McCanns sue Portuguese paper

Madeleine McCann's parents have launched a defamation action against a Portuguese newspaper which accused them of killing their daughter.

Gerry McCann said he and his wife, Kate, were "deeply hurt" by the front-page headline story "PJ believes that the parents killed Maddie" in Tal & Qual paper.

The August 24 article claimed the Policia Judiciaria (PJ) - Portugal's CID - were certain the McCanns killed Madeleine by accident.

It implied that the young girl died was a "victim of an excess of drugs", which may have been sedatives.

The McCanns, who are both doctors, "strongly refuted" the report and said they would never use sedatives on any of their three children.

Their lawyer also accused certain sections of the press of engaging in "scandal-mongering" that he described as "inhumane".

Carlos Pinto de Abreu said in a statement: "The press has engaged in a horrific exercise in scandal-mongering, replete with rumours and lurid commentaries which are all aimed at one thing - to sell more TV time and newspaper space to advertisers.

"Fortunately so far only a few character-assassinating, tabloid-style outlets have gone beyond the limits of decency. Enough!

"It is people's dignity which is being questioned, and it is their image which is being dragged through the dirt."

Portuguese police have repeatedly said the couple, from Rothley, Leicestershire, are not suspects in the case.

But in recent weeks the couple been forced to defend themselves against a series of newspaper smears suggesting they could now be suspects in their four-year-old daughter's disappearance.

Mr McCann said: "Kate and I have been deeply hurt by the report in Tal & Qual.

"We firmly believe that the report was speculative, defamatory and published despite official statements to the contrary, which is why we have instructed lawyers.

"We hope that this action will encourage responsible reporting in the future.

"Our daughter Madeleine was snatched from her bed on 3 May. She is still missing. The police have said time and time again we are not suspects.

"These are the facts. Everything else is at best speculation and in some cases downright lies."

Papers have been sent to a court in Oporto, in the north of Portugal, where Tal & Qual is based.

The action is being brought against Emidio Fernando, director of Tal & Qual, and journalist Catarina Vaz.

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