A convicted child abuser and his girlfriend were being questioned by police in southern Spain last night over the kidnapping of Madeleine McCann. Danilo Chemello, 61, and Aurora Pereira Vaz were arrested in a dawn raid on a beachside villa in the exclusive Sotogrande resort in Algeciras. Reports said part of the villa’s garage had been converted into a child’s bedroom.

{mosimage}Mr Chemello has been on the run from France for his suspected links to criminal activities. The Italian national was previously jailed for 18 months for child abuse. His Portuguese girlfriend is reportedly being investigated over allegations that she is involved in illegal adoptions in Europe.

A police source said that the Mr Chemello had been under surveillance after claiming on June 8 that he knew what had happened to Madeleine following her abduction 57 days ago. He wanted to negotiate with her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, to claim the £2.5 million reward on offer for their daughter’s safe return.

Portuguese police said they had yet to establish a “direct link” with her disappearance from an Algarve resort. A Spanish police spokesman said last night:

“The police began to investigate them after finding out they attempted to get in contact with the parents of Madeleine to claim the reward offered. The facts suggest that this is some fraudsters although the police investigation is not closed. As the investigation progressed the agents found that that the male had a international arrest warrant issued by France for the crime of illicit association.

Many people with early dementia are capable of driving safely, say researchers in this week’s BMJ. Society’s perception of older drivers tends to be negative, write Professor Desmond O’Neill and colleagues. Yet surveys of drivers aged more than 80 consistently show prudent driving behaviours.

Rising rates of obesity will lead to dramatic increases in the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease, experts have predicted. In 50 years time, up to 2.5m people in the UK could have dementia unless steps are taken to stem the obesity epidemic, the Alzheimer’s Society warned.

A national survey is underway in the United Kingdom to find out more about the social care, support and information needs of people with HIV. The survey is being conducted throughout the summer by Sigma Research, specialists in HIV social research.

A leading care charity has called on elderly and vulnerable people across East Lancashire to voice their concerns over proposed social services cuts.

The failure to look at the potential dangers of a restraint method was one of the factors in the death of a boy at a detention centre, an inquest found. A jury ruled the death of 15-year-old Gareth Myatt, of Stoke-on-Trent, at the Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre in Northamptonshire, was accidental.

Neighbouring local authorities should pool their Supporting People cash to fund services for vulnerable people who move across borough boundaries, a senior government official has urged.

Plans to change the way disabled and elderly people in Lancashire are cared for has prompted angry criticism. The county council wants more voluntary and community groups to support people with lower level social care needs.