Sarah Payne's family are shedding no tears for their daughter's killer after he was slashed with a knife.

The Argus broke the news of Roy Whiting's facial injuries to Sarah's father, Michael.

Mr Payne said: "I won't lose any sleep over it. It doesn't disturb me in the slightest."

Asked if he wished the attacker had gone further, Mr Payne said: "That would be too easy. Make him suffer."

Sarah's mother Sara said: "What goes round comes round.

"Paedophiles are the most disliked people in society. It's a bit of rough justice."

Sarah's uncle, Paul Williams, from Upper Beeding, Steyning, said Whiting, jailed for life last December, had received an "early anniversary present".

Mr Williams said: "I hope the bloke who did it doesn't get into any trouble."

He likened the attack to that on Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, who was stabbed in an eye in prison.

He said: "This one on Whiting shows no paedophile is safe in prison. Maybe this will make these people think twice about committing such crimes."

Whiting, 43, was convicted of kidnapping and murdering eight-year-old Sarah in July, 2000.

He was knifed by a fellow inmate at Wakefield Prison in West Yorkshire. He was taken to hospital but discharged a few hours later.

Prison sources said a knife was used in the attack on Whiting, who already had a conviction for child abduction when he snatched Sarah from close to her grandparents' home, near Littlehampton, in July, 2000.

Detective Superintendent Alan Ladley, who led the successful murder hunt, called the attack on Whiting "unfortunate".

He said: "I do not know the circumstances behind the incident and we are liaising with our colleagues in West Yorkshire but I do not condone any act of violence."

Sussex Police were meeting Mr and Mrs Payne last night over the return of items taken from Sarah's home to assist with the murder inquiry.