Uncle jailed for Tia Rigg murder

An unemployed man has been told he must spend the rest of his life in jail after admitting the horrific torture, rape and murder of his niece.

John Maden, 38, lured Tia Rigg to his home on the pretext of babysitting.

He then drugged the 12-year-old, acted out his sick fantasies on the unsuspecting youngster, inflicting sexual injuries before stabbing her and strangling her with a guitar wire.

Maden carried out the attack in April at his home in Cheetham Hill, Manchester.

Afterwards, he phoned police, appearing "chillingly calm" when he answered the door to officers a couple of minutes later.

Maden had an obsessive interest in pornography relating to paedophilia, rape and torture, keeping an "enormous pile" of the material at his home.

From his mobile phone, police recovered folders of rape and torture entitled "snuff", "snuff stories" and "brutal rape".

Maden, the brother of Tia's mother Lynne Rigg, was due to go on trial at Manchester Crown Court for murder but pleaded guilty instead.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Keith said that in his case the mandatory life sentence for murder must mean just that - and he will never be released.

The judge said: "It is difficult to know how long Tia's ordeal lasted. The terror, the unimaginable pain you inflicted on her, the indignities you subjected her ... while still alive."

Speaking after the case, Tia's mother Ms Rigg said: "When this nightmare happened, it killed me inside. My heart has been broken and will never mend. All that is left is a big empty hole. For me, this nightmare will never end but now justice has been done, at least Tia can rest in peace.

"Tia was my whole world. I love her so much, she was my life. I miss her big smile every morning and her beautiful freckly face. She always laughed when I said that.

"Not a day goes by when I don't think of her. I love and miss her so much and always will."

Maden sat impassively in the dock as details of the injuries he inflicted on his niece were read out in court. He made no reaction as he was told he must spend the rest of his life behind bars.