Thread: McCann 'Twitter troll' found dead in hotel

5 October 2014 Last updated at 17:51 ET

McCann 'Twitter troll' found dead in hotel

Gerry and Kate McCann have been subjected to a sustained hate campaign by internet "trolls"

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A 63-year-old woman who was allegedly part of an internet hate campaign against the family of Madeleine McCann has been found dead in a hotel.

Brenda Leyland, from Burton Overy, Leicestershire, was accused of being one of the so-called "trolls" directing abusive messages at the McCanns.

Her body was found days after she was confronted outside her home by a Sky News reporter.

Madeleine McCann disappeared while on holiday In Portugal in 2007.

Mrs Leyland was confronted by the reporter who put to her she had posted messages attacking the family on Twitter via the handle @sweepyface.

She replied: "I'm entitled to do that."

A spokesman for Leicestershire Police said: "Police were called at 13:42 on Saturday 4 October to reports of a body of a woman in a hotel room in Smith Way, Grove Park [in Leicester].

"Officers have attended the scene and a file is being prepared for the coroner. The death is not being treated as suspicious."

Sky issued a statement saying: "We were saddened to hear of the death of Brenda Leyland. It would be inappropriate to speculate or comment further at this time."

A statement released by the Marriott Hotel in Leicester read: "We are very sad to confirm the death of a guest at the Leicester Marriott Hotel and our thoughts go out to the family and friends of the deceased.

"As this is a police matter and an investigation is under way we are unable to comment further and any queries should be directed at the police."

On Friday, Madeleine's father, Gerry McCann, told the BBC: "Clearly something needs to be done about the abuse on the internet.

"I think we probably need more people charged."

He described how he and his wife Kate, who live in Rothley Leicestershire with their nine-year-old twins, do not read posts about them on the internet because it was too "upsetting".

His interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme followed the news that police were reviewing a dossier of abusive messages about the family on social media.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-l...shire-29501646

Somebody's Mum: Facebook campaign to get Sky reporter who exposed Maddie McCann troll sacked - after she is found dead in hotel room

• Brenda Leyland, 63, found dead at a Marriott hotel in Leicester on Saturday
• She was one of the trolls accused of targeting internet abuse at McCanns
• Mrs Leyland was confronted by Sky News' Martin Brunt at her village home
• Her son Ben has given emotional tribute after his mother was found dead
• Trolls claim that the McCanns were involved in daughter's disappearance
• Last week Gerry McCann said an example should be made of 'vile' trolls

By ANDY DOLAN FOR THE DAILY MAIL and MARTIN ROBINSON FOR MAILONLINE and SAM WEBB FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 04:49 EST, 6 October 2014 | UPDATED: 12:47 EST, 6 October 2014

A social media campaign has been launched calling for the sacking of Sky News reporter Martin Brunt, who tracked down and interviewed a woman who allegedly trolled the McCann family - and then killed herself a few days later.

Brenda Leyland, 63, died at a Marriott hotel on Saturday around 15 miles from her immaculately kept village home in Leicestershire. Police said the death was not being treated as suspicious.

A statement on the 'Sack Martin Brunt' Facebook page, set up yesterday, said: 'Martin Brunt should be sacked after stalking and hounding an innocent woman, leading to her tragic untimely death. RIP Brenda Leyland.' So far 1,265 people have liked the page.



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Interview: This is the moment Martin Brunt asked Mrs Leyland about her tweets about the McCanns and she said she was 'entitled' to an opinion



Anger: Many on the Facebook page feel the interview was intrusive of Mrs Leyland's privacy

As well as messages of sympathy and support, there have also been a number of posts criticising the McCann family, whose daughter Maddie went missing on holiday in Portugal in 2007.
One said: 'Martin Brunt be ashamed of yourself for hounding this woman to her death and all to appease the McCanns AGAIN.'

Another added: 'Martin Brunt has been up to his neck in the McCann scam from the very beginning,' with another commenting: 'He should have gone years ago when he handed over his backbone to McCanns, but after his hounded a Mother to her death he has no other option. Shame on him and all he was defending.'



Martin Brunt denies he 'stalked' or 'chased' Mrs Leyland

Earlier today her son gave an emotional tribute after she was found dead.

Ben, 20, a musician who is said to be studying law in Los Angeles, posted the following brief tribute: 'I love you mum and I will miss you forever'.

He added: 'I am love and I am light, thanks to you'.

Divorcee Mrs Leyland had been identified as one of a number of online 'trolls' posting a series of abusive comments about Kate and Gerry McCann, by Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt last Thursday.

She told the reporter who confronted her that she had been 'entitled' to make the comments using her Twitter identity @Sweepyface.

His mother's death came just days after she was exposed as being one of the people behind an online campaign against the couple.

She was tracked down to her house and confronted about her online activities.

Last night, neighbours of Mrs Leyland, who had continued using her married name, told of their shock at her death.

One said: 'Brenda kept herself very much to herself, but people were surprised when she was accused of trolling the McCanns.

You don't expect something that like around here. It's a very quiet place.

'But the village will be shocked by this news. I'm sure no-one would have expected her to do something like this. People didn't condone what she is said to have done, but it is obviously very sad when anybody is found dead.'



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Interview: Sky News spoke to Mrs Leyland about her Twitter activity and she disappeared a day after it was broadcast



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Tribute: Ben Leyland, the son of alleged Twitter troll Brenda Leyland, has today paid tribute to his mother after she was found dead in a hotel room

Burton Overy was mentioned in the Domesday Book and is just 15 miles from the McCanns' home in Rothley, Leicestershire.

