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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| McCann 'Twitter troll' found dead in hotel | McCann 'Twitter troll' found dead in hotel |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A 63-year-old woman who was accused of targeting internet abuse at the family of Madeleine McCann has been found dead in a hotel. | A 63-year-old woman who was accused of targeting internet abuse at the family of Madeleine McCann has been found dead in a hotel. |
| Brenda Leyland, from Burton Overy, Leicestershire, was accused of being one of the so-called "trolls" directing abusive messages at the McCanns. | Brenda Leyland, from Burton Overy, Leicestershire, was accused of being one of the so-called "trolls" directing abusive messages at the McCanns. |
| Her body was found days after she was confronted outside her home by a Sky News reporter. | Her body was found days after she was confronted outside her home by a Sky News reporter. |
| Madeleine McCann disappeared while on holiday in Portugal in 2007. | |
| Mrs Leyland was confronted by the reporter who put to her she had posted messages attacking the family on Twitter via the handle @sweepyface. | Mrs Leyland was confronted by the reporter who put to her she had posted messages attacking the family on Twitter via the handle @sweepyface. |
| She replied: "I'm entitled to do that." | She replied: "I'm entitled to do that." |
| A spokesman for Leicestershire Police said: "Police were called at 13:42 on Saturday 4 October to reports of a body of a woman in a hotel room in Smith Way, Grove Park [in Leicester]. | A spokesman for Leicestershire Police said: "Police were called at 13:42 on Saturday 4 October to reports of a body of a woman in a hotel room in Smith Way, Grove Park [in Leicester]. |
| "Officers have attended the scene and a file is being prepared for the coroner. The death is not being treated as suspicious." | "Officers have attended the scene and a file is being prepared for the coroner. The death is not being treated as suspicious." |
| Sky issued a statement saying: "We were saddened to hear of the death of Brenda Leyland. It would be inappropriate to speculate or comment further at this time." | Sky issued a statement saying: "We were saddened to hear of the death of Brenda Leyland. It would be inappropriate to speculate or comment further at this time." |
| A statement released by the Marriott Hotel in Leicester read: "We are very sad to confirm the death of a guest at the Leicester Marriott Hotel and our thoughts go out to the family and friends of the deceased." | A statement released by the Marriott Hotel in Leicester read: "We are very sad to confirm the death of a guest at the Leicester Marriott Hotel and our thoughts go out to the family and friends of the deceased." |
| On Friday, Madeleine's father, Gerry McCann, told the BBC: "Clearly something needs to be done about the abuse on the internet. | On Friday, Madeleine's father, Gerry McCann, told the BBC: "Clearly something needs to be done about the abuse on the internet. |
| "I think we probably need more people charged." | "I think we probably need more people charged." |
| He described how he and his wife Kate, who live in Rothley Leicestershire with their nine-year-old twins, do not read posts about them on the internet because it was too "upsetting". | He described how he and his wife Kate, who live in Rothley Leicestershire with their nine-year-old twins, do not read posts about them on the internet because it was too "upsetting". |
| His interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme followed the news police were reviewing a dossier of abusive messages about the family on social media. | |
| Dr Arthur Cassidy, a psychologist who specialises in social media, said Mrs Leyland appeared to have a middle class upbringing which was unusual in trolling. | |
| He said: "In this particular case, her whole repertoire of trolling is slightly different from those of well-seasoned trolls because of her uniqueness and the way she has done this. | |
| "It would signify to me that she has been quite a novice at this." | |
| Dr Cassidy said typically, trolls sought and enjoyed a response from their victims but that did not appear to have been the case here. | |
| Supporters of Mrs Leyland have established a Facebook page, with several people posting tributes and condolences to her family. |