Police to probe death of McCann ‘abuser’

Police officers acting on behalf of a coroner will investigate the run-up to the death of Brenda Leyland — whose body was found after being accused of directing online abuse against Madeleine McCann’s parents.

Leyland was confronted on camera by a Sky News TV crew over her apparent “trolling” of the couple.

“We were saddened to hear of the death of Brenda Leyland. It would be inappropriate to speculate or comment further at this time,” a Sky News spokesman said.

British broadcasting regulator Ofcom said it was looking into the Sky report, adding it had received 34 complaints about it.

“No decision has been made as to whether an investigation will be opened at this point,” a spokesman said.

A Facebook page was also set up to demand a public inquiry into her death — claiming she was unfairly treated by the media and that “there was little abusive about her tweets.”

Leicestershire Police said: “Officers were called at 1.42pm on Saturday, October 4, following a report of Brenda Leyland being found deceased at a hotel room in Smith Way, Grove Park.

“Ms Leyland’s death is not being treated as suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner. Officers acting on behalf of the coroner will look into the circumstances surrounding and prior to her unexpected death.”

The 63-year-old was identified as one of the “trolls” posting hate messages aimed at the McCanns, whose daughter disappeared during a family holiday to Portugal in 2007.

She was tracked down to her house in Burton Overy, Leicestershire, and confronted by crime correspondent Martin Brunt in a report televised last week.

It was revealed that, using the Twitter handle @sweepyface, she had posted messages attacking the family.

Asked why she was using her Twitter account to attack the couple, who live with their younger children, nine-year-old twins, in Rothley, Leicestershire, she said: “I’m entitled to do that.”

Last Friday, Madeleine’s father called for an example to be made of “vile” internet trolls who have been targeting the family.

They have faced a slew of abuse on social media for a number of years.

Gerry McCann said he had “grave concerns” about letting his twins use the internet after threats of violence and kidnapping.

The comments, in an interview with the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, came after it emerged that police were looking at a dossier of abuse posted on Twitter, Facebook and chat forums.

A Twitter user called Ben Leyland, who was identified in reports as the dead woman’s son, wrote: “I love you mum and I will miss you forever.” Madeleine McCann went missing from her bedroom at a Portuguese holiday resort while her parents were dining at a nearby restaurant. The girl’s fate remains a mystery. Her parents were named as suspects by Portuguese police four months after her disappearance but in 2008 Portugal’s public prosecutor dropped the case, citing a lack of evidence.