Sarah Payne's parents face-to-face with murder accused
The parents of eight-year-old Sarah Payne came face to face with the man accused of murdering their daughter for the first time today.
Sara and Michael Payne sat just feet away from Roy William Whiting, 42, who appeared at Lewes Crown Court charged with kidnapping and murdering Sarah in July last year.
Whiting, formerly of St Augustine Road, Littlehampton, who was wearing black jeans and a shabby grey T-shirt, smiled through much of the 10-minute hearing.
As Judge Richard Brown adjourned the case until May 18, the defendant yawned.
Earlier Sarah’s parents and grandparents, Terry and Lesley Payne, arrived at the East Sussex court to be met by a bank of photographers and reporters.
Sara, dressed in a black jacket, and Michael, wearing a green leather jacket and blue shirt, paused for photographers.
Inside the court Sara Payne stared at Whiting throughout the hearing, in which the packed court heard from Sue Lumbard, prosecuting, that due to the "nature and complexity of the case" it would take several weeks to serve papers on the defence.
Mrs Payne continued to stare at Whiting as he was taken to the cells. It was his second appearance in court in connection with Sarah’s murder but the first time the youngster’s parents had attended.
The court was packed with family and friends of Sarah, many of whom were wearing badges bearing her picture and the words For Sarah. The jury box was opened to accommodate more than 20 reporters.
Outside, police officers stopped the traffic in Lewes High Street as Sarah’s family left the court. They said nothing.
A date for a plea and directions hearing will be set when the case returns to Lewes Crown Court.
Sarah, from Hersham, Surrey, disappeared near her grandparents’ home in Kingston Gorse, East Preston, on July 1 last year.
Her partially-buried body was found 16 days later a short distance from the A29 near Pulborough, West Sussex.
