Madeleine McCann: Robert Murat And More Questions
MADELEINE McCann is missing. Still missing.
But today there is news. The daily front-page shots of Madeleine’s traumatised parents are moved further within the papers to make space for the head of Robert Murat.
“MADELEINE BRITISH MAN IS QUIZZED!” says the Mirror’s front-page headline.
Robert Murat
After the speculation the paper delivers a welter of facts. Robert Murat lives with his mum. Robert Murat is in his 30s. Robert Murat lives with his mother in a villa 150 yards from the apartment where Madeleine McCann was snatched.
The Sun (“MADDIE: BRIT QUIZZED”) says Murat lives 100 yards from that McCann apartment. Like the Mirror, the Sun produces a front-page picture of “one-eyed Murat”. The Mail hears that Murat lost his eye in a BMX accident when he was a boy. The Mail says Murat lives 80 yards from Madeleine’s holiday apartment.
Murat is “stocky”. He offered to help the police hunt as a “translator”. He lives in Casa Liliana, with his mum Jenny.
The Suspect
The Sun’s Julie Moult considers the evidence. And delivers a piece entitled “stories of a fantasist”. “He always seemed so eager to get involved in the police investigation,” says the Sun’s woman–on-the-scene. “Robert claimed he had a daughter just like Madeleine and said he felt compelled to do anything he could. But to me he seemed like classic fantasist.”
The Sun introduces Martin Brunt, the crime news correspondent from its sister organ, TV’s Sky news.
He says Murat told him he’d been taken inside the McCanns’ apartment by police.
Sky news correspondent Ian Woods says he asked Murat to help him speak with locals.
“I met him and had a conversation with him. I tried to find out as much as I could about him,” says Woods, who checked out Murat’s details. “They did check out, and I left it at that for the time.”
The Mail’s Neil Sears also spots Murat. In “My encounters with a man ‘who just wanted to help’”, Sears tells Mail readers, “There was something more to the friendly expat who called himself ‘Rob’ than met the eye.”
Murat made Sears “feel slightly uncomfortable”.
But it was the Sunday Mirror’s Lori Cambell who alerted police to Murat’s behaviour, she saw as “creepy”.
Writing Wrongs
So much for investigative journalism. Questions were asked but nothing more was done. Murat is with police because he made a show of himself, because he acted as if working in an official capacity. Even though the Times says Murat was acting as “an official translator”.
So now the man in the chinos, with the glass eye, who lives with him mum and whose estranged wife, from Hockering, near Norwich, tells a neighbour “How could someone do something so terrible to little girl like that?’ is all over the papers.
Is Murat guilty? The papers produce nothing to indicate that he is. But if Murat is involved, look out for the stories of how British journalism cracked the case.
And look out for Madeleine McCann. Still missing…
Posted: 15th, May 2007 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (1,194) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
May 17th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
Hi C,
No offence meant.
Anything like this leaves me with a sickening feeling, there is no punishment good enough (well, bad enough if you think about it) for the persons responsible for child abduction/assault/molesting …
May 17th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
yw Gina I check everything I hear about the case. I don’t discount or count what I read as being right, newspapers are just reporting what they know, anything that jogs peoples memories or gets a response from the public that brings up leads can only be a good thing.
May 17th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
C, it is so sad that this awful thing has robbed you of the trust you should have in your parents. I can’t stick around long enough this evening to engage in a full on conversation with you but are you not able to talk to your parents about this? I am assuming they are aware of what happened?
Personally I was “neurotic” about leaving my son when he was small after a nasty health scare. A lot of people were critical of me for it too. To be honest I think that no matter what you do as a parent someone will always blame you, that’s what I learned, especially as a single parent.
I don’t know if this was an isolated incident in your life C, or if there are other reasons you judge your parents harshly, it does sound rather as if they didn’t extend you much understanding, or perhaps get good advice on the effect this incident might have on you. I hope you can resolve this with them perhaps with the help of professionals or just as a family. Thank god you escaped this man.
