by Julia Roberts

The father of murdered schoolgirl Sarah Payne has been jailed for 16 months following a drunken glassing of a brother.

Michael Payne, 43, struck Stephen Payne on the back of his head and then slashed his arm with a shard of broken glass for what were described at Maidstone Crown Court as "completely unfathomable" reasons.

The two men had drunk three litres of cider each and a litre of vodka each on the night of the attack in Maidstone on August 24.

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

The court heard he had no recollection of the incident, and his brother had also retracted his statement to the police.

However, Judge Jeremy Carey told the grandfather at today's sentencing hearing that despite "powerful mitigation" custody was inevitable.

He said that any parent would have the deepest sympathy for him, and the fact he had never sought or was offered bereavement counselling following his daughter's brutal death 11 years ago.

However, the judge added that it was not of "overwhelming significance" that would allow him to suspend any jail term.

"Unfortunately it is not that simple for the court. I have to balance the various factors and it falls down simply on the side of you being punished and seen to be punished for serious criminality."

Payne nodded at the judge, then gave a thumbs up sign and a wave to another brother, Alan, sitting in the public gallery as he was led to the cells.

Oliver Saxby, defending, had urged the court not to "slavishly" follow sentencing guidelines on the grounds that Payne's family history provided "an exceptional backdrop".

"He experienced what is every parent's nightmare and consuming more and more alcohol became his means of coping," explained Mr Saxby. "This offence had its origins in that nightmare."

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