Profile: Robert Murat

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7507545.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Robert Murat has consistently maintained his innocence

Robert Murat - the first person to be named as an official suspect - or arguido - in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has agreed an out of court settlement with a number of UK newspapers.

Madeleine McCann went missing in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on 3 May 2007. She was three at the time.

During the police search Robert Murat, 34, a former property developer who lived close to the holiday apartment where she disappeared, became well known to journalists and told them he had been helping police with translation work.

Mr Murat, who previously lived in Hockering, Norfolk, had been living with his mother Jenny, 71, in Praia da Luz.

Police searched the villa where they lived after Sunday Mirror journalist Lori Campbell spoke to the British Embassy and the police about Mr Murat.

Mr Murat was questioned by police 11 days after Madeleine went missing, before being made a formal suspect - or arguido.

A subsequent two-day search of his home was carried out by police in August 2007.

The British expatriate, who described himself as half-Portuguese, has consistently stated his innocence.

His mother, Jenny Murat, has always maintained she was with her son at home on the night of Madeleine's disappearance.

ARGUIDO STATUS Officially a suspectBestowed by police or requested by individualRight to remain silentRight to a lawyer

And, when he was first identified as a suspect, Mr Murat said he was "a scapegoat" for something he did not do.

Shortly after being named as an arguido he told Sky News this status had "ruined" his life.

And, last October, he expressed similar sentiments when he told the BBC his situation had become "very, very difficult".

Mr Murat's campaign to clear his name stepped up in January when his mother said it was time for her son's status to be reviewed.

In a BBC interview, Jenny Murat said police had not contacted him for six months and they wanted to get back on with their lives.

Asked whether her son believed his suspect status would be removed, she said: "I don't think Robert thinks about that, obviously he hopes it's going to be, but we just don't have a clue."

In March it emerged that the Briton had computers and other possessions seized by Portuguese police returned to him.

Legal action

At the time he said the move was a "very positive sign" for him.

Mr Murat said: "Why would they return something if it was in the middle of being investigated in any way, shape or form?

"We are very happy to have the computers back, and I hope I will have my arguido status dropped very shortly."

The following month his lawyers, Simons Muirhead & Burton, revealed that their client planned to sue 11 leading British newspapers and Sky TV over allegedly libellous stories.

In a statement they 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.

The out of court libel settlement, for about £550,000 and an apology, was reached just days before the case was due to be heard in court.

Mr Murat remains an official suspect in Portugal.

Madeleine went missing on holiday in the Algarve

Under Portuguese law someone can remain an official suspect without charge for as long as the investigation is continuing.

In March, Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann, who also remain suspects, won a libel settlement and apology from Express Newspapers for suggesting they were involved in their daughter's disappearance.

The newspaper group paid the couple £550,000 in damages.

Early in July 2008, Portugal's attorney-general confirmed that prosecutors had received the final report from police investigating Madeleine's disappearance, but said the case was still "the subject of careful assessment and consideration".

Local media said detectives have concluded there was not sufficient evidence to charge anyone in connection with the little girl's disappearance in May last year, and that the case should be closed.

But lawyers for the McCanns and Mr Murat said they had received no word of a development that would mean the lifting of their suspect status.