Under “Clarifications and corrections”, the Daily Mail on Monday followed the Sun’s example by issuing an apology to Mr. Murat.
The tabloid had on 19 June published an article ‘Clement Freud drank with Maddie suspect Robert Murat in Praia da Luz bar – and his local pub was dubbed the Plough and Paedo’ in which it reported claims made in “another newspaper” that Robert Murat had known Sir Clement Freud in the Portuguese town where Madeleine McCann went missing.
The above article has since been deleted from the Daily Mail official website.
The Daily Mail further admitted that “in fact, Mr Murat, who was totally cleared of any involvement in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, never met or had any connection with the alleged paedophile ex-MP. We are happy to make this clear and apologise to Mr Murat for any suggestion he was involved in wrongdoing.”
Contacted by The Portugal News, Mr Murat preferred not to comment on this latest development.
This follows a similar apology published on 29 October by The Sun, in which it wrote that “on 19 June we published an article on the late Clement Freud and on Madeleine McCann. The article also referred to Robert Murat who was totally cleared of any involvement in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. We would like to make it clear that Mr Murat never met or had any connection with Clement Freud. It was not our intention to suggest any wrongdoing by Mr Murat. We apologise to Mr Murat.”
Back in 2008, Mr Murat received £600,000 in compensation after his lawyers brokered a settlement with several British newspapers, including The Sun and the Daily Mail.
Mr Murat said at the time “the newspapers in this case brought about the total and utter devastation of me and my family’s life and caused immense distress.
“I’m pleased they have admitted the falsity of their allegations and I can start to rebuild my life.
“I can emerge from this action vindicated with the recognition and acknowledgement that what was said against me was wholly untrue.”