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Investigators searching for missing child Madeleine McCann are in Germany hoping to obtain DNA samples from known pedophile Raymond Hewlett. Arriving in Aachen, Germany, the private detectives, hired by Gerry and Kate McCann, are waiting to question Hewlett, aged 64, about Madeleine. Hewlett, who is recovering from throat cancer surgery in a hospital, may be ordered to take a DNA test by the Aachen public prosecutor who is deliberating the decision this week. Hewlett, who has a criminal record for raping children in the UK, was allegedly living in Praia da Luz, an hour from the McCann’s holiday apartment, at the time of Madeleine’s disappearance in May 2007. Once they have Hewlett’s DNA sample, police will make comparisons to unidentified samples that were collected from the McCann’s apartment at the time of the original investigation, in the hope that there will be a match. Clarence Mitchell, speaking on behalf of the McCann family, expressed their hope that Hewlett would co operate with their investigators. 'Mr Hewlett has denied any involvement in Madeleine's abduction. 'Our investigators hope he will co-operate by giving them whatever information is needed so they can eliminate him from the investigation.' Marianna Schmuker, married to Hewlett, has spoken out in defence of her husband, saying that he had nothing to do with the disappearance of Madeleine. After news emerged that Hewlett had been spotted outside the McCann’s apartment in Praia da Luz 'many times', she still declared him ‘innocent’ of any crime. A new witness, Peter Verran, has come forward with information about Hewlett, saying how he had talked non-stop about the Madeleine story in the weeks following her abduction back in May 2007. Hewlett had been living in the Praia da Luz area at the time of the abduction, but had packed up quickly and gone to Morocco soon after Madeleine was discovered missing. Verran, a former Scots Guardsman, spent three months living opposite Hewlett in a Moroccan campsite, and said that he seemed to know a lot about the McCann family and the resort they were staying in. Mr Verran was camping with his family and had expressed concern to Hewlett that police would mistake his child for Madeleine, since she bore a resemblance to the missing girl; Hewlett, however, had quickly replied that Madeleine was not in Morocco. Verran also spoke about how much Hewlett seemed to know a lot about the Ocean Club complex where the McCann’s had been staying, explaining that he had been to the resort many times and used to park his van close to their apartment. He said that Hewlett was almost boastful about his knowledge of the layout of the resort, the restaurant where the McCann’s had been eating and even the flat that Madeleine had disappeared from. Verran went on to say, 'He (Hewlett) said it was common knowledge among locals that Praia da Luz in general and the Ocean Club in particular was a magnet for Romanian gypsies who abduct and then traffic children. 'I asked him why he'd left and come to Morocco. He told me he'd had to leave Portugal in a hurry. 'He said he'd packed his family up in half an hour and just driven out of the area. That was just after Maddie was taken.' The McCann’s family spokesperson told reporters that although Hewlett is, 'a person of interest' to the investigation, he is still just one of many leads they are currently following. Hewlett has strongly denied having any connection to the disappearance of Madeleine, saying, 'I've done nothing wrong - nothing, nothing.' June 2009 easyDNA provide full services for all your DNA testing requirements. For our full price list and more information please visit our website. |
