McCanns 'victims of heinous crime'
Updated on 18 September 2007
The McCann family's new spokesman calls them "innocent victims of a heinous crime".
Reports from Portugal suggest a judge dealing with the Madeleine McCann case doesn't think there is enough evidence to order her parents back for more questioning.
And latest reports suggest he has been given permission to speak to the media.
Meanwhile, the McCann family have appointed a new spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, who described them as "innocent victims of a heinous crime".
The former BBC reporter, who was the director of the Central Office of Information's media monitoring unit inside the Cabinet Office, began work today as their new spokesman and said
"I am extremely grateful to Kate and Gerry for asking me to return to become their official spokesman.
"When the proposal was put to me with the full support of the legal team and their financial backers, I had absolutely no hesitation in accepting it.
"I am therefore proud to be able to help them deal with the pressure of the continuing immense international media interest in their situation.
"I will also be working with the media here to ease any inconvenience faced by the local community here in Rothley."
'They are innocent victims of a heinous crime'Clarence Mitchell, McCanns' spokesman
He had decided to quit his former position in the Civil Service because it would not be tenable to be the McCanns spokesman and still work for the government.
He stressed that he was not being paid by Kate and Gerry, or being paid from the Madeleine fund. He confirmed his costs will be met by private anonymous backers who supported the McCanns.
A Portuguese judge has allegedly refused to order Mrs McCann to return to Portugal for questioning, after it had been earlier reported in Portuguese press that Mrs McCann could be re-interviewed this week by British police acting on behalf of the Portuguese authorities.
A source close to the family said no formal request had been made to the McCanns.
The judge in the case, Pedro Daniel dos Anjos Frias, rejected prosecutors' request to have the McCanns brought back to Portugal for further questioning, according to the Correio da Manha newspaper.
