- Sara Payne
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Sara Payne MBE (born 1968)[1] is a British media campaigner.
Payne was born Sara-Jane Williams[2] in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England.[citation needed] Since the murder of her daughter Sarah in July 2000, she has campaigned for parents to be given the right to know if a convicted paedophile is living in their community.[3] Initially, the then Home Secretary David Blunkett refused to allow any public access to the information, and several child care agencies and police forces condemned Payne's campaigning amid fears that it could trigger vigilante violence. However, in 2008, eight years after the start of the campaign, a pilot scheme was introduced by four British police forces. If successful, it may be extended across the country in the future.
Her book, Sara Payne: A Mother's Story, was published in 2004.
On 31 December 2008, Payne was made an MBE in the New Year Honours list.[4] On 26 January 2009, she was appointed Victims Champion by the Justice Secretary Jack Straw.[5]
On 23 December 2009, Payne was taken to St George's Hospital, Tooting, south London, following complications after brain surgery in 2008 to cure a ruptured aneurysm.[6] On 24 December 2009, it was stated that she was critically ill.[7] Later reports indicated that she had responded well to treatment.[8]
Payne is a trustee of the The Phoenix Foundation, a charity assisting victims of child sex abuse, and combatting such abuse.[9]
She married Michael Payne in West Sussex in 1990.[2] They separated in 2003,[10] blaming the strain of coping with Sarah's murder. They have four surviving children,[2] the last born in late 2003 just after their separation.[11]
Payne's brother and mother Elizabeth, who separated from Brian during the 1980s,[citation needed] died of cancer between 2000 and 2004.[12] Payne's father, Brian Williams, was paralysed when he was 55, due to an aneurysm; he died in 2007.[13]
On 28 July 2011 it was reported that Sara Payne's mobile phone was one of those targeted by the News of the World as part of the News International phone hacking scandal.[14]
References
- ^ Camber, Rebecca (10 June 2010). "Fury of Sarah Payne's mother as killer uses legal aid to get sentence slashed by 10 years". Mail Online (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1285220/Sarah-Payne-killer-Roy-Whiting-sentence-reduced.html. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
- ^ a b c Births and Marriages England and Wales 1984-2006
- ^ MP backs Sarah's Law paedophile scheme
- ^ "Campaigner Sara Payne becomes MBE". BBC News. 31 December 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7804970.stm. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
- ^ "Sara Payne new Victims Champion". BBC News. 26 January 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7850785.stm. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
- ^ Sara Payne's health 'improving'
- ^ "Sara Payne in critical condition". BBC News. 24 December 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/8429573.stm. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
- ^ 'Sarah's Law' sex offender alert scheme may be extended
- ^ The Phoenix Foundation Limited, Registered Charity no. 1138097 at the Charity Commission
- ^ Sara Payne 'improves' after brain surgery
- ^ "Campaigner Sara Payne becomes MBE". BBC Online. 31 December 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7804970.stm. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
- ^ Deveney, Catherine (30 May 2004). "Survival skills". The Scotsman (Edinburgh). http://news.scotsman.com/sarahslaw/Survival-skills.2533113.jp. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
- ^ Glimmer of hope for Sara Payne as she fights for her life after brain surgery relapse
- ^ "News of the World targeted phone of Sarah Payne's mother", The Guardian, 28 July 2011
Categories:- 1969 births
- Living people
- Members of the Order of the British Empire
- People from Walton-on-Thames
- News International phone hacking scandal
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