17/09/2007 Express
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17/09/2007 Express
Bampots Wed 06 Jan 2016, 12:04 am
Fund to pay legal fees!...............
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/19354/Branson-to-the-rescue-with-100-000-gift
Branson to the rescue with £100,000 gift
THE McCanns’ bid to clear their name received a huge boost last night when billionaire Richard Branson pledged £100,000 to help fund their legal battle.
By MARTIN EVANS AND DAVID PILDITCH
PUBLISHED: 00:00, Mon, Sep 17, 2007
4
Branson has pledged his support to the McCanns
Branson has pledged his support to the McCanns
The couple, who quit Portugal last week after being accused of killing their daughter Madeleine, have appointed a team of British lawyers to defend them.
They are being represented by Michael Caplan QC who successfully fought efforts to extradite Chilean dictator General Pinochet from the UK, and by celebrity lawyer Angus McBride who has defended footballer John Terry and comic actor Chris Langham.
It was feared Kate and Gerry McCann could end up losing their £600,000 home in Rothley, Leicestershire, after announcing they would not be dipping into the Find Madeleine campaign fund to pay their legal fees.
The couple were warned that they could face a public backlash if they used money donated to find Madeleine in order to pay for expensive lawyers.
Instead a new fund has been set up to help the McCanns meet the legal bills which could run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. Last night Sir Richard, who is worth an estimated £3billion, kick-started the fund by pledging £100,000.
He has also contacted a number of other wealthy individuals to ask them to contribute to the couple’s costs.
Sir Richard, who has two grown-up children, has been watching developments in the case keenly and contacted the McCanns directly to offer his support. A source close to the Virgin boss said he had been touched by their determination to defend their name and their vow to sell their home if they had to. His backing comes at a crucial time for the couple who have lost a degree of public sympathy after being named by Portuguese police as prime suspects.
A spokeswoman for the tycoon said: “This is a chance to give them a fair hearing. Over the last few weeks Richard has been watching events unfold.
“When the McCanns said that under no circumstances would they touch the Find Madeleine Fund and mentioned they would sell their house, Richard felt he had to do something. They need a fair hearing.
“He is a father and there is a missing four-year-old. If Richard can help to take the burden off the family by helping in this small way then that is all to the good.”
Father Haynes Hubbard, the Anglican priest of Praia da Luz who became a close friend of the McCanns in Portugal, described the gesture as “wonderful”.
He said: “If I had £100,000 I would give it to Kate and Gerry too. Let’s bless Richard Branson for his help.”
The public have donated £1 million to the Find Madeleine fund to pay for publicity aimed at keeping the girl’s disappearance in the public eye.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/19354/Branson-to-the-rescue-with-100-000-gift
Branson to the rescue with £100,000 gift
THE McCanns’ bid to clear their name received a huge boost last night when billionaire Richard Branson pledged £100,000 to help fund their legal battle.
By MARTIN EVANS AND DAVID PILDITCH
PUBLISHED: 00:00, Mon, Sep 17, 2007
4
Branson has pledged his support to the McCanns
Branson has pledged his support to the McCanns
The couple, who quit Portugal last week after being accused of killing their daughter Madeleine, have appointed a team of British lawyers to defend them.
They are being represented by Michael Caplan QC who successfully fought efforts to extradite Chilean dictator General Pinochet from the UK, and by celebrity lawyer Angus McBride who has defended footballer John Terry and comic actor Chris Langham.
It was feared Kate and Gerry McCann could end up losing their £600,000 home in Rothley, Leicestershire, after announcing they would not be dipping into the Find Madeleine campaign fund to pay their legal fees.
The couple were warned that they could face a public backlash if they used money donated to find Madeleine in order to pay for expensive lawyers.
Instead a new fund has been set up to help the McCanns meet the legal bills which could run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. Last night Sir Richard, who is worth an estimated £3billion, kick-started the fund by pledging £100,000.
He has also contacted a number of other wealthy individuals to ask them to contribute to the couple’s costs.
Sir Richard, who has two grown-up children, has been watching developments in the case keenly and contacted the McCanns directly to offer his support. A source close to the Virgin boss said he had been touched by their determination to defend their name and their vow to sell their home if they had to. His backing comes at a crucial time for the couple who have lost a degree of public sympathy after being named by Portuguese police as prime suspects.
A spokeswoman for the tycoon said: “This is a chance to give them a fair hearing. Over the last few weeks Richard has been watching events unfold.
“When the McCanns said that under no circumstances would they touch the Find Madeleine Fund and mentioned they would sell their house, Richard felt he had to do something. They need a fair hearing.
“He is a father and there is a missing four-year-old. If Richard can help to take the burden off the family by helping in this small way then that is all to the good.”
Father Haynes Hubbard, the Anglican priest of Praia da Luz who became a close friend of the McCanns in Portugal, described the gesture as “wonderful”.
He said: “If I had £100,000 I would give it to Kate and Gerry too. Let’s bless Richard Branson for his help.”
The public have donated £1 million to the Find Madeleine fund to pay for publicity aimed at keeping the girl’s disappearance in the public eye.
_________________
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts
Winston Churchill
Bampots- Posts : 2320
Join date : 2014-09-07
Age : 62
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