A computer expert has been jailed for a year after he stole photos of murdered eight-year-old Sarah Payne's dead body.

Christopher Branscombe, 21, also sold other items relating to the case to national newspapers, Lewes Crown Court heard.

Branscombe was jailed for 12 months today after admitting theft.

He stole bundles of documents from solicitors representing Roy Whiting, the man convicted in December of Sarah's kidnap and murder.

Judge Richard Brown told him: "These dishonest actions could have put at risk integrity of a very serious, sensitive and high-profile criminal trial."

The court heard that Branscombe met reporters from the Sun, Mirror, and Express newspapers, who later paid him cash for documents relating to Whiting's previous conviction for kidnapping a nine-year-old girl in 1995.

He also made contact with a reporter from the Daily Mail but was arrested before any transaction could take place, the court was told.

No newspaper paid money for photographs of Sarah's body, taken at the site where she was found in July 2000.

The defendant, a restaurant worker formerly of Milton Road, Haywards Heath, but now of Brighton, was employed by solicitors Alistair Harper and Co to set up a computer program.

Crispin Aylett, prosecuting, told the court that Branscombe first made contact with The Sun newspaper, which later paid him £1,000 for documents relating to Whiting's earlier conviction.

He said: "The first payment of £1,000 was spent on a watch and a coat and the second payment of £1,500 was used to pay for drugs and to take a group of friends to a party in Birmingham."

Christopher Bishop, defending, said Branscombe never intended to sell photographs of Sarah's body to any newspaper.

He said: "Mr Branscombe has offered me his sincere apologies and hopes he has not caused distress to Sarah Payne's family."

The court heard how Branscombe was jailed in September 1999 for nine months for offences of dishonesty relating to the theft of a credit card from the family home of a friend.

Sarah's mother, Sara, said today she was surprised the newspapers bought the material, but she was glad their actions had not put Whiting's trial at risk.

She said: "I am pleased Sussex Police dealt with this in the way they did. And I think Branscombe needs help."