Mrs Leyland, who was educated at a convent school and studied at Goldsmiths, University of London, is among a group of hate-filled critics of Kate and Gerry McCann who have posted hundreds of vile messages about the couple online.



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Brenda Leyland, 63, was identified as one of the people posting online hate messages aimed at the McCanns. Above, Mrs Leyland pictured this week before her death

The trolls wrongly believe the McCanns were involved in their daughter's disappearance.

Among the many comments attributed to Mrs Leyland on Twitter was one that said: 'Q 'how long must the Mccanns suffer' answer 'for the rest of their miserable lives'.'

On Friday, the day after her interview was broadcast, she disappeared from her home Leicestershire, neighbours said.

Sky News said today in a statement: 'We were saddened to hear of the death of Brenda Leyland. It would be inappropriate to speculate or comment further at this time.'

There was no answer at Mrs Leyland's white-fronted cottage home in Burton Overy today and the curtains were drawn.

Dean Randall, landlord of the nearby Bell Inn, said: 'She wasn't a regular at the pub but popped in for the occasional meal.

'She was a perfectly pleasant person who socialised with friends she had in the village. She appeared to be very well-liked'.

Commenting on her online activities, Mr Randall added: 'What she tweeted was absolutely wrong.

'There should definitely be laws against that sort of thing. She has now paid a terrible price for what she did.

'Although she appeared to have a busy life, no-one in the pub ever mentioned her having a keen interest in computers and tweeting, but obviously she did.

'My locals are absolutely shocked by what has happened.

No-one is blaming the media, they have a job to do reporting the news, and she had admitted sending those tweets.'

Neighbours in the close-knit village of 280 residents were reluctant to discuss the tragedy, but one, who asked not to be named, said: 'Brenda took pride in her appearance and always liked to dress well.

'She was a very keen gardener and always looked after her home. She also took part in a local scarecrow festival.

'Everyone in the village knew that she had been on Sky TV and we knew she had suddenly left her home. There were concerns about what she might do but no-one thought she would go this far.'








Last week the father of Madeleine McCann called for an example to be made of 'vile' internet trolls who have been targeting the family.

Gerry McCann said he had 'grave concerns' about letting his nine-year-old twins use the internet after threats of violence and kidnapping.

The comments, in an interview with the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, came after it emerged that police are looking at a dossier of abuse posted on Twitter, Facebook and chat forums.

Mr McCann, whose daughter Madeleine went missing in Praia da Luz in 2007, said he and wife Kate did not read such material because it was too 'upsetting'.

Mr McCann said. 'Clearly something needs to be done about the abuse on the internet. I'm glad to say that there have been a number of people where police have taken action.

'I think we probably need more people charged.'



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On Saturday Mrs Leyland was found dead at the Leicester Marriott Hotel, pictured, around 15 miles from her home



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Scotland Yard is currently investigating the posting online of hundreds of hate messages aimed at the McCanns, both aged 46, whose daughter disappeared during a family holiday to Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007

Asked about '@sweepyface', Mr McCann said: 'I haven't read her tweets ... I think that is an issue, that our behaviour is modified by this.

'We do not have any significant presence on social media or online. And I've got grave concerns about our children as they grow up and start to access the internet in an unsupervised capacity.

'There have been other instances where people are threatening to kidnap our children. People are threatening violence against Kate and myself.

'Of course it's not just us - it is many other people who happen to find themselves in rather tragic circumstances.

'I'm glad to see the law around this area is being reviewed. But I do think we need to make examples of people who are causing damage.'

The troll investigation featured in numerous newspapers including The Guardian, The Independent, The Sun, The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Daily Star, The Daily Express as well as the Daily Mail after Sky News exposed her identity as one of the trolls who targeted the McCanns.



+10Residents of Burton Overy, pictured, where Mrs Leyland lived, were shocked to hear of her death. Her home is not pictured here
Gerry McCann discusses the damage caused to thier famil




A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman said: 'Officers were called at 1.42pm on Saturday October 4 following a report of Brenda Leyland being found deceased at a hotel room in Smith Way, Grove Park.

'Ms Leyland’s death is not being treated as suspicious and a file is being prepared for the Coroner. Officers acting on behalf of the Coroner will look into the circumstances surrounding and prior to her unexpected death'.

McCann spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: 'Kate and Gerry will not be saying anything. It is entirely a matter for the police.'
A spokesman for the Marriott hotel said he had nothing to add beyond the police statement.

Scotland Yard is currently investigating the posting online of hundreds of hate messages aimed at the McCanns.



+10Brenda Leyland's body was found in the Marriott Hotel in Leicestershire - around 15 miles from her home and from the McCanns' home



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Using the Twitter handle @sweepyface, Mrs Leyland posted dozens of messages attacking the McCann family

Detectives have decided to act after being given a dossier from McCann family supporters which catalogues the abusive remarks - including death threats - aimed at the couple on Twitter, Facebook and online forums.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman last week confirmed officers were assessing the contents of 'documentation' which has been passed to officers and were consulting with the Crown Prosecution Service and the McCanns.

Last night, a spokesman for Marriott Hotels International Ltd said: 'We are very sad to confirm the death of a guest at the Leicester Marriott Hotel and our thoughts go out to the family and friends of the deceased. As this is a police matter and an investigation is underway, we are unable to comment further and enquiries should be directed to the police.'


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