London - The parents of eight-year-old Sarah Payne came face to face with the man accused of murdering their daughter for the first time yesterday. Sara and Michael Payne sat just feet away from Mr Roy William Whiting (42), who appeared at Lewes Crown Court charged with kidnapping and murdering Sarah in July last year.
Mr Whiting, formerly of St Augustine Road, Littlehampton, smiled through much of the 10-minute hearing. As Judge Richard Brown adjourned the case until May 18th, 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.
Inside the court Ms Sara Payne stared at Mr Whiting throughout the hearing, in which the packed court heard from Ms Sue Lumbard, prosecuting, that due to the "nature and complexity of the case" it would take several weeks to serve papers on the defence.
Sarah, from Hersham, Surrey, disappeared near her grandparents' home in Kingston Gorse, East Preston, on July 1st last year.