The mother of murdered schoolgirl Tia Sharp racially abused a woman and punched her in the face in an argument over a parking space, a court heard.

Natalie Sharp, 34, of Morden is accused of beating the woman in the car park of a Lidl supermarket in Wallington.

Her mother Christine Bicknell, 50, of Croydon, was with her on the day of the incident last April and is accused of racially harassing the same woman.

The pair elected for trial by a jury.

RELATED: Mum of murdered Tia Sharp 'threatened to punch teacher who intervened in racist attack'

Croydon Crown Court heard they were both in Ms Bicknell's car outside the Lidl branch in Beddington Gardens.

The court head that during the attack Sharp shouted at the woman "you f***ing c***, go back to your own country" and hit her in the face several times.

The alleged victim, Selvete Selmani, had parked her VW Golf in a child and baby parking bay despite not having her child with her.

On the day of the alleged attack Ms Bicknell was driving with Sharp in the passenger seat in a car with two children in the back.

The jury were told Ms Bicknell shouted at the victim from her car, just after Ms Selmani started to walk into the store.

Duncan Cooke, prosecuting, said: "Ms Selmani saw her [Bicknell] shouting at another motorist saying 'come on, quickly get out the way'.

"She then turned her attention to Ms Selmani and said, 'You f***ing foreign bitch'."

The court heard the victim was upset but went into the shop to do her shopping.

But while she was queuing to buy at a till she saw Bicknell come into the store.

Mr Cooke said: "She started shouting again calling her a foreigner again. And Ms Selmani was upset by this.

"She went back to the car park and returned to her car where she found a scratch near the boot that had not been there before.

"She then saw Bicknell driving her car again in the car park. Ms Selmani went over and wanted to ask why she had scratched her car.

"Ms Sharp opened the car door and there were then words exchanged between them. Sharp then said, 'You f***ing c***, go back to your own country'.

"She punched her three times to the side of the head, kicked her, and grabbed her by the hair. That is the assault.

"Bicknell then got out the car as well and shouted at Ms Selmani, 'Go back to your own country'."

The court heard a man then intervened in the incident and the mother and daughter then drove away.

However the victim was able to take a picture of Bicknell's number plate, which the police then traced, and the pair were arrested 12 days later.

The victim was left with a black eye and swelling and bruising on both cheeks.

During her evidence Ms Selmani said that while in the supermarket Bicknell shouted "you f***ing bitch, you're foreign, you don't have kids."

She told the jury she could not remember if Sharp said anything during the attack, adding: "She didn't say anything, she just kept hitting me.

"The driver (Bicknell) was laughing at me. I remember she was still in the car and I remember she was laughing at me."

She added: "I thought she was going to kill me."

Schoolgirl Tia Sharp, 12, disappeared on August 3, 2012 sparking a huge police search operation.

She was found dead and hidden in the attic of her grandmother's home in New Addington a week later.

The 12-year-old had been sexually assaulted and murdered by Stuart Hazell, 39, then boyfriend of Tia's grandmother Christine Bicknell.

He had attacked her in the house while her family were out and then concealed her body in the loft.

Hazell was later arrested and found guilty at the Old Bailey and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 38 years behind bars

The house where Tia was killed has since been demolished.

Ms Sharp, of Canterbury Road, denies one count of racially aggravated assault by beating, but has admitted one count of assault by beating.

Bicknell, of Torrington Square, denies one count of racially aggravated harassment.

The trial continues.