Paedophile Raymond Hewlett is demanding huge sums to answer questions about the night Madeleine McCann vanished.

Hewlett, 62, has refused to speak to detectives hired by parents Kate and Gerry McCann unless they pay him with cash from the Madeleine Fund.

Investigators had hoped to quiz Hewlett today in the German hospital where he has had throat cancer surgery.

Last month, the Mirror revealed that the child molester was in the Algarve when three-year-old Madeleine was taken from a holiday apartment on May 3, 2007.
A source close to Kate and Gerry said: "He's asking for thousands of pounds to answer questions. Hewlett wants the money for his family in case he dies."

The McCanns' spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "No money will be paid to Mr Hewlett for his co-operation.

"We are talking with his representatives with the view that our investigators will be able to speak to him in the near future.

"We hope he'll see reason if it will eliminate him from the inquiry."

Hewlett has denied any link with Madeleine.