A British paedophile identified as a suspect in Madeleine McCann’s disappearance faces extradition from Germany to be questioned in the UK over child abduction and sex attacks.

Raymond Hewlett has admitted being just 30 miles from the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz at the time Madeleine disappeared from her holiday apartment in May 2007.

He has a long record of sex attacks on girls and is wanted by police in Britain and Ireland for offences dating back more than 30 years.

Private investigators employed by Madeleine’s parents have been looking into Mr Hewlett for some weeks along with a number of other potential suspects, it was confirmed yesterday.

The former soldier has been traced to a hospital in Germany where is being treated for throat cancer.

British police are expected to make a formal request for him to be extradited to face questioning.

Detectives in West Yorkshire confirmed today that they want to quiz him over an indecent assault in 1975. Greater Manchester Police want to question him over the abduction and abuse of an eight-year-old girl in the same year.

Clarence Mitchell, spokesman for Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry McCann, said: “Mr Hewlett remains a person of interest to the investigators but he is just one of a number of people identified during the investigation who are being checked out. “Kate and Gerry have been kept informed of what is happening.” Hewlett bears some resemblance to an artist’s impression of a man seen outside the McCann’s holiday apartment before she disappeared. However, he is at least 30 years older than most of the witness descriptions.

The McCanns' private investigation team are understood to have been disappointed that Hewlett’s identity has been revealed before they could speak to him and had not considered him to be one of the prime suspects.

The couple, from Rothley, Leicestershire, believe that Madeleine’s abductor had been watching their apartment at the Ocean Club resort for several days before abducting her from her bedroom while they were at a nearby tapas bar.

Hewlett has strenuously denied any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.

“If you’ve chosen to believe anything I can’t do anything about it anyway, so there you go. Catch 22.

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