I doubt anyone will judge the McCanns as harshly as they are judging themselves, especially Kate by the looks of things. At the end of the day the person who is to blame is the one who has taken her. It’s an act as near as damn it of pure evil, something which by its nature makes goodness and faith seem futile. I am always shocked by the number of people who are so eager to blame when a little compassion would go a very long way.
It’s a hard and unkind world we live in, please C, try and forgive your own flesh and blood for your own sake. However badly they judged that day it was never their intention that you should be hurt. But please, also understand that I only say that as someone with virtually no knowledge of you or your family so please forgive me if my advice is out of place.
May 17th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Jeff, as i said im no longer a victim, i thought id mde that clear & the McCanns were in a foreign country so no one should leve leave anyone alone, this happened to mein my neighbourhood-thas he place where you should be able to feel relaxed. So im sorry, but im sticking to my oppinion, because i know what its like. xxx
May 17th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Yeah, they do have to live with it, but it still amazes me how many people will still do things like this becuase they dont think it will happen to them or whatever. Its terrible & i wouldnt wish any of what i went through on my worst enemies. xxx
May 17th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
C, I am sorry to hear that you were abused as a child, but going through life being a victim is never going to help you …
People make mistakes, it is easy to see how the McCann’s had a sense of security while going out to dine, their apartment was a 20 second walk from where they were, it is a private and quiet area and they were relaxed on holiday … add to this that they have several children (And when you have a few kids, you are generally more relaxed in situations that people with one child would be more aware of possible dangers) and you have a terrible situation. It may not have been the right thing for them to do, but it doesn’t deserve the ‘its their fault’ label.
IMPO
May 17th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
“C” you make a really valid point there and I dont really know what to say apart from I am sorry for what has happened to you, and you have helped me to see the bigger picture - but can I add that I never thought what the parents did was acceptable - but they will have to live with it for the rest of their lives and that is punishment enough….
May 17th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
I have written this already, but it didnt go up, so forgive me if it appears twice later
I just wanted to say how ridiculous i think it is that there are people on here who honestly dont think the parents did anything wrong! if you really feel that , then your kids need to be very closely watched because you sound dangerous!
I come from a background with plenty of money, my parents had good jobs, & we lived in a nice area, but when i was 4, my parents put me in a similar situation to maddy, & i was sexually assaulted for a couple of hours until he got bored of me & left me on the side of the road, but what if he hadnt? id have been murdered aswell & for what? Becuase my parents, my protectors left me, out of pure selfishness! There were times growing up when i wished i was dead, i was on antidepressants by age 14, had councelling twice a week & my so called parents had the cheek to think i was some kind of problem child that they cant understand “why cant you be more like your brothers, they are going to uni ” oh well let me think, could it be because you ruined my life & almost got me killed?
its only been these past couple of years that i have stopped feeling like such a victim even though councelling worked, it never takes it all away!
I never have, & never will forgive them, they are almot as bad as my abuser!
This isnt a bitch at anyone in particular, i just want people to see the bigger picture because i know 1st hand what maddy could be like as she grows up if she ever comes back alive.
May 17th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Paul, Good to hear it. There’s a desperate need for a news site that reports on the excesses of the media. One thing is for sure they ain’t having it if you criticise one of their own.
May 17th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
The worst possible outcome of this for everyone concerned, the one most to be feared really, is that Madeleine is not found and there is no closure as in the awful Ben Needham situation. Once upon a time I would have been sceptical about paedophile rings being organised but look at all these dreadful stories of kids who have been kept for years though then, thankfully, found. As a mum, I cannot begin to imagine what these poor people are going through. Those who wonder about Gerry McC being calm should remember he is a cardiologist, a doctor who is trained to keep calm and take control in a crisis which must be helping him to some extent. As for the blame being laid on them. I mentioned I live in an expat community. I am in a lovely peaceful place not at all well known to tourists being overshadowed by nearby famous spots. At one time I wanted to set up a website and talk about what a great place it was to bring kids because it is so safe and mellow (and boy can you see the positive effects on the kids whom I teach but that’s another topic). Anyway, I changed my mind about putting such a thing on the internet as I realised there are those out there to whom it would be an invitation of the worst sort. Having moved here from Britain I realised just what horror I might be bringing on my newfound home by publicising the fact that kids here have so much freedom. It is safe, many people here would go to eat across the road from their apartment I’m sure. Probably never again.
