A british tourist seen "hiding" in a stairwell outside Madeleine McCann's apartment on the night she disappeared was being investigated last night.
The new suspect, stocky and wearing two-tone glasses, was spotted by an Ocean Club worker just 12 metres from the flat. The employee, who did not want to be named, exclusively told the Mirror: "I'll never forget him.
"It was around 6pm on the day the little girl went missing. I saw this Englishman standing under the stairwell.
"He was round-faced and stocky, wearing light clothes and positioned so that he was monitoring the car park area, stairs and elevator. He was hiding and watching what was going on. I didn't see him at first. I was collecting some linen, bent down to pick it up and nearly bumped into him.
"We gave each other a big fright and both jumped back. We moved aside for each other. But he didn't move away."
After Madeleine vanished from the Ocean Club later on May 3 the witness was interviewed routinely by police. <script type=text/javascript>//<\/scr' + 'ipt>'); //]]></script> <script type=text/javascript src="http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/adj/dailymirror.4240/news_mputwo__300x250;;sz=300x250;pos=;sect=top-stories;psect=news;zone=news;templ=page;sip=null;oid=19866730;tile=4;ord=2999278877726138000?"></script> <!-- Rubicon Project tag --><!-- Site: Mirror Digital Group Zone: ROS Size: Medium Rectangle (300x250) --> <script language=JavaScript type=text/javascript src="http://optimized-by.rubiconproject.com/a/7599/12202/21237-15.js?cb=0.7754673637450931"></script> <!-- end Rubicon Project tag --> <script language=Javascript><!-- amgdgt_p="3297"; amgdgt_pl="a2748b88"; amgdgt_t = "i"; //--> </script> <script type=text/javascript src="http://cdn.amgdgt.com/base/js/v1/amgdgt.js"></script> <script language=javascript type=text/javascript>var __cs_c1 = 8; var __cs_c2 = "6135404"; var __cs_c3 = "15"; var __cs_c4 = "12202"; var __cs_c5 = ""; var __cs_c6 = ""; var __cs_c10 = "3142139"; var __cs_c15 = ""; var __cs_params = ["c1=", __cs_c1, "&c2=", __cs_c2, "&c3=", __cs_c3, "&c4=", __cs_c4, "&c5=", __cs_c5, "&c6=", __cs_c6, "&c10=", __cs_c10, "&c15=", __cs_c15].join(''); document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js?" + __cs_params +"'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script> <script src="http://b.scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js?c1=8&c2=6135404&c3=15&c4=12202&c5=&c6=&c10=3142139&c15="></script> <script type=text/javascript defer src="http://tap-cdn.rubiconproject.com/partner/scripts/rubicon/alice.js"></script> <script type=text/javascript src="http://ad.amgdgt.com/ads/?t=i&f=j&p=3297&pl=a2748b88&rnd=29026441167075740"></script>
But he said a young officer seemed uninterested in what he had to say. Later, detectives arrived at his home and insisted he be re-interviewed.
He was taken to the police HQ in Portimao and asked to go through photographs. It is believed he managed to identify the suspect.
Speaking to the Mirror before his interview, he said: "They showed me lots of pictures and I pointed out the person I thought it was. I've been told not to say any more about it." Asked by the Mirror why he had not pressured police to take notice of his statement from the start, he said: "I was too scared."
The worker said he discovered the suspect was British when he spotted him a few days later.
Yesterday he refused to speak any further, stressing he had been warned not to talk about the investigation.
http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/PJ/NEIL_BERRY.htm
Neil Berry
With regard to where I was at 18.00, whom I was with and the fact that I was seen by a witness at this time next to stairs and lift of block 5 of the Ocean Club:
I am not certain where I was at 18.00. It is possible that I was already in my apartment or returning from the bar. In order to arrive at my apartment I would walk along the side of the pool, crossing the stairs of block 4. If I were with someone, this person would be Raj, but as I have already said I do not remember whether I returned with him or before him. I do not remember having seen a lift in any of the apartment blocks. I was not in block 5, but had to pass by it in order to arrive at my apartment. It is possible that I was on the other side of the street opposite block five.
