Suspect's mother criticises Madeleine's parents

The mother of a suspect in the Madeleine McCann inquiry criticised the child’s parents today over the night she went missing.

Robert Murat, whose villa is just yards from the spot where the youngster was apparently abducted on May 3, was first to be made an “arguido” in the Portuguese police investigation.

Today, his mother, Jenny Murat, claimed her family was being punished because the McCanns, themselves arguidos, had left the then three-year-old alone in their Praia da Luz apartment.

She also claimed Metodo 3, the private detective agency hired by the Leicestershire couple to find their child, had allegedly been bribing witnesses to change their stories.

She told the Evening Standard: “I really wish the McCanns had never gone on holiday to Praia da Luz. I bet they wish they had never come on holiday here either.

“The worst part of it is they did something wrong (by leaving Madeleine alone), we did nothing wrong but we have been penalised for their mistake.

“It’s really upsetting. I can tell you what has been going on here has just been horrendous.”

Metodo 3 (M3) was hired by the McCanns to carry out a parallel investigation to the police probe into Madeleine’s apparent abduction.

Mrs Murat, 71, said: “If they have anybody who saw Robert they are paying them to lie.

“The whole thing is one lie from the beginning. We don’t know why, we haven’t got a clue.”

Her son continues to strongly deny any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.

The McCanns’ spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, said they did not want to get into a running argument with Mrs Murat.

But he added: “She is entitled to her point of view but she is entirely wrong when she claims that Gerry and Kate have done anything wrong.

“They feel they had taken every sensible precaution possible to care for their children on the night of May 3. Nobody regrets more than they what happened.

“Mrs Murat is also entirely wrong in her claims that she makes about M3. Our private detectives continue to work entirely within the law in whichever country they are operating in on our behalf.”

It was reported today that posters appealing for information in Praia da Luz were now being taken down in the town.

Mr Mitchell said: “There was no concerted effort to take down her image. People have naturally been taking down posters here and there.

“As far as we are aware prayers are still being said for Madeleine in the church in Praia da Luz regularly. Kate and Gerry have nothing but fond memories of the people of Praia da Luz.

“They are immensely grateful for the support and affection shown while they were out there.

“We accept that if people want to take posters down it’s entirely up to them.”