McCann's Twitter troll found dead in hotel room
A WOMAN accused of online abuse of the family of missing youngster Madeleine McCann has been found dead in a hotel room.
Brenda Leyland was last week exposed by Sky News as an internet "troll" who directed vile messages at Kate and Gerry McCann, whose daughter disappeared during a family holiday to Portugal in 2007.
Crime reporter Martin Brunt tracked down the 63-year-old to her home in Burton Overy, Leicestershire, and confronted her about her online activities.
On Saturday police were called to a nearby hotel where the body of a woman seemingly matching Mrs Leyland's description was found.
Yesterday a spokesman for Leicestershire Police said: "Officers have attended the scene and a file is being prepared for the coroner. Identification of the deceased is a matter for the coroner."
The death is not being treated as suspicious.
Clearly something needs to be done about the abuse on the internet. I think we probably need more people charged
Last night the dead woman's son posted a moving tribute on Facebook.
Writing from Los Angeles, California, he said: "I love you mum and I will miss you forever."
Scotland Yard was last week called in to investigate a catalogue of appalling online abuse which included death threats to heart consultant Gerry McCann, 45, and his wife Kate, 46.
He revealed that all the family, including their nine-year-old twins Sean and Amelie, had been targets.
In an interview on Radio 4's Today programme, he said: "Clearly something needs to be done about the abuse on the internet. I think we probably need more people charged."
Detectives and the Crown Prosecution Service were reportedly considering action after being handed a dossier of more than 80 pages of tweets, Facebook posts and messages from internet forums aimed at Madeleine's parents.
Sky News identified Brenda Leyland as one of those responsible. She posted messages on Twitter using the handle @sweepyface.
Last week they aired Martin Brunt questioning Mrs Leyland near her home on why she had posted the abuse. She simply said: "I'm entitled to do that."
When told her actions were under police investigation, she replied: "That's fair enough."
According to a neighbour who spoke to the Leicestershire Mercury, Mrs Leyland "fled the village" after the encounter with Mr Brunt.
The unnamed resident said: "Somebody took a photo of her on Thursday afternoon and then she was gone."
News of the death sparked a storm of angry comments on Twitter last night, many of which attacked Sky News and Martin Brunt for exposing Mrs Leyland.
One user called @Oloni wrote: "Omg so that #sweepyface woman killed herself?! Did Sky News go to [sic] far by ambushing her??"
Meanwhile @madmama68 tweeted: "Having an opinion does NOT make someone a troll and anyone who thinks it does has obvs never come across one !! #mccanns #sweepyface"
