Madeleine suspect Murat demands new police interview to clear his name

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Robert Murat's lawyer has made a formal request through the Portuguese courts for his client to face a new interrogation.

The British ex-pat, 33, wants police to interview him again so that he can try to clear his name.

He has been an official suspect in the case for almost six months and his friends and family have told how the cloud of suspicion hanging over him has left him unable to work or get on with his life.

Mr Murat's lawyer Francisco Pagarete said: "He is very frustrated because he is still an arguido, more than six months after the child's disappearance, and they have still made no concrete accusation against him.

"He has been living for a long time now with the suspicions of his involvement in the disappearance of a child he didn't even know.

"It's about time the authorities admit once and for all that they have no evidence whatsoever against my client. Obviously he is desperate to have his life back to normal."

Police interviewed the property consultant in May and searched the villa where he lives with his elderly mother, some 40m from the McCanns' holiday apartment.

Detectives also seized some of his clothes and the computers he used to run his business.

Mr Murat told police he had dinner with his mother on the night Madeleine vanished and has always denied any involvement in her disappearance.

On November 14 his lawyers will be able to apply to see the police file against him - the first time he will know exactly why he was named as a suspect.