The PeopleMadeleine McCann parents blast cops' dossierFiona May
7 March 2010
The parents of Madeleine McCann last night slammed cops in Portugal for releasing files on their daughter's disappearance, branding the move "upsetting and incomprehensible".
The 2,000-page dossier covers dozens of possible sightings after she vanished from a holiday flat in Praia da Luz just before her fourth birthday.
One was from New Zealand - but Portuguese detectives failed to ask for it to be followed up. Another claimed a blonde girl was dragged along the road to Faro airport - an hour's drive from Praia da Luz - on the night Maddie disappeared
A third told how a lookalike child was held at gunpoint on a French motorway by a half-naked man in 2008.
Maddie's 41- yearold parents Kate and Gerry, of Rothley, L eics, said in a statement: "Disclosing such information greatly jeopardises the search and puts witnesses and innocent members of the general public at risk, as well as causing them great anxiety.
"Release and publication of information in this manner also potentially compromises future investigations. It is difficult to see how anyone benefits from these actions."
But they added: "We are incredibly grateful to all who continue to support us in our search for Madeleine."
