Missing Madeleine McCann - Tabloids Say Sorry

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• published: 22 Mar 2008
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Anna Chan: Madeleine the daughter of Kate and Gerry McCann went missing while the family was on holiday in Portugal last May. UK Tabloids said the McCanns might have killed their daughter and covered up her death. They have admitted their claims were "baseless" and agreed in court to pay damages. Madeleine's disappearance prompted intense international media coverage. The mystery of Madeleine McCann's disappearance is back on the front pages of British newspapers. But this is no ordinary story - the Daily Express and Daily Star are carrying unprecedented front-page apologies to Madeleine's parents. Kate and Gerry took legal action after numerous defamatory articles. Their lawyer told the court they contained suggestions that they killed Madeleine, were involved in wife swapping and sold their daughter to pay off their debts. The newspapers admitted the allegations - the family's spokesman gave this reaction. [Clarence Mitchell, McCann Family Spokesman]: "We are pleased that Express Newspapers have today admitted the utter falsity of the numerous grotesque and grossly defamatory allegations that their titles published about us on a sustained basis over many months." Express Newspapers - which published both tabloids - said it "Regretted publishing these extremely serious, yet baseless allegations," It agreed to pay 550, 000 pounds in damages, that's 1.1 million dollars, to the Find Madeleine Fund. [Clarence Mitchell, McCann Family Spokesman]: "Express Newspapers, rightly acknowledge that we are innocent of all allegations that we may have been involved in Madeleine's abduction and we would like to reiterate that there is absolutely no evidence that Madeleine is dead or has been seriously harmed." Madeleine McCann went missing during a family holiday in the Algarve last May. The three-year-olds disappearance sparked a massive international search. The McCanns believe she was abducted from a holiday apartment while they dined with friends nearby. But despite a string of reported possible sightings she's never been found. [Clarence Mitchell, McCann Family Spokesman]: "We embarked on this course of action reluctantly, indeed with a heavy heart, as we did not wish the pursuit of it to become a distraction from our sole aim - finding Madeleine." The McCanns remain official suspects in the case. But they hope that status will soon be lifted - until she's found they say the search for Madeleine never will.