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Madeleine police files go public Madeleine police files go public
(about 1 hour later)
Thousands of pages of evidence gathered by Portuguese detectives in the case of Madeleine McCann have been made public.Thousands of pages of evidence gathered by Portuguese detectives in the case of Madeleine McCann have been made public.
The papers make clear the girl's parents - no longer suspects - came under suspicion following a visit to Portugal by UK detectives last August.The papers make clear the girl's parents - no longer suspects - came under suspicion following a visit to Portugal by UK detectives last August.
The BBC's Steve Kingstone said they included records on a sniffer dog detecting the apparent odour of a body inside the McCann's apartment and car. They show a sniffer dog detected the apparent odour of a body in their hire car and apartment, but tests on a sample from the car were inconclusive.
Madeleine vanished, aged three, on a holiday in the Algarve, on 3 May 2007.Madeleine vanished, aged three, on a holiday in the Algarve, on 3 May 2007.
The police inquiry into her disappearance was wound up because of a lack of evidence last month.The police inquiry into her disappearance was wound up because of a lack of evidence last month.
Kate and Gerry McCann and a third British national, Robert Murat, were declared to be no longer formal suspects when the police closed the case. Kate and Gerry McCann and a third British national, Robert Murat, were declared to be no longer formal suspects when the police closed the case. The McCanns and Mr Murat, 34, always strongly denied having had any involvement in what happened to Madeleine.
The McCanns and Mr Murat, 34, all strongly denied having had any involvement in what happened to Madeleine.
Lawyers for the McCanns, both 39, from Rothley, Leicestershire, were given access to the documents last week.Lawyers for the McCanns, both 39, from Rothley, Leicestershire, were given access to the documents last week.
They are studying the papers for fresh leads that the couple's private detectives could follow up.They are studying the papers for fresh leads that the couple's private detectives could follow up.
Police questionsPolice questions
Some 20,000 pages of evidence were released on Monday to journalists who had made a formal request to prosecutors, including the BBC.Some 20,000 pages of evidence were released on Monday to journalists who had made a formal request to prosecutors, including the BBC.
The sniffer dog's apparent detection of the odour of a body was followed by a second dog detecting what was thought to be blood in the same locations.The sniffer dog's apparent detection of the odour of a body was followed by a second dog detecting what was thought to be blood in the same locations.
Our correspondent said the documents showed an initial report from Britain's forensic science service saying the samples indicated some compatibility with the components of Madeleine's DNA. The BBC's Steve Kingstone said the documents showed an initial report from Britain's forensic science service saying the samples indicated some compatibility with the components of Madeleine's DNA.
However the laboratory did not draw firm conclusions and stressed that the samples contained the DNA of more than one person.However the laboratory did not draw firm conclusions and stressed that the samples contained the DNA of more than one person.
Police in Portugal subsequently declared the McCanns official suspects. In an e-mail dated 3 September 2007, John Lowe of the major incidents team of the Forensic Science Service (FSS) said it was impossible to conclude whether the material taken from the car came from Madeleine.The McCanns want to follow any leads that come from the police documents
Interview transcripts reveal that Madeleine's mother was asked directly: "Did you have anything to do with the disappearance of your daughter?" The e-mail was translated into Portuguese the following day and four days later Portuguese detectives named the McCanns arguidos - formal suspects - citing DNA evidence as grounds for their suspicions.
In his message to Detective Superintendent Stuart Prior, head of the British side of the inquiry, Mr Lowe said a sample from the boot of the McCanns' hire car, which they rented 24 days after Madeleine went missing, contained 15 out of 19 of her DNA components.
But he cautioned that this result - based on the controversial "low copy number" DNA analysis technique which uses very small samples - was "too complex for meaningful interpretation or inclusion".
The expert said the components of the missing girl's DNA profile were not unique to her - in fact some were present among FSS scientists, including himself.
"We cannot answer the question: is the match genuine, or is it a chance match," he wrote.
Subsequent interview transcripts reveal that Kate McCann was asked directly: "Did you have anything to do with the disappearance of your daughter?"
She refused to answer this and dozens of other questions, as was her legal right.She refused to answer this and dozens of other questions, as was her legal right.
The family's spokesman Clarence Mitchell said their private investigators would follow up any potentially significant leads that emerged from the police files.The family's spokesman Clarence Mitchell said their private investigators would follow up any potentially significant leads that emerged from the police files.
He said earlier the McCanns were keen not to give "a running commentary" on their legal team's trawl through the files.He said earlier the McCanns were keen not to give "a running commentary" on their legal team's trawl through the files.
"The Portuguese Attorney General, in his recent statement, made it very clear indeed that there's absolutely no evidence of any wrongdoing by Kate and Gerry in any way, shape or form and journalists should bear that in mind when they examine the police files," he said."The Portuguese Attorney General, in his recent statement, made it very clear indeed that there's absolutely no evidence of any wrongdoing by Kate and Gerry in any way, shape or form and journalists should bear that in mind when they examine the police files," he said.