Louise

I have no answer to offer about the toy animal. Let the McCanns tell us why they refused to allow it to be examined. I carry no brief for the McCann family: if they are guilty then I want them convicted as much as anyone. But not convicted on the basis of a witch-hunt. Nor on the basis that, if the police cannot find anyone else, then it must have been them. I want them convicted after rigorous examination of the evidence by a properly constituted court.

Nor do I know if Maddie was kidnapped by a gang of paedophiles after the family had been spied on for a while. However, ALL the parents in that group do appear to have been amazingly lax in the way they left the children alone in the evenings, so anyone who was spying would have soon spotted an easy opportunity. And Maddie was probably the prettiest child there. But the get-away shouldn't have been a problem: a quiet holiday village in the evening. There's not likely to have been too much traffic around at all.

I have no idea why they didn't demand a ransom. Maybe they've already sold her on. Maybe she's dead. No-one but them knows.

The local police force might be the Portugese equivalent of country yokels, but they are professionals. They also have all the resources of the Portugese authorities and they called upon the assistance of the Leicestershire Constabulary - the UK police force where the McCanns live. They would have known if the McCanns were doing something they shouldn't do under Portugese law by creating the publicity, and they would have told them to stop. But they didn't. If the police don't object, why should anyone else?

You have said the police have to be allowed to complete their investigation, and I agree absolutely. But until they prefer charges against Kate and/or Gerry McCann, or against someone else, we should not assume it was the McCanns by default.

As for "aguido status", Moonraker said he believed it gave the police extra powers, and it certainly does. He did not say it gave the suspect rights too, I said that. An aguido is entitled under the law to know precisely what it is he is suspected of, and to seek legal counsel in order to mount a defence. He is also entitled not to answer questions (whereas failure to do so before becoming an aguido would be seen as non-cooperation and suspicious in itself).

TYWD