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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Madeleine suspect in damages win | Madeleine suspect in damages win |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Expat Robert Murat has settled a claim for damages over allegations in 11 UK newspapers that he was involved in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. | Expat Robert Murat has settled a claim for damages over allegations in 11 UK newspapers that he was involved in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. |
| Briton Mr Murat is still an official suspect - or arguido - in Portugal. | Briton Mr Murat is still an official suspect - or arguido - in Portugal. |
| He was questioned by police but denied any involvement in the disappearance of Madeleine, who vanished aged three from an Algarve apartment in May last year. | He was questioned by police but denied any involvement in the disappearance of Madeleine, who vanished aged three from an Algarve apartment in May last year. |
| The libel settlement is for about £550,000 and includes an apology. The case was due to be heard on Thursday. | The libel settlement is for about £550,000 and includes an apology. The case was due to be heard on Thursday. |
| In April Mr Murat's lawyers, Simons Muirhead & Burton, said they were pursuing 11 leading British newspapers and Sky TV over allegedly libellous stories. | In April Mr Murat's lawyers, Simons Muirhead & Burton, said they were pursuing 11 leading British newspapers and Sky TV over allegedly libellous stories. |
| On Tuesday a spokeswoman for Mr Murat said the settlement and written apology had been agreed with the 11 newspapers. Profits and sales ruled, rather than principles and ethics Roy GreensladeMedia commentator | On Tuesday a spokeswoman for Mr Murat said the settlement and written apology had been agreed with the 11 newspapers. Profits and sales ruled, rather than principles and ethics Roy GreensladeMedia commentator |
| In their April statement, his lawyers named the Sun, Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, Daily Mail, London Evening Standard, Metro, Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, News of the World and the Scotsman. | In their April statement, his lawyers named the Sun, Daily Express, Sunday Express, Daily Star, Daily Mail, London Evening Standard, Metro, Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, News of the World and the Scotsman. |
| In March Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann reached a similar libel settlement and got an apology from Express Newspapers for suggesting they were responsible for her death. | In March Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann reached a similar libel settlement and got an apology from Express Newspapers for suggesting they were responsible for her death. |
| Media commentator and journalism professor Roy Greenslade said the case showed newspapers had "lost their heads" over the Madeleine story. | Media commentator and journalism professor Roy Greenslade said the case showed newspapers had "lost their heads" over the Madeleine story. |
| He said newspapers needed to be more aware that when crimes happened abroad it did not "relieve them of the normal rules that they should apply". | He said newspapers needed to be more aware that when crimes happened abroad it did not "relieve them of the normal rules that they should apply". |
| He added that competition had driven them to "bid each other up" in terms of what they thought they could get away with in their reporting. | He added that competition had driven them to "bid each other up" in terms of what they thought they could get away with in their reporting. |
| "Profits and sales ruled, rather than principles and ethics," he said. | "Profits and sales ruled, rather than principles and ethics," he said. |
| Police questioning | |
| Mr Murat, 34, was questioned by police 11 days after Madeleine went missing from the Praia da Luz resort on 3 May 2007, before being made a formal suspect. | Mr Murat, 34, was questioned by police 11 days after Madeleine went missing from the Praia da Luz resort on 3 May 2007, before being made a formal suspect. |
| Madeleine disappeared while on holiday with her family | |
| Police searched the nearby villa where he lived with his mother after Sunday Mirror journalist Lori Campbell spoke to the British Embassy and the police about Mr Murat. | |
| The expatriate, who described himself as half-Portuguese, had become known to journalists and told them he had been helping police with translation work during the search. | The expatriate, who described himself as half-Portuguese, had become known to journalists and told them he had been helping police with translation work during the search. |
| Last month Mr Murat said he hoped the return of computers seized from him by police signalled they were to drop his status as a formal suspect soon. | Last month Mr Murat said he hoped the return of computers seized from him by police signalled they were to drop his status as a formal suspect soon. |
| His mother, Jenny Murat, has always maintained she was with her son at home on the night of Madeleine's disappearance. | His mother, Jenny Murat, has always maintained she was with her son at home on the night of Madeleine's disappearance. |
| Legal editor for the Daily Telegraph Joshua Rozenberg told the BBC the newspapers were now clearly admitting they could not defend their allegations. | |
| He is being vindicated and the newspapers are very clearly saying that they cannot justify what they alleged Joshua RozenbergLegal editor | |
| "They realise that this is one of the most damaging things you could say about anybody, and it appears that they have all clubbed together and agreed to settle the libel claim out of court." | |
| He said the fact Mr Murat was still an official suspect did not affect the libel case. | |
| "The only way in which the newspapers could defend this case would be if they could prove the truth of what they alleged. And simply saying this is the status he happens to have under Portuguese law, goes nowhere near that particular demand. | |
| "As far as English law is concerned, he is being vindicated and the newspapers are very clearly saying that they cannot justify what they alleged." | |
| Under Portuguese law someone can remain an official suspect without charge for as long as the investigation is continuing. | Under Portuguese law someone can remain an official suspect without charge for as long as the investigation is continuing. |
| Kate and Gerry McCann also remain official suspects in the inquiry. | Kate and Gerry McCann also remain official suspects in the inquiry. |
| In their libel settlement the Express Newspapers group paid £550,000 to the Find Madeleine campaign, and the Daily Express and Daily Star issued front-page apologies admitting the stories were inaccurate. | In their libel settlement the Express Newspapers group paid £550,000 to the Find Madeleine campaign, and the Daily Express and Daily Star issued front-page apologies admitting the stories were inaccurate. |