McCann team 'interest' in Briton

Raymond Hewlett is understood to have been in Portugal in May 2007

A private investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance has identified a British paedophile as a "person of interest", a family spokesman has said.

Clarence Mitchell said he understood Raymond Hewlett lived about an hour from Praia de Luz, Portugal, where the three-year-old disappeared in May 2007.

Mr Mitchell stressed it was "one line of inquiry" in the investigation.

West Yorkshire Police have confirmed they are seeking Hewlett in connection with an indecent assault in 1975.

Reports say the 64-year-old is being treated for throat cancer in Germany.

Madeleine, from Rothley, Leicestershire, vanished from an Algarve holiday apartment on 3 May 2007, while her parents, Kate and Gerry, were dining at a nearby restaurant.

Spanish border

The Portuguese police have said they are no longer actively investigating the case but the McCanns are conducting a private investigation.

Mr Mitchell said he understood Raymond Hewlett was living near the Spanish border at the time that Madeleine went missing.

"Hewlett is an individual of interest to the McCann investigation," he said.

Private investigators are looking into Madeleine McCann's disappearance

"And as I say, without going into any detail, some newspapers are claiming that comments were made that led to potential interest in connection with the Madeleine case and, as a result, that is why the investigators are now looking at him.

"Whenever information comes in to the investigators helping Kate and Gerry they will do their utmost to either rule it in or rule it out, and that's essentially what they are trying to do with Mr Hewlett.

"We're not overplaying this, we're just saying he is one line of inquiry."

A spokesman for Leicestershire Police said the force would not "confirm any names of individuals given or any action taken".

"It remains a Portuguese investigation and we would still pass any relevant information to the Portuguese," he added.

Ahead of the last anniversary of her disappearance, the family released an age-progression image of how Madeleine may look now at nearly six years old.