The paedophile who murdered eight-year-old Sarah Payne has been caught poring over pictures of her in his jail cell.
Evil Roy Whiting, 51, above, was found with a stash of photographs of victim Sarah and other little girls at his high-security prison.
The sickening discovery will devastate Sarah’s mother Sara, who has fought a decade-long crusade against child-sex offenders after Whiting abducted and murdered her child.
It will also fuel outrage over the monitoring of child murderers coming just weeks after James Bulger’s killer Jon Venables was recalled to prison over child porn allegations.
The pictures of Sarah, below, were among photos of little girls discovered during a routine search at Wakefield Prison, Yorks, dubbed Monster Mansion as it houses the country’s most dangerous murderers and rapists.
Hardened officers were shocked to find the images, which Whiting had carefully torn from magazines and newspapers.
The revelation caused outrage among child protection charities.
Kidscape director Claude Knights said: “It’s sickening that he managed to secrete these pictures away. It shows whatever treatment programme he is undergoing is not working and how dangerous he still is.
“It’s horrendous that he hid pictures of the child he murdered in his cell. It’s beyond words. It’s alarming for not just the family but for the whole nation.”
A confidential Ministry of Justice document seen by The Sunday Mirror states: “It is of serious concern that the security information indicates hidden newspaper cuttings of Mr Whiting’s victim and young girls were discovered during a cell search.
“It appears his interest in young girls continues.”
Whiting snatched Sarah from a lane in 2000 near her grandparents’ home in Kingston Gorse, West Sussex, and her body was discovered 15 miles away in a field in Pulborough 16 days later.
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Fibres from Whiting’s van were on Sarah’s shoe but he has refused to say what happened. The report says: “As Mr Whiting does not accept responsibility, an explanation of what occurred is not available.”
Whiting’s risk to children was assessed in the 2009 report as “very high” were he to be released, and “medium” even in custody.
His next parole hearing will be in 2026, when he will be 66, but he will only be considered for release if he reaches the age of 93.
Whiting had a previous conviction for kidnap and indecent assault before he murdered Sarah.
Her mum Sara, 40, above, now partly paralysed by a stroke, fought a long and finally successful campaign for the release of information on sex offenders – “Sarah’s Law”.
The report says he has also refused to discuss details of his previous offences, committed in 1995.
Whiting – nicknamed Catweasel by inmates because of his unkempt appearance – has no contact with the outside world.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “We don’t comment on individual cases.
“Where inappropriate materials are found in prisoners’ cells they are immediately removed and the prisoner may be subject to disciplinary proceedings.
“Behaviour in prison is one of the factors considered by the parole board in their decision making.”