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Saturday 25 August 2007

Madeleine McCann's father attacks police leaks

Daily Telegraph Headline; says: 'The father of Madeleine McCann has launched a scathing attack on those who have accused him of killing his daughter and turned on the police for a series of leaks which have fuelled wild speculation. In a wide-ranging interview with the Daily Telegraph, Gerry McCann talked about plans to return to work as a cardiologist, denied he and his wife have become a "celebrity couple", and said he is not "deluded" in his belief Madeleine is still alive.

The 39-year-old father launched his strongest attack on police for a series of leaks which could potentially have harmed the investigation and contradict strict secrecy laws in Portugal. Mr McCann said: "I am disappointed that so much information – albeit much of it confused and wrong – has gone into the public domain in a country that supposedly has judicial secrecy.

I would be perfectly happy if police said ‘right, there is going to be nothing coming out anywhere', but that hasn't happened. I agree [you cant have one rule for us and another for them]. You can't have it both ways. Some of it, the way it's reported, is no more than people thinking out loud. We would like to come out and defend ourselves, that's your gut reaction. But some of the claims are so preposterous you just think are you just fuelling it by responding."

Mr McCann said: "Our life will never be the same. The response we had early on had restored my faith in human nature and I'm not going to lose sight of that actually, despite this period for us. It's a long road and we will come through the other end of it."

The couple have begun to discuss the possibility of returning to Britain and starting work again. Mr McCann has been on unpaid leave from his role as a consultant cardiologist at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester, and his wife has taken leave from being a part-time GP.

"There is no doubt our life is on hold," Mr McCann said. " I think Kate's job is going to be harder because as a GP she comes face-to-face with patients more.If we do come back it is going to be incredibly difficult to be a family of four and not a family of five. But it's a long time now. It's three and a half months, and at some point we have to say, ok, what is the best thing for us and the twins. I have started thinking about work. I don't think it will be an immediate decision. But yes, I do see myself going back to work at some point, and it will probably be in a graded fashion. There's no doubt I need to be active. It doesn't help us sitting around. It is when we stop and dwell and look back, that is the hardest thing."

Mr McCann also hinted they would not move from their family home in the village of Rothley, Leicestershire.

"We have not made any decisions," he said. "But when you are in a traumatic situation, familiarity generally makes it easier to cope with. Your own surroundings, your own family, friends, work, is easier than saying I'm off to escape it all and start again in New Zealand."

Mr McCann was speaking to the Telegraph ahead of being interviewed at the Edinburgh International Television Festival.