by Keith Hunt

The father of murdered schoolgirl Sarah Payne could be facing a jail sentence after admitting glassing his brother.

Michael Payne denied wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, but admitted the lesser offence of unlawful wounding.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the 42-year-old struck Stephen Payne on the back of his head with a glass on August 24.

Judge Jeremy Carey queried whether a knife was used in the attack, but prosecutor Dominic Connolly said broken glass was found on the carpet in the lounge, where it happened.

Mr Connolly said Payne, who has a drink problem, had one previous conviction for common assault and there were two breaches of court orders.

"he has had various issues which, to his credit, he is trying to address" - oliver saxby, defending michael payne

Oliver Saxby, defending, said he would submit that Payne, of Brishing Lane, Maidstone, could be punished by a suspended prison sentence.

"The court can have much more information on him and his background," he said. "He has had various issues which, to his credit, he has been addressing."

Mr Saxby added Payne, who split from Sarah's mother Sara in 2003, was in his new home, which was a settled address.

Judge Carey said there was a history of family arguments, but not always violent ones.

Granting conditional bail until sentence after December 12, he told Payne: "You have pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding. You will be sentenced for that before Christmas.

"This is serious criminality and you should accept the court will regard it as such, so be ready for an outcome of which you have, no doubt, received advice."

Payne, he added, was not to contact the victim or another brother, Alan, or go to Wallis Avenue, Maidstone.

Sex offender Roy Whiting, 52, was jailed for life for Sarah's murder in 2001. He was ordered to serve a 50-year term, later reduced to 40 years by the Appeal Court.

Sarah was aged eight in July 2000 when she disappeared while playing in a cornfield near the home of her grandparents in Kingston Gorse, West Sussex. Her body was found 16 days later 15 miles away near Pulborough.