A convicted child abuser and his girlfriend were being questioned by police in southern Spain last night over the kidnapping of Madeleine McCann.


Danilo Chemello, 61, and Aurora Pereira Vaz were arrested in a dawn raid on a beachside villa in the exclusive Sotogrande resort in Algeciras.

Reports said part of the villa’s garage had been converted into a child’s bedroom.


Mr Chemello has been on the run from France for his suspected links to criminal activities. The Italian national was previously jailed for 18 months for child abuse. His Portuguese girlfriend is reportedly being investigated over allegations that she is involved in illegal adoptions in Europe.

A police source said that the Mr Chemello had been under surveillance after claiming on June 8 that he knew what had happened to Madeleine following her abduction 57 days ago. He wanted to negotiate with her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, to claim the £2.5 million reward on offer for their daughter’s safe return.

Portuguese police said they had yet to establish a “direct link” with her disappearance from an Algarve resort.