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| Madeleine McCann: Police hunt sex attacker | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| UK police probing the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are seeking an intruder who sexually abused five girls in Portugal between 2004 and 2006. | UK police probing the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are seeking an intruder who sexually abused five girls in Portugal between 2004 and 2006. |
| Detectives say the attacks happened in holiday villas occupied by UK families in the Algarve. | Detectives say the attacks happened in holiday villas occupied by UK families in the Algarve. |
| The man, described as tanned with dark hair, is suspected of breaking into 12 properties from 2004 to 2010. | The man, described as tanned with dark hair, is suspected of breaking into 12 properties from 2004 to 2010. |
| Madeleine was three when she disappeared in May 2007 from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Algarve. | Madeleine was three when she disappeared in May 2007 from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Algarve. |
| The five girls - aged between seven and 10 - were sexually assaulted in their beds. | The five girls - aged between seven and 10 - were sexually assaulted in their beds. |
| On one of these occasions, the man assaulted two girls in one villa. | On one of these occasions, the man assaulted two girls in one villa. |
| 'Serious offences' | 'Serious offences' |
| Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood said the man had an "unhealthy interest in young white female children" - and tracing him was a priority. | Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood said the man had an "unhealthy interest in young white female children" - and tracing him was a priority. |
| "We need to establish the identity of this man," DCI Redwood said. | "We need to establish the identity of this man," DCI Redwood said. |
| "These offences are very serious and no one has been charged in connection with them. We also need to eliminate this man from our enquiries and ascertain whether these offences are linked to Madeleine's disappearance." | "These offences are very serious and no one has been charged in connection with them. We also need to eliminate this man from our enquiries and ascertain whether these offences are linked to Madeleine's disappearance." |
| While not identical, many aspects of the circumstances surrounding the sexual assaults were similar, police said. | While not identical, many aspects of the circumstances surrounding the sexual assaults were similar, police said. |
| There were no signs of forced entry to the properties, nothing was taken and the intruder appeared in the early hours of the morning. | There were no signs of forced entry to the properties, nothing was taken and the intruder appeared in the early hours of the morning. |
| The suspect may have been in the villa or looking around for some time before committing the offences or being disturbed, either by a parent coming in or the child waking up, officers said. | The suspect may have been in the villa or looking around for some time before committing the offences or being disturbed, either by a parent coming in or the child waking up, officers said. |
| He remained calm even when disturbed. | He remained calm even when disturbed. |
| Four of the 12 offences happened in Carvoeiro, two in Praia da Luz and six in Vale da Parra and Praia da Gale. | |
| There are currently 38 people classed as "persons of interest" linked with the inquiry into Madeleine's disappearance. | There are currently 38 people classed as "persons of interest" linked with the inquiry into Madeleine's disappearance. |
| Detectives are also sifting through details of 530 sex offenders whose whereabouts are unknown. | |
| Of those, 59 are classed as high priority and some of those are British. | Of those, 59 are classed as high priority and some of those are British. |
| A high-profile campaign run by Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann, from Rothley, Leicestershire, and a Portuguese police investigation have failed to locate the missing girl. | |
| Police 'frustration' | |
| In January, British detectives flew to Portugal and spoke to local police officers. | |
| Scotland Yard had launched a new investigation - codenamed Operation Grange - into Madeleine's disappearance last July, two years into a review of the case, and made renewed appeals for information. | |
| And the search for Madeleine was given fresh impetus in October when a BBC Crimewatch appeal that aired in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands in October led to 5,000 calls. | |
| DCI Redwood said: "This is an offender who has got a very, very unhealthy interest in young, white, female children who he is attacking whilst they are on holiday in their beds. | |
| "It is really critical for us to identify this offender and prove or disprove whether he was involved in Madeleine's disappearance." | |
| Investigators in the UK have so far sent three international letters of request to Portuguese authorities over the inquiry into Madeleine's disappearance. | |
| Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said the slow legal process had caused "frustration". | |
| "We know what we want to do and we are ready to go with that. But the process is the process," he said. |