Madeleine police chief convicted

Investigations have so far failed to find Madeleine McCann

The ex-head of the police inquiry into Madeleine McCann's disappearance has been convicted of falsifying documents in another case, Portuguese media say.

Goncalo Amaral was given an 18-month suspended sentence by a court in Faro in connection with an alleged attack on the mother of another missing girl.

Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, are planning to sue Mr Amaral.

It follows what they say are his claims that Madeleine was dead and they were involved in concealing her body.

Clarence Mitchell, a spokesman for the McCanns, said the couple would not be commenting on the court's decision. But they would be continuing their defamation action, he said.

Earlier, Mr Mitchell said a private investigation into Madeleine's disappearance had a British paedophile as a "person of interest".

He 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 has confirmed it is seeking Mr Hewlett in connection with an indecent assault in 1975.

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