Madeleine suspect to sue papers for libel

Robert Murat, who became a suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, is planning to sue 12 British media outlets for libel, his lawyers said.

The London-based solicitors Simons Muirhead and Burton said the Anglo-Portuguese expatriate was pursuing defamation actions against 11 newspapers and one television station.

The law firm said in a statement posted on its website: "Simons Muirhead and Burton is representing Robert Murat in respect of a number of libel actions against Sky, the Daily Express, the Sunday Express, the Daily Star, the Daily Mail, the Evening Standard, the Metro, the Daily Mirror, the Sunday Mirror, the News of the World, The Sun and The Scotsman.

"At this time neither the firm nor its client will be making any comment."

Mr Murat, 34, lives just yards from the apartment in the Portuguese seaside resort of Praia da Luz from which Madeleine vanished on 3 May last year.

Detectives took him in for questioning 11 days after she went missing and made him the first arguido, or formal suspect, in the case.

He has always strenuously protested his innocence but is still waiting to be officially cleared of involvement in the four-year-old's disappearance.