The jury in the Sarah Payne murder trial retired today to consider its verdict.

Mr Justice Richard Curtis took a little over four hours to sum up the case against Roy Whiting at Lewes Crown Court.

The jurors were told to consider their verdicts until 4.30pm today.

They will then be taken to a hotel, returning to the court at 10.30am tomorrow to continue their deliberations.

Whiting, 42, formally of St Augustine Road, Littlehampton, denies kidnap and murder.

Eight-year-old Sarah Payne was snatched from a country lane near her grandparents' home in Kingston Gorse, East Preston, on July 1 last year.

Her naked body was found in a shallow grave just off the A29 near Pulborough 16 days later.

December 10, 2001