May 17th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
Gina - Anorak is developing all the time. I got a bit distracted - working for clients. But now am dedicating more time to it. The more people that know about it, the more I can do… Paul
May 17th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
It’s horribly upsetting. I’m glad I remembered this website, I haven’t been over here for a few years. I have been trying to get some posts onto normal news outlet forums re the nonsense interview with the Sunday Mirror hack for days but I am not getting past their moderators. Those forums are so depressing, people are so vicious and nasty and love the press for reflecting their vindictive natures. I can’t help thinking that in this ‘lust for blame’ society it’s no wonder there are psychopaths dissociated from humanity.
May 17th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
My understanding was that when the Mirror journalist went to report Murat to the police, they said ‘we already know who you are talking about’ and that they saw him as suspicious…? (Sky news article)
I think the press have to be careful as you are messing with people’s lives by making claims that aren’t proven and the damage is irreversible. Even if Murat is proven innocent, he will probably never be able to shake the label he is being given which is not fair.
May 17th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
I know what you mean Gina, I keep looking on the news and imagining seeing her reuinted with her family…. to be honest its not looking good (and it pains me to say that) but there is something about this case and maybe Madeleines little face that makes me think she is alive as who would want to hurt such a beautiful little creature? Maybe they would want her as her own and like her family have said they can totally understand that as she is an amazing little girl - but if someone has got her and can see how beautiful and sweet she is then I really hope they find it in their hearts to hand her back….
May 17th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Rob
Are you aware of the police investigating any other possibilities? as I mentioned earlier the thisislondon site mentions a lot of roadworks in the area. As both door and window were open (according to rueters timeline) have the police explored this possibility? I expect the area has been thoroughly searched though. I still don’t think the fact she walked out by herself should ever be totally discounted.
May 17th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
I feel rather sorry for Robert Murat and his close family, unfortunatley we live in a society today where you are instantly guilty of the crime and this is something that is encouraged and fuelled by the British Media.
Because of the frustration that we as the public sometimes have with these investigations its easy for us to want to say, finally we are on to something and in a somewhat bitter sweet sense believe there is a lead to this case no matter if the person we are incriminating is innocent.
I sadly hold my hands up and admit that I was one of those people to breathe a sigh of relief when Robert Murat was questioned as a main suspect and I instantly said must be him.. to an extent I still hold my suspicions but I also feel that alot of people use him as a scapegoat as there is no other solid lead venturing elsewhere.
Just out of curiosity does anybody know if the parents are still gettin paid through their job to stay out in Portugal or is it just the fund supporting them?
I hope this little girl is still alive and safe and found very soon.
May 17th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
One question has been bothering me. A lot of people seem terribly confident that any boat leaving PdeL would have been seen and caught up with. On what basis? At this time of year the seas are thick with small craft bombing about the coastline. People always seem so sure these security nets are in place and yet kids in Britain can buy hash which has obviously crossed all manner of borders apparently subject to the most stringent security checks. I’m afraid I think this poor little mite was taken away by boat and will never be found therefore. If she ever did make land she could be anywhere in the Med let alone in Spain. There’s no coverage here in Greece where many many moorings are free and unregistered. Like many others the story is the first and last thing on my mind night and day and I’ve been repeatedly clicking news websites hoping for that magical breaking news story since it happened. had I been on the scene no doubt I would have been hanging around looking to see if anyone had any news. I just want so much to hear that good news and see this terrible suffering turn into joy.
May 17th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
The fact is that these days, all you need is google and a bit of an inquisitive mind and people can find info within seconds of gaining a name, which has been obvious on here, plus in the slap dash tabloid reports.
