Gerry McCann, father to Madeleine McCann has issued a call for greater scrutiny of the UK media, describing how being "monstered" by the press made him feel that he was being "drowning under the pressure".
According to Gerry McCann, his family was subjected to press "intrusions" and that the media had "repeatedly interfered with" the search for answers regarding his daughter's disappearance in 2007.
He noted that the intrusion took a "significant emotional cost" on his family. "We endured ongoing coverage and sensationalized stories for many months that compelled us to take legal action to stop it," he commented.
"We were fortunate. We got through it. We received tremendous support. But I can promise you, there were times where I felt like I was drowning, and it was the media, mostly, not the situation we were in," he reflected.
The McCanns are among dozens of individuals who have endorsed a letter asking the government to restart the second phase of the Leveson investigation, which was due to examine the relationship between the media and the police.
He expressed that it was not acceptable that after more than a year, press regulation was "off the agenda". He said that his family had been endured "monstering" by parts of the media and that the press was "posted" outside his home for months after Madeleine went missing.
Detailing the events, he said: "Media at our doorstep, photographers literally ramming their cameras against our car window, when we had young twin children in the back who were frightened, and how upsetting that is for you as a parent."
"It's the half-truths. It's the invention of stories to drive a headline, rather than the facts, which causes immense harm," he emphasized.
He stated these actions highlighted why there needed to be tougher press regulation. "At night, as we prepared for bed, we'd put on the news, and there'd be major reports about ourselves and unverified claims," he described.
"That feeling is overwhelming, and you can see how people give in to it and think they can't get out of it. It's so damaging, and we need that protection. There has to be redress. And at the minute, for most of these mainstream media, there is little accountability," he asserted.
The Culture Secretary said that a follow-up part of the inquiry had been rejected and that the news environment was now profoundly changed.
"We share the view that the situation has changed significantly since the Leveson's second phase was recommended: people now are more likely to get their news from diverse digital platforms, which has presented new and different challenges," they stated.
They added that balancing the rights of victims with the principle of press freedom was a "complex balance to get right," but conceded that "action is needed in this area".
The child went missing from a family vacation apartment in 2007 when she was three years old. It was stated that it was "deeply disturbing" how the press had frequently obstructed with the investigation.
"Leaked information which ought to have remained private... This meant a potential culprit, you knew a lot more than you should have done," he said.
Regarding the ongoing search, he said the possibility he would find his daughter was "small but still alive". "Our wish is to find her alive, but we need to discover the truth and hold the perpetrator, and others are at risk while that person is free," he affirmed.
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