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LONDON - Several British newspapers will this week be forced to apologise to a suspect in the case of missing British toddler Madeleine McCann who sued them in what was shaping up to be of the UK's biggest ever libel claim.
Reports say Robert Murat, 34, will receive between £250,000 to £500,000 ($660,000 to ($1.32 million), as well as a public apology in the High Court in London on Thursday.
Murat has denied any involvement in the disappearance of Madeleine, who vanished from a holiday apartment in the Portuguese beach resort of Praia da Luz on May 3 last year.
It is understood he was seeking £2 million from at least 11 media outfits.
Newspapers both in Portugal and Britain wrote many articles about the self-employed property developer when he became the first suspect in the case of Madeleine's disappearance.
Murat, who lives 100 metres from the La Paz apartment where the McCann's were holidaying, was hauled in by Portuguese police, questioned for about 17 hours before being released.
In April, the London-based law firm Simons Muirhead and Burton confirmed they were "representing Robert Murat in respect of a number of libel actions".
The firm named Sky, the Daily Express, the Sunday Express, the Daily Star, the Daily Mail, the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, News of the World, The Sun, The Scotsman, the London Evening Standard and morning freesheet The Metro.
Last month, McCann's parents Gerry, 39, and Kate, 40, won a libel settlement and an apology from Express Newspapers over suggestions that they were involved in her disappearance.
- AAP
