Legal bills paid by Madeleine fund?
Updated on 12 September 2007
The trustees of the Find Madeline fund are to decide whether the McCanns can use any of the £1m donated to pay their legal bills.
In the days after Madeline McCann went missing, the public was moved - to tie yellow ribbons, to leave messages for her, and to give money to the fund set up in her name.
So far more than a million pounds has been raised. But should this money now be used to pay the legal fees of Kate and Gerry McCann, now they've been named official suspects by the Portuguese police?
Today the directors of the fund will meet to make that decision - a family spokesman told Channel 4 News it will be useful to clarify the situation.
He said it didn't mean the McCanns would be making an immediate application for money for legal costs but that everyone needed to know what it could or couldn't be used for. But legally the McCanns could be in a difficult position.
"The Fund provides support to Kate and Gerry. One of the reasons the Fund was established was to support Madeleine's family. The objects specifically include financial assistance"- statement on 'Find Madeleine' website
The fund isn't run as a charity says the Findmadeline website because as it focuses on just one child it can't show public benefit, so it's run as a private company.
It says the aims are to secure the return of Madeline, to ensure a thorough investigation and to provide financial support to her family
The website posts the following question:
"I've heard that Kate and Gerry McCann might benefit from the Fund. Is this true?"
and answers it with the below:
"Yes - the Fund provides support to Kate and Gerry. One of the reasons the Fund was established was to support Madeleine's family. The objects specifically include financial assistance.
"The directors approve all payments to Kate and Gerry, with family members not having a vote. When considering whether proposed payments are reasonable, the directors consider donor intentions in addition to the Funds objects."
But if most peoples intentions were give money to help find Madeline - her parents could face a backlash if they use the money for their own legal costs
