Madeleine McCann porn causes ruckus

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LONDON, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- A London gallery is accused of violating decency with a project in which pictures of a missing toddler are pasted on pornographic models, observers say.

Workers at the Decima Gallery say the project is aimed at the news media's coverage of the Madeleine McCann case, the Daily Telegraph reports. Madeleine, who would be 5 if she is still alive, vanished from her parents' holiday apartment in Portugal in 2007.

"This is appalling and completely insensitive to the family of Madeleine McCann," a spokeswoman for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said. "Even allowing for artistic freedom there is no excuse for encouraging people to indulge in something as distasteful as this."

A spokesman for Madeleine's parents suggested the gallery is hurting the search for her.

"This sort of thing is a complete distraction from the search for Madeleine and Gerry and Kate will simply not be dignifying it by commenting on it whatsoever," Clarence Mitchell said.

David West, one of the founders of the gallery, said that the "Make Your Own Maddy McCann Porn" project was part of an event inspired by a news story about the financial troubles of the U.S. pornography industry.