Missing Madeleine's father gives a fuller response to neglect campaign...

Gerry McCann, father of missing Madeleine has posted a fuller response to Monday's Daily Mail story highlighting the campaign to have him and his wife prosecuted for neglect.

On the Find Madeleine website, Gerry McCann writes:

There is a very upsetting story on the front page of a British National Newspaper today. The headline suggests that Kate and I face prosecution for neglecting our children by dining 50 yards away and checking on them regularly.

We know that there has been criticism in some quarters of our actions but at the time, we felt our actions were responsible. We were essentially performing our own baby listening service although we have talked of the guilt we felt at now being there at the moment Madeleine was taken.

We have been advised that legally our behaviour was well within the bounds of responsible parenting and subsequently been assured that no action will be taken. These types of criticism, particularly at this stage, as well as being hurtful are extremely unhelpful in the search for Madeleine.

From the moment we discovered Madeleine missing Kate and I have done everything in our power to try and help get her back.

Our opinion now is completely clouded by what has happened to us and of course has sent shock waves through thousands of families.

The real issue is that we should not have a constant fear of abduction of our children from their bedrooms, gardens or streets for that matter.

What Kate and I did was at worst naïve and no one should forget that the real criminal is the predator who has taken a completely innocent child in such a premeditated fashion. It is this act that has wreaked havoc on our family and affected millions of other people.

I'm sure the campaigners who think that the McCanns are the real criminals will not be satisfied until they are locked up (which is not of course about to happen).

But surely the priority should be to find Madeleine - and the person or persons who abducted her.

Thanks to Doris, one of the voices for prosecution here on my blog, for pointing out Gerry's diary on the Find Madeleine website.