'SHE'S ALIVE'
Jim Gamble’s claims in Netflix documentary Disappearance of Madeleine McCann have shocked viewers – but who is he and what was his involvement in the case?
TOP child protection officer Jim Gamble investigated the disappearance of Madeline McCann.
Mr Gamble, one of the UK's most high profile experts on child protection, has spoken about the famous case on a Netflix documentary about missing Maddie.
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What were Jim Gamble's claims?
Mr Gamble said he believes the mystery into her disappearance will be solved.
In the new Netflix documentary, Disappearance of Madeleine McCann, he said: "I absolutely believe that in my lifetime we will find out what has happened to Madeleine McCann.
“There’s huge hope to be had with the advances in technology.
"Year on year DNA is getting better. Year on year other techniques, including facial recognition, are getting better.
“And as we use that technology to revisit and review that which we captured in the past, there’s every likelihood that something we already know will slip into position.”
He also appeared to hint that her disappearance could be connected with human trafficking.
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He added: "There is no doubt that human trafficking is a massive problem.
“On the internet you can go into those dark places and say, 'This is who I am and this is what I do’.
"And you’re made to feel better about who you are because there’s so many others."
In the eight-part film, Mr Gamble revealed that he initially thought that Gerry McCann could have been responsible for his daughter's disappearance.
He said he asked Gerry to write an appeal to Maddie's abductor in a bid to encourage the British doctor to confess.
However, the highly experienced police officer insists he soon realised that the child's parents were innocent.
Mr Gamble said: "Now I don't believe that Kate or Gerry McCann had anything to do with the fact their daughter has gone missing and potentially had been abducted.”
Who is Jim Gamble?
Jim Gamble is a top detective deemed responsible for pushing child abuse to the forefront of Britain's crime agenda.
He became widely acclaimed for his brazen attitude and fearless response to such crimes.
The Child and Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) which launched under his lead in 2006, became internationally recognised.
But in a dramatic move, he resigned two years later, after Mrs May decided to join the group with the National Crime Agency.
He is now known for being an expert in online and child crime, but his career started as an ordinary policeman.
Although he was born in Bangor, Northern Ireland, he spent a lot of time in Singapore or moving around the UK as a child.
His parents Lily and James worked for the RAF.
After he rose through the ranks, Mr Gamble fast became the head of the Northern Ireland anti-terrorist intelligence unit in Belfast.
He then became the Deputy Director General of the National Crime Squad, which soon joined with the Serious Organised Crime Agency.
At this time, he led the UK's biggest ever police investigation into who viewed child internet abuse images.
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In 2008, Mr Gamble was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in the New Year Honours list.
He became chief executive of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, but resigned in October 2010, after then Home Secretary Theresa May merged the group with others into a new National Crime Agency.
LATEST ON MADELEINE MCCANN
When can I watch Disappearance of Madeleine McCann?
The documentary was released on Netflix on March 15.
It explains how Portugal is the perfect location for child traffickers because it’s a well-placed gateway allowing abducted children to be instantly taken overseas by boat or driven across Europe.
And it shows the moment a sniffer dog trained to detect blood alerts its handler inside the McCann's apartment.
The documentary is divided into eight parts and will be available in full to N12etflix’s 159million subscribers around the globe.
The hope is that it will raises awareness of the case for a new generation.
The programme, to be released after months of delays and rows, suggests Madeleine could still come home alive.
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