McCanns' troll stole £18,000 from her own parents: Woman who accused Kate and Gerry of neglect left dementia suffering mother and father alone for five weeks while she went on holiday 

  • Debbie Butler distributed inflammatory leaflets in McCanns' home village
  • Suggested the couple were responsible for their daughter's disappearance 
  • She was supposed to be caring for her parents, Alan and Dorothy Johnson
  • But instead she stole their money and used cash to fund trip to Spain
  • Her 74-year-old mother died after being left helpless for more than a month
  • Butler's father, a Royal Marines veteran, was found covered in own filth 

Campaign: Debbie Butler handed out leaflets suggesting Gerry and Kate McCann were responsible for their daughter’s disappearance

Campaign: Debbie Butler handed out leaflets suggesting Gerry and Kate McCann were responsible for their daughter’s disappearance

A woman who repeatedly accused Madeleine McCann’s parents of neglect left her own elderly mother and father in squalor for five weeks.

Debbie Butler, who handed out leaflets suggesting Gerry and Kate McCann were responsible for their daughter’s disappearance, was supposed to be caring for her parents Alan and Dorothy Johnson, who both suffered with dementia.

But instead the 51-year-old went on holiday to Spain where she allegedly had an extramarital affair. She had stolen £18,400 from her parents to fund her trips away as well as to buy booze and consumer goods.

After being left helpless for more than a month, her 74-year-old mother died in October 2011. Butler’s sister then found their 79-year-old father, a former Met police officer and Royal Marines veteran, emaciated and covered in his own filth.

Butler was handed a two-year suspended prison sentence at Brighton Magistrates Court for fraud last week.

She had taken cash from her parents’ accounts, used their debit cards and diverted their state pension and care allowance.

Butler, who has a grandson, had not arranged any carers to cover her absence in Spain and did not attend her mother’s funeral. 

Judge Rennie said: ‘You have brought tremendous shame on yourself.

‘I accept that you were overrun at the time with problems… All of that may explain why you did what you did but it could never, ever excuse it. This was inexcusable, this was a dreadful abuse of trust.’

Butler chaired the Madeleine Foundation, which supposedly campaigned for justice for three-year-old Madeleine, who vanished in Portugal in 2007.

Abuse: Butler arranged for leaflets to be distributed in the home village of Kate and Gerry McCann (pictured)

Abuse: Butler arranged for leaflets to be distributed in the home village of Kate and Gerry McCann (pictured)

Alan and Dorothy Johnson on their wedding day
Alan and Dorothy Johnson

Butler's parents Alan and Dorothy Johnson (left on their wedding day and right) both suffered from dementia

A hearing later this year will determine how Butler, of Maidstone in Kent, (pictured) is to repay what she stole

A hearing later this year will determine how Butler, of Maidstone in Kent, (pictured) is to repay what she stole

She arranged for hundreds of inflammatory leaflets to be distributed in the McCanns’ home village in Leicestershire.

Butler’s sister, 48-year-old Michelle Johnson, said she would never forgive her for ‘defrauding and dehumanising’ their parents. ‘The money is one thing, the neglect is the evilest thing,’ she added.

A hearing later this year will determine how Butler, of Maidstone in Kent, is to repay what she stole. She was convicted in December of four counts of false representation.

After being left helpless for more than a month, Butler's 74-year-old mother died in October 2011. Her 79-year-old father, a Royal Marines veteran (above with his wife), was found emaciated and covered in his own filth

After being left helpless for more than a month, Butler's 74-year-old mother died in October 2011. Her 79-year-old father, a Royal Marines veteran (above with his wife), was found emaciated and covered in his own filth

  • The Mail has made a donation to Dementia UK at the request of the Johnson family.