Roy Whiting - Sarah Payne Murder Investigation

Sarah Payne Murder Investigation

Whiting was questioned about the disappearance of eight-year-old Sarah Payne, who went missing on 1 July 2000 while visiting her grandparents in Kingston Gorse in Sussex, some several miles from Whiting's flat. Whiting was routinely questioned as he had been placed on the Sex Offenders Register. The officers left Whiting's flat but were suspicious of his lack of concern for Sarah - something that some of the worst offenders had shown when questioned in connection with Sarah's disappearance. When Whiting re-appeared soon after and attempted to drive away in his van, he was stopped by the police and arrested. He spent two days in custody but the police had no concrete evidence, although they had found a receipt for fuel at Buck Barn garage near Pulborough which contradicted his alibi of being at a funfair in Hove at 5.30 p.m. and then returned to his flat by 9.30 p.m. on the night Sarah disappeared .

When Whiting was released on bail, he went to live with his father in Crawley while his flat in St Augustine's Road was being searched by forensic scientists. No evidence was found in Whiting's flat to suggest that Sarah had been there.

On 2 July 2000, Whiting was arrested on suspicion of abduction He was released on police bail. On 17 July 2000 Sarah Payne's body was discovered and Roy Whiting was subsequently re-arrested on 31 July 2000. Despite Sarah's body being discovered just 3 miles (5 km) from the service station where Whiting had bought fuel on the night Sarah disappeared and Whitlings' failure to confirm his alibi there was still not enough evidence to press charges and Whiting was released on bail once again.

A few days after his second arrest, Whiting moved out of his father's house after a vigilante mob smashed the windows with bricks, and went to live in a tent in woodland behind a housing estate in Crawley. He then took to the road in a stolen Vauxhall Nova car and was pursued by police at speeds of up to 70 mph (112 km/h) before he crashed into a parked vehicle and was arrested on dangerous driving charges. On 27 September 2000, Whiting admitted taking the car and driving dangerously. He was sentenced to 22 months' imprisonment.

When Whiting began his jail term for the car theft, detectives were able to carry out forensic tests on his Fiat Ducato van. On 6 February 2001 following an police enquiry Roy Whiting was formally charged with the murder of Sarah Payne p.m./1156763.stm.