failure to find Tia and this case has deeply affected all those involved.”