Man held over Madeleine 'fraud'

Madeleine disappeared while her parents were at a nearby restaurant

A man has been arrested in The Netherlands on suspicion of attempting to defraud the parents of missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann.

Police said the man, 39, sent e-mails to the McCanns demanding 2m euros (£1.35m) in exchange for information about Madeleine's whereabouts.

He was due to appear in court in Rotterdam on Friday to be charged with attempted fraud.

Madeleine was snatched from a Portuguese holiday apartment on 3 May.

Dutch prosecutors said that the man, whose name has not been released, was arrested in Eindhoven on Wednesday.

They said there was no suggestion that the man was involved in the four-year-old's disappearance.

E-mails claim

Authorities claim that the man, who is unemployed, sent six e-mails addressed to Madeleine's parents from an internet cafe and an unemployment office.

Dutch police became involved at the request of the British and Portuguese authorities.

Prosecution spokesman Wim de Bruin said the man would be charged with attempted fraud, and could face a maximum sentence of four years if convicted.

In Spain legal proceedings have begun against a couple accused of trying to extort money from Madeleine's parents.