This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-15860071
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| McCanns give evidence to Leveson Inquiry | McCanns give evidence to Leveson Inquiry |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The parents of missing girl Madeleine McCann are giving evidence to the judge-led inquiry into media practices. Gerry and Kate McCann's daughter disappeared, aged three, in 2007. | The parents of missing girl Madeleine McCann are giving evidence to the judge-led inquiry into media practices. Gerry and Kate McCann's daughter disappeared, aged three, in 2007. |
| Their lawyer has said the way the media treated them was a "national scandal". | Their lawyer has said the way the media treated them was a "national scandal". |
| Lord Justice Leveson is hearing from alleged victims of media intrusion at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. | Lord Justice Leveson is hearing from alleged victims of media intrusion at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. |
| Sheryl Gascoigne, wife of ex-footballer Paul, lawyer Mark Lewis and journalist Tom Rowland appeared earlier. | Sheryl Gascoigne, wife of ex-footballer Paul, lawyer Mark Lewis and journalist Tom Rowland appeared earlier. |
| Asked why he and his wife had agreed to give evidence, Mr McCann said there was "one simple reason". | Asked why he and his wife had agreed to give evidence, Mr McCann said there was "one simple reason". |
| "We feel that a system has to be put in place to protect ordinary people from the damage that the media can cause by behaviour which falls far below what I would call acceptable," he said. | "We feel that a system has to be put in place to protect ordinary people from the damage that the media can cause by behaviour which falls far below what I would call acceptable," he said. |
| He said the couple had got the impression there was a "genuine want to help attitude from journalists" at the beginning and "a huge amount of empathy". | He said the couple had got the impression there was a "genuine want to help attitude from journalists" at the beginning and "a huge amount of empathy". |
| He also acknowledged that the media had been helpful on occasions, particularly when launching appeals - and thanked people who had come forward as a result of them. | He also acknowledged that the media had been helpful on occasions, particularly when launching appeals - and thanked people who had come forward as a result of them. |
| 'Supposition' | |
| But when asked if it was helpful that the story was kept in the press for so long, he said he did not feel it was particularly helpful in 2007 and 2008. | But when asked if it was helpful that the story was kept in the press for so long, he said he did not feel it was particularly helpful in 2007 and 2008. |
| "There was an incredible amount of confusion," he said. | "There was an incredible amount of confusion," he said. |
| "She was on the front page every day for a period.... When a story is so negative, it's not helpful," Mrs McCann added. | "She was on the front page every day for a period.... When a story is so negative, it's not helpful," Mrs McCann added. |
| Mr McCann said the couple quickly realised there was a "tremendous amount of speculation" in the reporting and that he believed "elements" of the police inquiry were being leaked to the Portuguese press, who were running stories based on "snippets of information". | Mr McCann said the couple quickly realised there was a "tremendous amount of speculation" in the reporting and that he believed "elements" of the police inquiry were being leaked to the Portuguese press, who were running stories based on "snippets of information". |
| These were picked up by the British press who could not tell if these stories were true or not, he said. | These were picked up by the British press who could not tell if these stories were true or not, he said. |
| "They didn't know the source, they didn't know whether it was accurate, it was exaggerated and often downright untruthful and often, I believe, on occasions, made up," he said. | "They didn't know the source, they didn't know whether it was accurate, it was exaggerated and often downright untruthful and often, I believe, on occasions, made up," he said. |
| Mr McCann said a Daily Mirror headline, which read "She's dead", was "one of the most distressing headlines that was presented as factual and it was just taken from a supposition". | |
| Mr McCann went on to say that "more sinister elements" then started to creep in, the first of which was a Portuguese article which suggested a cover-up, "some sort of sinister agreement between us and our friends". | |
| 'Terrifying' | |
| The inquiry also heard that a Daily Star headline read: "Maddy sold by hard-up McCanns", which Mr McCann said "was nothing short of disgusting". | |
| Mrs McCann said the same paper accused the family of storing her body in a freezer. | |
| Defending the appointment of Clarence Mitchell as a media adviser in Portugal, he said it was "a full time job". | Defending the appointment of Clarence Mitchell as a media adviser in Portugal, he said it was "a full time job". |
| "We had no prior experience of dealing with the media, but it gave us a little bit of protection. Obviously we were working behind the scenes and it gave us a little bit of time with our family as well," he said. | "We had no prior experience of dealing with the media, but it gave us a little bit of protection. Obviously we were working behind the scenes and it gave us a little bit of time with our family as well," he said. |
| Mr McCann also talked about being constantly pursued by photographers, describing the journey to the airport to fly home to Britain as "one of the most terrifying experiences we've ever had... it was frankly dangerous". | |
| Talking about the "tens of journalists" camped outside their house in Rothley, Mrs McCann said: "Often they would spring out from a hedge so they could get a startled look so they could attach 'frail' or 'fragile'." | |
| Lord Justice Leveson's inquiry is looking at the "culture, practices and ethics of the media" and whether the self-regulation of the press works. | |
| A second phase of the inquiry will commence after the conclusion of a police investigation into NoW phone hacking and any resultant prosecutions. It will examine the extent of unlawful conduct by the press and look at the police's initial hacking investigation. |