McCann internet troll found dead

THE internet troll, Brenda Leyland, who was confronted by Sky News after posting vile tweets about Madeleine McCann’s parents has been found dead in a hotel room in Leicester.

Police were called to the Marriot Hotel in Smithley at 2:42pm on Sunday October 5, after Hotel workers discovered the body of a woman in one of the hotel bedrooms.

In a statement, Leicestershire Police said: “Police were called to a report of the body of a woman at a hotel in Smithway, Grove Park. 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.”

Sky News reporter Martin Brundell, confronted Mrs. Leyland about the repetitive hateful tweets she wrote at her house in Burton, Overy on Thursday.

The footage, which was aired on Sky News the following day, showed Mr. Brunt asking her why she had been targeting the family, to which she replied: “I’m entitled to do that”.

The Metropolitan police who is investigating the dossier, which targets the parents of Madeleine, says it comprises of 80 tweets, Facebook posts and forum messages, including some posts that read: “These 2 [the McCanns] should burn in hell.” “I hope that the McCanns are living in total misery” and “I want to see them smashed up the back of a bus or trampled by horses”.

So-called trolling in the UK is an escalating problem for the authorities. Last year Scotland Yard said around 1,500 additional crimes linked to internet abuse were being reported to the police force each year.

Brenda Leyland’s son, Ben Leyland, wrote a farewell message to her on his Facebook page, which said: “I love you mum and I will miss you.”