Kate and Gerry McCann hit out at ITV’s This Morning for broadcasting ex-cop’s theories on what happened to Maddie
THE parents of Madeleine McCann are “baffled” by a TV show hiring an ex-cop to tell the nation what he thinks happened to their daughter.
Kate and Gerry McCann hit out at ITV’s This Morning for using Mark Williams-Thomas to voice his “astonishing new theory” about Maddie’s disappearance, a close pal said today.
The couple have always insisted their three-year-old daughter was snatched from a Portuguese holiday flat while they were dining in a nearby tapas bar, either by a sex fiend or during a botched burglary.
But TV detective Mr Williams-Thomas, believes the unsettled youngster walked out of the unlocked apartment searching for her parents in the poolside restaurant.
The McCann’s spokesman Clarence Mitchell said today: “This is pure speculation and as such Kate and Gerry will not be dignifying it with any sort comment whatsoever.”
A source close to the pair said: “It’s baffling a television programme had him on as an authority on the Madeleine case.
"He’s re-invented himself as a criminologist but when did he become an expert on this high profile case? Never!”
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The friend added: “He said he had received a statement from the McCanns saying they were pleased there was an on-going investigation which they hoped would unearth some news but they haven’t been in contact with him, neither has their spokesperson.
“It seems he was re-hashing a years-old statement that was circulated to all the media.”
Mr Williams-Thomas, now an investigative journalist, revealed his theory about that fateful night in Praia da Luz in May 2007 when he appeared on the show as part of a new series on unsolved crimes.
Speaking to hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby he echoed previously reported lines about Maddie’s asking her mum and dad “Where were you last night?” and her twin siblings waking up on previous nights.
He then stated: “The concern I have, I believe she woke up and went looking for them, she left the apartment and came out, we already know the patio door was insecure.”
The McCann source said: “With no disrespect to this investigative reporter he is forever trying to latch himself onto the Maddie case.
"He’s said this all before and he once stood outside Apartment 5a reporting his same old belief.
“Allowing him on This Morning to air his views won’t help the show get in Kate and Gerry’s good books.
"But they’re not going to fall out with him over this.
"It’s all based on speculation and it’s a free country and they’ve got enough to be dealing with.”
Former GP Kate and heart doctor Gerry, both 48, of Rothley, Leics, believe Maddie could still be alive and have never given up hope of finding her.
They face the heart-breaking 10th anniversary of her disappearance in 10 weeks.
She would now be aged 13.
Mr Williams-Thomas boasts he has “far-reaching experience of working at the centre of high profile investigations.”
The self-styled commentator boasts on his website how he has “over the last decade reported on the biggest crime stories.”