British experts join search for missing Madeleine
As the search for missing Madeleine McCann entered its sixth day today, efforts to home in on her abductor stepped up a gear.
Two “Cracker-style” criminal behaviour experts from the UK flew into the Algarve region yesterday to join Portuguese investigators working on the case.
Police in the country have already followed up 350 different leads, interviewed 100 people and taken hundreds more calls from the public but their response to Madeleine’s disappearance has been criticised.
The little girl’s great uncle, Brian Kennedy, told the Mirror: “It took the police a long time to get things moving. The early stages could have been much quicker.”
Last night, as police moved to restore confidence in their efforts, the British Ambassador to Portugal stepped in to defuse criticism of the police.
After visiting Madeleine’s distraught parents Gerry and Kate, John Buck emerged to say that the couple appreciated the Portuguese efforts and said specialists from the two countries were working well together.
He also revealed he had been in touch with Portuguese cabinet ministers and the office of the Prime Minister.
Mr Buck, who has visited the couple repeatedly throughout their ordeal, said after his latest visit: “I wanted to assure myself personally that the necessary links between British and Portuguese experts here on the ground were working well, and they are.”
He added: “They (the McCanns) are very pleased with the collaboration of the British authorities, they are in close touch with Interpol and Europol and I know Kate and Gerry, with whom I have just been speaking over the last hour, are very grateful for their efforts.”
His Portuguese counterpart in London also said police were doing all they could but had to abide by the country’s secrecy laws.
Criticism of the handling of the case has been intensified by a virtual news blackout imposed by Portuguese law which bans police from revealing details of a case under investigation.
But despite scant details on the direction the investigation is taking the case has captivated – and stunned – Portugal.
Last night the latest in a series of apparent sightings – this time at the other end of Portugal – sparked a media flurry with reporters dispatched north of Portugal after news that a girl matching her description had been spotted - but it was a false alarm.
In the UK Portuguese football superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Ferreira became the latest to add their support to efforts to trace her with appeals in two languages.
It is hoped the appeals will boost the search further.
England captain John Terry read a statement which was translated into Portuguese appealing for people to give the police information.
“It’s a terrible thing for her family to go through, she’s only young so please, please come forward,” he said.
A vigil was held in Madeleine’s home village in Rothley, Leicestershire, last night as family and friends prayed for the youngster to be found safe and well.
The child disappeared on Thursday night after she was left with her brother and sister, two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie, in a holiday apartment.
Her parents had been dining in a nearby restaurant and checking on them regularly.
Yesterday two British criminal behavioural experts from the Child Exploitation and online Protection Centre (Ceop) – which tackles international child sex abuse – flew in.
The move comes after details of British paedophiles with links to the Algarve were handed over to Portuguese investigators, local reports said.
Portuguese media reported that authorities in the UK have supplied detectives in the region with information on child abusers who have moved or travel there.
Leicestershire Police is handling requests from the Portuguese police to supply them with information from across the UK.
Police have investigated 350 reports of suspicious incidents.
Among them was that of tourist Amanda Mills, 34, of Basildon, Essex, who said that two weeks ago, she saw a man trying to steal a pushchair at the same resort.
“He didn’t even look to see if there was a child in it,” she said.
Yesterday Mark Warner Holidays which runs the Ocean Club resort where the McCanns are staying said that it had been so overwhelmed with messages of support for the couple that it had set up a special email address.
Anyone who wishes to pass messages to the family can do so by e-mailing:
mccannfamilymarkwarner.co.uk.
Within the first few hours the address had received around 100 messages.
Last night the local Mayor revealed that the area’s tourist board would pay for the McCanns’ stay.
