McCanns accept apology
KATE and Gerry
McCann accepted '550,000 libel damages today
over allegations that they were responsible for
the death of daughter Madeleine.
Two of Express
Newspapers' titles printed front-page apologies
to the McCanns for articles suggesting they were
responsible for their daughter's death.
The Daily
Express and the Daily Star also agreed to pay
the money to the couple's official Madeleine
Fund.
McCann Rage at Maddie Book Claim
Meanwhile, a
former Portuguese police chief has angered Kate
and Gerry by claiming in a novel that the
toddler is dead ' and her body dumped at sea.
Paulo
Cristovao, who is facing trial over torture
allegations, describes how missing Maddie did
not survive May 3, 2007 ' the night she
vanished.
His book, The
Star Of Madeleine, is based on the real cop
investigation.
It stops short
of saying who is responsible, but drops clues.
He says the
McCanns decided she was kidnapped without
considering she may have walked out of their
holiday flat.
Retired
inspector Cristovao mysteriously claims two of
the couple's holiday pals ' the so-called Tapas
Seven ' are 'fundamental' to discovering the
truth about Maddie, four.
In the preface
he writes: 'For legal reasons I, as the author,
cannot tell you what the truth, the reality of
this case, is. I can, however, assure you that
you can find it here, in the lines of this
book.'
The novel ends
with two fictional coppers gazing out at the
Atlantic Ocean following a huge land search.
Cristovao
and four other cops stand trial later this year
over the case of another missing girl. He is
accused of torturing her mum into a false
confession of murder.
Last night
Kate and Gerry's spokesman said: 'It's a great
shame that people still want to make money out
of Madeleine's situation.'
