THERE HAS BEEN speculation today that detectives at Scotland Yard are going to issue an “e-fit image” of a man seen near the holiday apartment from where Madeleine McCann disappeared.

Sky News reports that Kate and Gerry McCann have been shown the image of a male suspect, and that the officer in charge of the case, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, is expected to give details next week of the suspect’s movements around the resort of Praia da Luz, Portugal, on the day Madeleine disappeared.

Appeals

However, the Met Police said in a statement about the upcoming McCann appeal that media speculation about what the police’s plans “can be damaging to our efforts”.

The said they were not prepared “to discuss, comment or speculate on the content of the upcoming appeal in relation to the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann”.

The statement said:

This has been weeks in the planning and each element of the investigation must be set into the overall context of the appeal. We will be asking for help from the public in a number of countries, delivered through a series of public appeals.

We will do nothing to jeopardise the effectiveness of these appeals…

The Metropolitan Police said they will release the “relevant material at the relevant time”.

Madeleine disappeared from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on 3 May 2007 as her parents dined at a nearby restaurant with friends.

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