Raymond Hewlett has died and "takes his secrets to the grave"

By NEIL SYSON

Published: Today


A PAEDOPHILE who was a prime suspect in the hunt for Madeleine McCann has died - taking any secrets he had to the grave.


Convicted child rapist Raymond Hewlett, 64, died of throat cancer and was cremated at a pauper's funeral in Germany four months ago.


His ex-wife Susan, 64, and children in Telford, Shropshire, were unaware of his death.

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Missing ... Madeleine



Two private detectives hired by Maddie's parents Kate and Gerry went to Aachen, Germany, at least three times in a bid to interview Hewlett.

But a source said: "He always wriggled out of it, saying he was too sick to see them. He was never eliminated from the inquiry."

Maddie, of Rothley, Leics, was three when she vanished on holiday in Portugal in May 2007. Ex-soldier Hewlett bore a close resemblance to a straggly-haired man seen lurking near the McCann apartment.

He was in Portugal when Maddie was snatched and left for Morocco three weeks later. And he told a pal he knew gipsies who sold children to perverts. Hewlett's German second wife Mariana, 35, refused to comment.

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Maddie: Detectives "clown around" in Germany Duarte Levy Wordpress for 24horas

Duarte Levy
May 27, 2009 • 10:54 am

The two former English policemen that were hired by the McCann couple, returned to England yesterday without having questioned the alleged "suspect" in the disappearance of Madeleine, after the German authorities classified their presence in Aachen as "a clown act", accusing them of "trying to pressure the local judicial authorities", using contacts among the British diplomatic representatives in Germany.

The private investigators – who have no police authority whatsoever in England or abroad – wanted to question Raymond Hewlett, a British citizen aged 64 who lived in Tavira when Maddie disappeared in Praia da Luz, and who has served prison sentences in three paedophilia cases that involved teenagers.

The prosecutor in Aachen, in statements to 24horas, confirmed that the English authorities manifested interest in questioning Hewlett about two old cases but that "the official request doesn't even mention the Maddie case and does not request the individual's detention."

For the German authorities, everything that has been published in the English tabloids, "has been nothing but pure speculation" about a sad disappearance case.

"We can't prevent the British citizen from leaving the hospital, as soon as that is possible in clinical terms, and especially if he wishes to do so," said Robert Deller, in an interview to German television before he spoke to 24horas.

"We are willing to cooperate with the Portuguese and English authorities but these gentlemen (the detectives) have no authority whatsoever and we'll be glad when they leave the hospital door. Them, and the journalists that they brought along," a spokesman for the police in Aachen confessed to 24horas.

Hewlett, who had been admitted to the University Clinic in Aachen for cancer treatment, refused to answer to the McCanns' investigators but told 24horas that on the day that Maddie disappeared, he was camped in Fuzeta, the place where he took part in the monthly market and antiques sale. The English citizen, who was never involved in paedophilia cases in our country, was denounced to the McCanns' investigators by an equally British couple, Alan and Cindy Thompson – who are known to authorities for equally having pretended that they knew where Bin Laden's hideout was located.

24horas tried to contact Dave Edgar and Arthur Cowley, the two former policemen that form "Alpha Investigations Group", but they refused to comment on why they consider the English man a suspect, after stating that Maddie "was not abducted by a paedophile" or transported on board of any boat.

In Portugal, a source at the PJ in Portimão confirmed that the information that has been published about the case is being "followed attentively" but that neither the McCann couple nor their investigators "delivered or communicated any new data" to the PJ.

jkh wrote:By NEIL SYSON

A PAEDOPHILE who was a prime suspect in the hunt for Madeleine McCann has died - taking any secrets he had to the grave.

Convicted child rapist Raymond Hewlett, 64, died of throat cancer and was cremated at a pauper's funeral in Germany four months ago.

His ex-wife Susan, 64, and children in Telford, Shropshire, were unaware of his death.

Two private detectives hired by Maddie's parents Kate and Gerry went to Aachen, Germany, at least three times in a bid to interview Hewlett.

But a source said: "He always wriggled out of it, saying he was too sick to see them. He was never eliminated from the inquiry."

Maddie, of Rothley, Leics, was three when she vanished on holiday in Portugal in May 2007. Ex-soldier Hewlett bore a close resemblance to a straggly-haired man seen lurking near the McCann apartment.

He was in Portugal when Maddie was snatched and left for Morocco three weeks later. And he told a pal he knew gipsies who sold children to perverts. Hewlett's German second wife Mariana, 35, refused to comment. [right]

A Sun masterclass in innuendo with no factual basis whatsoever - a true classic:

A PAEDOPHILE who was a prime suspect...

...taking any secrets he had to the grave...

..."He always wriggled out of it...

..."He was never eliminated from the inquiry...

...Ex-soldier Hewlett bore a close resemblance to a straggly-haired man seen lurking near the McCann apartment....

...He was in Portugal when Maddie was snatched and left for Morocco three weeks later...

...he told a pal he knew gipsies who sold children to perverts...

What a disgusting game the McCanns are playing if they really intend to use Hewlett to get away with their crimes.

I have merged these two topics. Hope that is OK with everybody. :flower:

Despicable the lying pair.
Hewlett widow should sue them.

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Bid To Quiz Paedophile On Madeleine Fails Sky News

6:24pm UK, Monday May 25, 2009

Detectives in Germany have had their attempt to question paedophile Raymond Hewlett about the disappearance of Madeleine McCann rebuffed, Sky sources understand.

They attempted to gain access to Hewlett during a visit to a hospital in the western city of Aachen, where he is receiving cancer treatment.

They were refused entry upon arrival at reception.

Sky News understands the negotiations to meet Hewlett have been conducted via his wife.

The McCanns' spokesman Clarence Mitchell told Sky News that Hewlett has not refused to speak to the couple's detectives.

He said negotiations are continuing with local authorities.

The private detectives are seeking relevant permissions and remain confident they will speak to Hewlett within the next day or two.

Speaking outside the hospital, one of the investigators Dave Edgar said: "The gentleman that's in here is not a suspect, he is someone who we are interested in.

"I would not describe him as a suspect. We want to eliminate him from the investigation."

He added: "We want to speak to him, sooner rather than later."

The Aachen prosecutor's office said British authorities asked their German counterparts last Friday "to interrogate a Britsh national who is being treated at a hospital here and to take a DNA sample of him".

Spokesman Robert Deller said the explanation given for the request was "that in 1975, he allegedly committed a rape and an attempted rape".

He added: "This is in no way related to Madeleine McCann or her case."

Last week, Mr Mitchell confirmed 64-year-old Hewlett as a "person of interest" in the investigation.

The convicted paedophile was living about an hour's drive from Praia da Luz, Portugal, where Madeleine vanished while on holiday with her family in May 2007.

He was among a number of known child sex offenders to have been initially interviewed by police in the early days of the investigation.

A confirmed alibi had ruled him out of the case.