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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| McCann's plea to police revealed | McCann's plea to police revealed |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Kate McCann pleaded with Portuguese police to be kept informed about the hunt for her daughter, it has emerged. | Kate McCann pleaded with Portuguese police to be kept informed about the hunt for her daughter, it has emerged. |
| A December 2007 letter from Mrs McCann, of Rothley, Leicestershire, to police said a lack of communication between officers and her family was "torture". | A December 2007 letter from Mrs McCann, of Rothley, Leicestershire, to police said a lack of communication between officers and her family was "torture". |
| News of the letter comes as the family's investigators check reports that a girl calling herself "Maddy" was seen in the Netherlands in June 2007. | News of the letter comes as the family's investigators check reports that a girl calling herself "Maddy" was seen in the Netherlands in June 2007. |
| The information has been made public only with the release of police files. | The information has been made public only with the release of police files. |
| Madeleine vanished, aged three, in May 2007 while on holiday in the Algarve. | Madeleine vanished, aged three, in May 2007 while on holiday in the Algarve. |
| Her mother's letter of 4 December last year called for an end to "finger-pointing blame", and said her pain and anxiety were "indescribable". | Her mother's letter of 4 December last year called for an end to "finger-pointing blame", and said her pain and anxiety were "indescribable". |
| Sifting through case filesThe questions put to Kate McCannText of letter to police | Sifting through case filesThe questions put to Kate McCannText of letter to police |
| Family spokesman Clarence Mitchell confirmed that Mrs McCann wrote to senior officer Paulo Rebelo but received no reply beyond a formal notification that her correspondence would be placed on file. | Family spokesman Clarence Mitchell confirmed that Mrs McCann wrote to senior officer Paulo Rebelo but received no reply beyond a formal notification that her correspondence would be placed on file. |
| Mrs McCann wrote: "As her mother, the pain and anxiety I feel for her is indescribable and the feeling of helplessness overwhelming. The 'accusations' and media smearing, although upsetting, are very much secondary. | Mrs McCann wrote: "As her mother, the pain and anxiety I feel for her is indescribable and the feeling of helplessness overwhelming. The 'accusations' and media smearing, although upsetting, are very much secondary. |
| "I am appealing to you as a fellow human being to work with us (if possible include us) and to remember that we are Madeleine's parents and have needs... | "I am appealing to you as a fellow human being to work with us (if possible include us) and to remember that we are Madeleine's parents and have needs... |
| "Lack of communication and a void of information, particularly as the parent of a missing child, is torture." | "Lack of communication and a void of information, particularly as the parent of a missing child, is torture." |
| The McCanns, both 40, have accused detectives of withholding potentially crucial evidence from them after the release of the official documents. | The McCanns, both 40, have accused detectives of withholding potentially crucial evidence from them after the release of the official documents. |
| CCTV footage of a young blond girl in a petrol station | CCTV footage of a young blond girl in a petrol station |
| According to one file, Anna Stam, 41, a shop assistant, said she spoke to a girl aged three or four in Amsterdam. She said she resembled Madeleine and said her name was "Maddy". | According to one file, Anna Stam, 41, a shop assistant, said she spoke to a girl aged three or four in Amsterdam. She said she resembled Madeleine and said her name was "Maddy". |
| In reply to a question about her mother, the girl is said to have remarked: "They took me from my holiday." | In reply to a question about her mother, the girl is said to have remarked: "They took me from my holiday." |
| A report was sent to Portugal on 18 June last year but it is not clear from the files what action was taken. | A report was sent to Portugal on 18 June last year but it is not clear from the files what action was taken. |
| Mr Mitchell said it was "tragic" that this kind of evidence has only now been issued. | Mr Mitchell said it was "tragic" that this kind of evidence has only now been issued. |
| He said: "We need to know what happened with this. This is exactly the sort of primary information that we need to know if it was followed up properly by the police." | He said: "We need to know what happened with this. This is exactly the sort of primary information that we need to know if it was followed up properly by the police." |
| The Portuguese police inquiry into the girl's disappearance was wound up last month. | The Portuguese police inquiry into the girl's disappearance was wound up last month. |
| The McCanns and a third British national, Robert Murat - who have always strongly denied having had any involvement in what happened to Madeleine - also had their status as formal suspects lifted. | |
| Among the new files released was a prosecutor's report that said the investigation had uncovered "very little" conclusive about Madeleine's fate. | Among the new files released was a prosecutor's report that said the investigation had uncovered "very little" conclusive about Madeleine's fate. |
| There were also CCTV images showing a small child said to resemble Madeleine at an Algarve petrol station the day after she disappeared that the McCanns had not seen before. | There were also CCTV images showing a small child said to resemble Madeleine at an Algarve petrol station the day after she disappeared that the McCanns had not seen before. |
| Several other reported sightings across Europe have been examined by local authorities or the investigators working for the McCanns in the past but all came to nothing. | Several other reported sightings across Europe have been examined by local authorities or the investigators working for the McCanns in the past but all came to nothing. |