A BRITISH MAN who became embroiled in the Madeleine investigation, because car hire staff thought it was odd that a man on his own had returned a car containing a child’s seat, has said he has been cleared by the PJ.
Solicitor James Gorrod’s car was one of 10 seized and inspected by the PJ.
He was drawn into the inquiry when police discovered he had hired a car at Faro airport, complete with a child’s seat. Staff at the car hire firm were suspicious when he arrived alone to return the car.
In fact, Mr Gorrod had dropped his wife and son at the terminal before returning the hire car.
The family stayed at the same resort as the McCanns but Mr Gorrod said he and wife Charlotte, who has since given birth to a boy, never met the missing child’s parents Kate and Gerry.
The couple say the first they knew of Madeleine’s suspected abduction was when a note was pushed under the door of their holiday villa the following day.
Mr Gorrod said rumours of their involvement in Madeleine’s abduction had been very distressing for his “vulnerable” wife.
He said: “Having given birth to a baby boy three weeks ago, for this to happen at this time when she is so vulnerable is distressing.”
In a statement released through Mr Gorrod’s Exeter-based legal firm, he said: “A British police officer directly liaising with the Portuguese investigation team recently contacted me to eliminate the vehicle I hired for a holiday with my wife and two-year-old son in Praia da Luz at the time Madeleine McCann disappeared.
“The vehicle has been identified and I have been told by the British police officer that he has no plans to interview me or my family, and he does not expect me or my family to have any further involvement in the Madeleine McCann investigation.”
The statement added: “We are, of course, deeply saddened by Madeleine’s disappearance and hope for her safe return.”
Earlier, Mrs Gorrod said she was baffled Portuguese police had not spoken to them while they were on holiday even though they offered to help.
She added: “The reason we needed to hire a car was because we were not on the Mark Warner holiday and so we didn’t have an airport transfer for the trip from Faro.”
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