Robert Murat was declared an arguido back in May 2007 by Portuguese police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann but was later cleared. He also won sizeable damages from a number of newspapers and two television stations in Britain for defamatory and libellous reporting he was subjected to over an extended period of time.

Mr Murat had arrived at the Faro police station on Wednesday this week shortly before 9.30am and where he remained, excluding a short lunch break, until shortly before 6pm. He was however not asked a single question relevant to the case and was asked to return this Friday.

Up until Wednesday evening five witnesses were heard by Portuguese police at the request of British detectives, with no new developments emerging from these interviews.

Following the interview of the ten witnesses in Faro this week, an 11th person, said to be a British expat resident in the Algarve but who is currently in the UK, will be heard solely by the Metropolitan Police Service.

This latest phase of the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine also saw the arrival in Faro on Thursday of DCI Nicola Wall from the Homicide and Major Crime Command. She will be taking over from DCI Andy Redwood who has to date led Operation Grange, the British investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance.

She was accompanied by Redwood on her first visit to Faro’s PJ police station on Thursday, which also coincided with police interviews of four more witnesses.

Nicola Wall will officially take over on Monday 22 December and lead the dedicated team of detectives currently working on this case.

A comprehensive handover is ongoing, and the family and other interested parties have been informed, the Metropolitan Police said in a recent statement.

DCI Redwood said: “After careful consideration and a full and rewarding career in the Met the time is right for me to move on.

“The past three and a half years leading Operation Grange has been an extraordinary privilege, and I leave the investigation in the very capable hands of my experienced colleague Nicola.”