May 17th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Fair point Rob, I am certainly in no position to judge the guy one way or another - but even less so on the basis of the ludicrous titbits being put about by the press. It really disturbs me how the media behave these days. Let’s say it was him, I think we are already in territory where his legal team would be able to argue that the case against him has been prejudiced. And I doubted he was guilty even before his friends and family spoke out. I also saw the Russian boy interviewed before he was aware he was in the frame too and he looks as innocent as driven snow - there were one or two places where he didn’t catch on to the angle of the questions being asked (eg about the firewall - I mean who hasn’t got one these days?) because he clearly wasn’t thinking in that direction which he would have been if he had been being defensive (see leanne, I can waffle too….these fine points aren’t too easy to express sometimes which is why the craploid newspapers dispense with trying and just jump wholesale into the black and white blame game)
May 17th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
that’s what it boils down to isn’t it - the media, I can understand why they want to give us information as this case has been massive, but like you say “hanging someone out to dry” is not fair as they do not know facts.
I agree Rob - how well do you know someone - I hope it isnt him for the sake of his daughter.
May 17th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
it could be he is innocen, it could be he is guilty.
the police have to ask questions.
i agree the media will crucify anyone innocent or guilty especially the british media.
its a sad state of affairs .
this is the problem.
May 17th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
you never really know people though do you?
not far from where i lived as a kid, there was a murder, a husband stabbed his wife to death. but everyone refused to believe he could have because he was so unbelievably nice. would do anyhting for people. but he did it, & he had a history of violence with his previous wife, but none of the people he was nice to knew that. people are strange…
May 17th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Please dont misunderstand, There is always a possibility that it could be him, i mean how well do you really know anyone. We can only make judgements based on the 5 years we have know him and who would be friends with someone they thought could do something like this!
However the point we are trying to make is that there is no evidence whatsoever (at least that has been made public) and the guy is being hung out to dry by the press. His wife and child have had to be taken to a safehouse and his picture is on every newspaper and news site in europe.
May 17th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
I agree Gina, because I know if my friend had done something like this I would certainly tell people if I thought there was a possibility it could be them, as they have done something terrible and I would want them brought to justice regardless if they are my friend or not - you dont snatch a small child and kill her/sell her/god knows what else and be forgiven - someone would have said something… I have just read that back and it sounds like complete waffle but I hope you can understand what I meant as now I cant think how else to word it!
May 17th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
It looks to me as if the friends of Robert Murat are unanimous in their description of him as a kind, harmless and perfectly normal chap. it says a lot that so many different people are prepared to stick their necks out for him.
May 17th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Not just exaggerating but distorting wildly too. I was disgusted with the Sunday Mirror journalist who started all of this. Let’s face it, what is weird by a tabloid journalist’s warped sense of normality and ability to spin the most harmless facts into something nasty is hardly the basis for a police investigation. It looks as if this poor little girl has been lost now because not enough was done as soon as the alarm was raised.
May 17th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
It has also been quite interesting to see how many of our so called “friends” are willing to stick the knife in just to appear in the paper and on Tuesday i was being offered £1500 for a single photo of Rob. It was a good reminder that newspapers are a business and not a public service.
May 17th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
I agree I think the media are exagerrating (SP) things because they have no info - and this is good in a way for keeping it in the public eye but it is not acceptable if Murat and the Russian guy are innocent!
May 17th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Oh and hi by the way. My first post, I’ve been lurking for a while.
May 17th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
A lot of this looks like Trial by Media. The fact that Murat and the Russian spoke 8 times that night is entirely explainable especially in view of the known fact that the entire PdeL community mobilised in the hours following Madeleine’s disappearance to help. I live in an expat community and should imagine everyone was phoning everyone. Also considering how tight-lipped the police are by law how on earth can anyone know the content of Murat’s emails let alone be revealing such information to the media? Of all the possible leaks that could be damaging to a future trial I can think of few that would be worse. I think these people are being set up because the investigation was so badly screwed up in the initial stages they’ve lost all hope of finding out what really happened and need to cover their a++ses.