 |
Original Source:
Express 22 May 2007 [Now removed from internet] |
Tuesday
May 22,2007
David Pilditch and Matt Drake in Praia da
Luz |
|
| |
THE
chief suspect in the likely kidnap of
Madeleine McCann may cash in by selling
his story.
Oddball Robert Murat, 33, has contacted
PR guru Max Clifford at his London
office.
Mr Murat, who claims he is innocent,
wants Mr Clifford to represent him in
any media deals.
Mr Clifford represented US sportsman and
actor OJ Simpson when he was accused but
later found not guilty of murdering his
ex-wife Nicole and her friend Ronald
Goldman.
Mr Clifford said last night that he had
spoken to Mr Murat and his mother Jenny,
and offered them free advice about
handling the media.
He said he had “a tremendous amount of
sympathy” for Mr Murat but would not
formally represent him until he is
cleared by Portuguese police.
He said: “When I spoke to Robert, he was
in tears and said: ‘I am innocent and I
will prove I am innocent’, and thanked
me for listening to him.
“I told him that provided he is cleared
I will be happy to talk to him because
everybody in the world will want to
interview him.”
Asked if Mr Murat planned to make money
out of his story, his spokesman Tuck
Price said: “Robert’s concern is to
clear his name. After that, things may
change.”
Yesterday it was revealed that
Madeleine’s brother and sister have been
gently asked if they could provide any
details which could help identify her
abductor. However, twins Sean and
Amelie, two, have no memories of what
happened and still believe they are
holiday.
Yesterday, at noon, a one-minute silence
initiated by an anonymous chain email
was observed. Madeleine’s mother Kate
and family members observed the silence
inside their Ocean Club apartment in
Portugal.
Last night Madeleine’s father Gerry
visited the war memorial in the family’s
home town of Rothley, Leics, to look at
tributes which have been left there.
Mr McCann, 38, jetted back to Britain
early yesterday to meet organisers of
the Find Madeleine fund and attend to
personal matters in preparation for an
expected prolonged stay in Portugal.
The family are clinging on to the belief
that Madeleine is still alive but
Portuguese police admitted that hopes
are fading.
A police source told a Portuguese
newspaper: “It is painful to say this
but we have to be realistic. The chances
of finding the girl alive are less
likely every day.”
They admitted they have yet to find
proof linking Murat to Madeleine’s
abduction but they confirmed that they
were working on the theory she had been
snatched by a paedophile.
Portuguese detectives arrived in
Marrakech yesterday after holidaymaker
Mari Pollard said she saw Madeleine at a
Moroccan petrol station.
She became suspicious after a
“lost-looking” child asked a man: “Can I
see mummy soon?”
Mrs Pollard, who lives in southern Spain
with her British husband Ray, said: “I
am certain the girl I saw was
Madeleine.” |
|
 |
|
