This is the man accused of kidnapping eight-year-old Sarah Payne from a Sussex field and murdering her.

Mr Justice Curtis made a ruling at Lewes Crown Court allowing the media to show the image of Roy Whiting, 42, formerly of St Augustine Road, Littlehampton.

The photo was taken by police shortly after his arrest.

A court order had previously banned the publication of all pictures of Whiting, who denies kidnap and murder.

Today the jury was told that Sarah's death bore the hallmarks of a sexually motivated killing.

Sarah, of Hersham, Surrey, was last seen alive by her brothers and sister in a field near their grandparents' home in Kingston Gorse, East Preston, on July 1, 2000.

Her brother Lee, 13, said she left the field through a hole in the surrounding hedge after a game of hide and seek.

She was found dead on July 17 in a field near Pulborough.

Sarah's parents ran crying from the court today as the jury heard evidence from the pathologist who examined her body.

Sara and Michael Payne started to listen to the evidence of Dr Vesna Djurovic but left when evidence of the condition of the child's body was read out.

Dr Djurovic told the court she could find no sign that Sarah had been injured before her death.

But she said that due to decomposition, the possibility that Sarah had been sexually assaulted could not be ruled out.

Dr Djurovic read her conclusions from the post-mortem examination to the court, saying the most likely cause of death was asphyxiation.

She said death could occur in such a way if a victim had been strangled or if the palm of the hand had been pushed against the neck.

Dr Djurovic said: "I cannot ascertain the cause of death in Sarah's case. However in view of the circumstances of the disposal of her body, the absence of clothing, and the absence of any natural diseases, and in view of her age I reached the conclusion that she died a violent death.

"In my opinion, the removal of the clothing indicates that her death was the cause of a sexually motivated homicide."

Earlier, the court had heard from farm labourer Luke Coleman, who discovered Sarah's body.

Timothy Langdale QC, prosecuting, read Mr Coleman's statement.

The court heard how on the morning of July 17 Mr Coleman was clearing ragwort from the field on the edge of the A29.

He said: "As I approached I saw what I thought to be a dead deer. It was situated about 7ft away from the road.

"As I approached I could see it was not a deer but the body of a child."

Mr Coleman said the area of the field was isolated and never used by dog walkers or members of the public.

The case continues.

November 20 2001