A TYCOON who donated £100,000 to help Kate and Gerry McCann clear their names over the mystery of their daughter Madeleine's disappearance yesterday criticised the Prime Minister for failing to publicly support the couple.

Stephen Winyard, who is worth about £30 million and has also offered a £1m reward for the four-year-old's return, said Gordon Brown should have defended the couple after Portuguese police made them "arguidos" - or suspects in the case - three months ago.

The Monaco-based businessman urged Brown to hold a "ministerial level" meeting with Kate and Gerry, both 39, who have faced a barrage of allegations since their return to the UK after Madeleine's disappearance from their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz 220 days ago.

"This government was elected to look after its citizens," said Winyard, 57, speaking publicly about his involvement with the McCanns for the first time.

"And it's fair to say it's a fundamental principle of our legal system that everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

"With that in mind, I would really strongly urge that Gordon Brown, who has previously been really supportive, accede to our request for a meeting at ministerial level."

However, Gerry's sister Philomena McCann, an Ullapool teacher who met Brown in the early stages of the campaign, told the Sunday Herald: "Gordon has spoken to Gerry, who has been quite pleased with him. Not everybody wants to do everything in the eyes of the media, and Gordon Brown set things in motion at the start.

"I don't think anything's changed, but the Prime Minister has to be very careful in telling other countries how to run their business."

Winyard joined Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson to offer financial support to the McCanns after they decided not to use donations from the £1.9m Find Madeleine: Leave No Stone Unturned fund that was set up to help finance the search for the missing child.

Reports suggest that the couple could find out if they will be charged over the mystery or ruled out as suspects next month after suggestions that forensic tests on their car and apartment do not conclusively prove what happened to Madeleine.

Winyard said: "Both Gerry and Kate have been through an absolute nightmare and they're facing some very difficult weeks with Christmas coming up."

Downing Street refused to discuss the case.