Suspect wins libel case over missing British girl

By Michael Holden

LONDON (Reuters) - A British suspect in the disappearance of 3-year-old Madeleine McCann in Portugal last year won 600,000 pounds ($1.2 million) in libel damages on Thursday for "the utter destruction" of his life.

The 10 British newspapers involved in the case had accused Robert Murat, who lived in the resort where McCann vanished last May, of being involved in the girl's disappearance.

Portuguese police questioned Murat soon after the British girl went missing from her parents' holiday apartment in the southern resort of Praia da Luz and later declared him a formal suspect, but he was never charged and denied any involvement.

"The newspapers in this case brought about the total and utter destruction of mine and my family's life and caused immense distress," Murat said outside London's High Court.

"I am pleased that the publications concerned admitted the falsity of their allegations and I can now start to rebuild my life."

Murat spoke to reporters frequently in the days after Madeleine disappeared from her bedroom, and said she looked like his daughter in England. His mother's house was about 150 meters from the McCann family's apartment.

Murat's lawyer said tabloid newspapers in Britain published a series of "made-up" allegations. The court heard these included claims that Murat had an interest in child pornography and might have been part of a pedophile ring involved in McCann's abduction.

Publishers of the newspapers, with a combined circulation of 15 million copies, apologized, admitted the claims were untrue and agreed to pay the damages.