Hotel receptionist’s slip ‘let Madeleine McCann suspect know she’d be alone in her holiday apartment’
A HOTEL receptionist’s slip let Christian B know Madeleine McCann would be alone in her holiday flat, sources alleged last night.
They apparently noted a block dinner booking for parents Kate and Gerry and their “Tapas Seven” pals in an open staff register at Praia da Luz’s Ocean Club.
⚠️ Click here for the latest news on Madeleine McCann
A pal of sex predator Christian B who worked at the club is suspected to have seen the entry and told him when the McCann property would be easy to raid.
Fresh allegations emerged after Kate McCann herself described her horror at learning the blunder unwittingly paved the way for Madeleine’s abduction in May 2007.
Kate, 52, later wrote in her book, Madeleine: “It wasn’t until a year later, when I was combing through the Portuguese files, that I discovered that the note requesting our block booking was written in a staff message book, which sat on a desk at the pool reception for most of the day.
“To my horror I saw that, no doubt in all innocence and to explain why she was bending the rules a bit, the receptionist had written the reason for our request.
“We wanted to eat close to our apartments as we were leaving our young children alone there and checking on them intermittently.”
Portuguese police sources said Christian B’s pal had been identified — and that he had the alleged snatcher’s mobile number in his contacts.
But Portuguese lawyers say charging him with being an accomplice to the abduction would fail because it would be impossible to prove he meant to assist the crime.
And even if intent is proved, he cannot be charged as Portuguese cops never pursued the lead in 2007 — and any potential case would now be too old to bring to court.
Christian B allegedly went to burgle the McCann flat, where Madeleine was asleep close to younger twin brother and sister Sean and Amelie.
But police suspect he was overcome by an impulse to snatch the three-old.
MOST READ IN UK NEWS
Portuguese lawyer Rui Pedro ruled out any prosecution of the receptionist.
He said: “The employee in question could only face disciplinary problems.
“And even if there was intent, any crime they may have committed would now be spent.”
- GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk