THE grandmother of murdered schoolgirl Zoe Evans wants her evil killer to rot in jail.

Describing the torment of losing the nine-year-old in such a brutal way, Ann Hamilton said she will never stop missing her little princess.

Speaking at her home in Westfield Close, Trowbridge after Zoe's stepfather Miles Evans was denied leave to appeal against his murder conviction for the second time, Mrs Hamilton recounted the tragedy which struck at the heart of her family.

She said: "I hate him for what he has done."

Zoe's body was discovered on Battlesbury Hill in 1997, just 400 yards from her Warminster home in Pepper Place, which she shared with her step-father Evans, mother Paula and brother Glenn who is now 12.

Mrs Hamilton said the events of five years ago are forever etched in her mind but she struggles to understand what drove her former son-in-law to murder.

"At the time he seemed to get on with Zoe but it was just sexual feelings he had for her. We couldn't see that at the time but I am positive about it. He took her out of her own bed, into the back yard, then abused her, smashed her on the head and buried her up on that lonely hill.

"It is one of the worst crimes you can ever think of. She was so precious to all of us. When Zoe went missing he did not seem to care at all."

The stress of the case drove a wedge between Mrs Hamilton and her long-term partner Robin but the 56-year-old found love again 18 months ago when she met new partner George. The couple visit Pine Lawns cemetery in Warminster once a fortnight to place flowers on Zoe's tiny grave.

She said: "I love talking about Zoe as she was my little princess. I still miss her very, very much. I miss her love for everybody, I miss her smile and I miss her gorgeous personality.

"I think about Zoe every day. She would have been 15 now and would have grown into a lovely young girl, going out with boyfriends. Zoe was a beautiful, happy and cheerful little girl. She was looking forward to her tenth birthday.

"I keep finding things she left for me like Christmas cards. Sometimes there are other flowers left at the grave which I think are from her best friend Zoe Andrews. George has been fantastic and understands what I am going through."

Army soldiers joined civilians in the hunt for Zoe but it was an MOD officer who stumbled on her body in a disused badger sett.

A post-mortem revealed her nose had been shattered before she was smothered to death with her own crop-top.

Miles Evans still protests his innocence but Mrs Hamilton said the only person he is fooling is himself.

"His mother doesn't believe he has done it as she is paying the solicitors bills. I hope this is over for good and Zoe's memory can rest in peace," she said.