Media tycoon Richard Desmond in 'grotesque' Madeleine McCann claim

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/887245-media-tycoon-richard-desmond-in-grotesque-madeleine-mccann-claim

Media tycoon Richard Desmond in 'grotesque' Madeleine McCann claim

Media tycoon Richard Desmond has been called 'grotesque' for saying the parents of missing Madeleine McCann were happy with the way they were portrayed in his newspapers.



Richard Desmond, Leveson Inquiry Richard Desmond, owner of the Daily Express, leaves the High Court after giving evidence at the Leveson Inquiry (Pic: Getty)

Mr Desmond, who paid Kate and Gerry McCann £550,000 libel damages over articles in the Daily Express and Daily Star, claimed they liked the coverage because it gave the hunt for their child vital publicity.

‘If there were 102 articles on the McCanns, there were 38 bad ones but you could argue there were 65 or 70 good ones,’ he told the Leveson inquiry into press ethics.

‘They were quite happy, as I understand, in articles being run about their poor daughter, because it kept it on the front page.’

But Robert Jay QC, counsel to the inquiry, described his statement as a ‘grotesque’ characterisation, adding: ‘Your paper was accusing the McCanns, on occasion, of having killed their daughter. Are you seriously saying that they were sitting there quite happy, rather than entirely anguished by your paper’s bad behaviour?’

Mr Desmond replied: ‘I do apologise to the McCanns. I am very sorry for the thing and I am very sorry that we got it wrong.’

One story falsely claimed there was DNA evidence that could show the little girl’s body had been stored in the spare tyre well of a hire car.

Another claimed Kate McCann had given a ‘confession’ to a priest in Portugal, where her daughter disappeared in 2007. Mr Desmond said his publications had been made a scapegoat over the stories which were run by other papers.

‘Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to find Madeleine,’ he added.

Annabel wrote:

‘They were quite happy, as I understand, in articles being run about their poor daughter, because it kept it on the front page.’

Not a nice way to put it. No love lost there then.

Leveson is going to look a bit of a twit when the truth comes out, as are many others.

I heard the "happy" statement loud and clear and then watched it again a bit later, he also said in a around about way that most people believe there is more to this McCann story, we are aware there is something behind this is what he said!

Perfect use of word "happy" - they were as they wanted Maddie on the front pages.

Start at about 1:45 http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/hearing/2012-01-12pm/

Karen wrote:I heard the "happy" statement loud and clear and then watched it again a bit later, he also said in a around about way that most people believe there is more to this McCann story, we are aware there is something behind this is what he said!

Perfect use of word "happy" - they were as they wanted Maddie on the front pages.

Start at about 1:45 http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/hearing/2012-01-12pm/

You're right Karen, l saw and posted this on the 'Daily Mail report on Desmond Interview' thread.

Panda wrote:

Mr Desmond said he believed every national newspaper had written similar articles and insisted his titles were ‘scapegoated’ by the Press Complaints Commission.

‘Once again I do apologise to the McCanns, you know, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, but there are views on the McCanns. Of what happened. There are still views on the McCanns of what happened.’

No love lost there, he can see right through them and will continue to play with them in articles. Well said and done Mr.Desmond.

margaret wrote:

Karen wrote:I heard the "happy" statement loud and clear and then watched it again a bit later, he also said in a around about way that most people believe there is more to this McCann story, we are aware there is something behind this is what he said!

Perfect use of word "happy" - they were as they wanted Maddie on the front pages.

Start at about 1:45 http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/hearing/2012-01-12pm/

You're right Karen, l saw and posted this on the 'Daily Mail report on Desmond Interview' thread.

Panda wrote:

Mr Desmond said he believed every national newspaper had written similar articles and insisted his titles were ‘scapegoated’ by the Press Complaints Commission.

‘Once again I do apologise to the McCanns, you know, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, but there are views on the McCanns. Of what happened. There are still views on the McCanns of what happened.’

No love lost there, he can see right through them and will continue to play with them in articles. Well said and done Mr.Desmond.

yeah thats it and he sounded like he knew something is afoot! I had just finished 36hrs shift at work with a few hours kip, to be honest (sound like Kate now) I had a very good feeling about his statement its not always what we say - its the way in which we say it