Madeleine McCann: Kate And Gerry’s Blood, Threat And Tears
MADDYWATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann.
THE SUN front page: “KATE’S AGONY – CONFESS & YOU’RE OUT IN A YEAR.”
“Deal of blood, threat and tears.” Kate McCann is being interviewed by police. This is a “highly-charged confrontation, Portuguese officers citing forensic evidence told the GP she would receive a jail sentence of between two and three years if she signed a confession.”
Kate McCann is “horrified”. Says she: “How dare you?”
A source tells the paper: “The police were trying to get Kate to say she had amnesia or was in shock or had a breakdown. They said if she signed the confession she’d serve a year and that her husband would not be charged and could go home. It was effectively emotional blackmail.”
“SHOCKED” Gerry McCann has been named as a formal suspect.
THE SUN SAYS: “But the allegations made yesterday against Madeleine’s distraught mother Kate are astonishing and, in places, farcical. A suspicious page of the Bible left open? A call to a priest on the day of Maddie’s disappearance? Not exactly a smoking gun.”
Do all crimes involve a smoking gun?
The Sun concludes: “The Sun desperately wants justice for Maddie. But the greatest pity is that she is the one person who seems to have been forgotten in this mess of incompetence.”
And the Press continue to watch the parents.
DAILY EXPRESS front page: “MADELEINE: DEATH ON MUM’S BIBLE.”
THE WORLD’S GREATEST NEWSPAPER writes of “THE DAY THE JEERING STARTED”.
“Just two days ago Kate McCann, 39, was regarded almost universally as a victim who had suffered unimaginable agony. Families everywhere shared her heartbreak at losing her beautiful daughter. But it was clear yesterday, as the GP arrived to be formally named as a suspect in her daughter’s disappearance, that much of that sympathy has now gone.”
The crowd outside the police station – 400-strong – goes into a “frenzy” when Kate McCann arrives. “There were whistles, then jeers and boos before some in the crowd began to shout insults. ‘Whore… daughter of a whore,’ some yelled in Portuguese.”
The Express translates.
A local man says: “They will find this more and more because in Portugal harming a child is the worst thing…The Portuguese people took them to their hearts and now we feel cheated. It will not be nice in Portugal for them now.”
Kate is “cool and collected”.
DAILY MAIL front page: “THE ACCUSED. Portuguese police’s staggering grilling of Madeleine mother.
• Why was her blood in your car?
• Did you drug her that night?
• Confess and get just two years.”
DAILY STAR front page: “YOU KILLED MADDIE.”
DAILY MIRROR front page: “MADELEINE SENSATION. We have found her blood in the boot of your hire car.. DID YOU KILL HER BY ACCIDENT?” This is “what police asked Kate McCann during 16-hour grilling”.
THE GUARDIAN front page: “Mother, victim…suspect: police target Kate McCann.”
THE TELEGRAPH: “Kate and Gerry McCann named as suspects,” says the headline.
“Mr McCann stared straight ahead as his suspect status was announced and refused to answer questions from awaiting journalists. A crowd which had been attending a concert in the town square earlier listened to the announcement and several people gasped audibly.”
In “Villagers back Madeleine McCann’s parents”, the paper journeys to Rothey, Leicestershire, the McCanns’ home town. Michelle Canilleri, who lives in Rothley, shares with the world: “I can’t believe it. This is such a shock. They have got the wrong people. No way in the world would either Kate or Gerry harm any of their children.”
THE INDEPENDENT front page: “FROM ANGUISHED PARENT, TO GRIEVING MOTHER, TO SUSPECT.”
“Shortly before 11am, Mrs McCann’s spokeswoman, Justine McGuinness, revealed that the 39-year-old GP was being made an arguida – official suspect – in the case. And then she uttered the six short words which will be inconceivable to some who have followed this case and a confirmation of long-held suspicions to others. ‘Kate fears she will be charged,’ Ms McGuinness said.”
THE TIMES front page: A picture of the McCanns meeting the Pope.
Madeleine McCann The Public Spectacle
Posted: 8th, September 2007 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (1,454) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
September 8th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Just two points. I am a doctor and there is nothing special about doctors - we are capable of doing all the unthinkable things that people who aren’t doctors do. There has been lots of speculation about whether the McCanns could have hidden the body of their dead daughter and whether the whole media circus has been to do with them raising money etc. There is a very simple reason why loving parents may be capable of this… fear of losing the other two children. If you make a terrible mistake and kill your child accidentally (say with a sedative) you will be deemed unfit as parents and have your orther two children taken away. So admitting to causing the death of one may lead to the loss of all three… Surely a motive to do what seems so unthinkable…
September 8th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
The whole thing is starting to pan out like a black comedy.
The couple who pay for IVF because they want kids so much but are prepared to leave them in their holiday apartment whilst they party. To hide their neglect they make up an abduction story, evoking the whole paedo thing.
Reminiscent of Brasseye, I bet all the celebs who proffered their support feel like complete prats now. However, even Chris Morris couldn’t have made this up.
September 8th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Mary Sunshine, George Bush is a smart man who did indeed graduate from a tough school, is top 1% for physical fitness of men his age, is very self-disciplined, and morally decent.
I disagree with some of his decisions (generally, he should have been tougher, stronger, and less restrained by his tendency toward Christian decency), but he is a good man.
God bless him.
Night all.
September 8th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Sean and Amelie aren’t exactly lucky either. Looks like they may be going home as a “family of two”, possibly to the guardianship of Aunt Philomena.
September 8th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
307 - Angry, are you getting angry w/ me?
Please put a little Mary Sunshine in your life today!!
Thanks~~~
September 8th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
302 = You r probably gone already but I disagree with you.
Luck has a lot to do wiith so much of life. Like it or not.
there’s the Lucky Sperm bank for example - which is why we have George W. Bush in office who otherwise wouldn’t have made it past the 8th grade nevermind Yale and Harvard.
There’s the lucky duck examples all over the place in life. Right place, right time etc. etc. 80% of life is abotu luck. The other 20% is who you know. Take it from one who knows. If you don’t believe me, talk to some of the newly minted millionaires from the dotcom era. That’s just one blatant example of this theology - Luck = being at hte right place at the right time. Timing is everything in life. With regards to the Mccanns. Timing was everything in this case. Hence, luck played a critical role.
Speaking of which, I am LATE for a very important ….appointment….now. I guess I’m doomed for some bad luck along the way
September 8th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
If you are talking about bad luck I don’t think anyone can have had worse than poor little Madeline.
Bad Luck get the McCanns as parents
Back luck being taking on holiday when she was obviously in the way
Bad luck at being sedated (if true)
Bad Luck at being left in an unlocked apartment
Back Luck at being abducted/murdered
Get real woman, the McCanns deserve all they get if only for their negligence and putting the child in harms way
September 8th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
force wrap plugin I meant
September 8th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
302 - Which one is bizarre??
Speaking of which, I’ve got to run now….
OR
Have Sunny Saturday
Sorry, just my colloquialisms…
September 8th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
This was a great discussion. Thanks for the awesome forum and great website.
Web designer/moderator dude… really… you should install the WordPress nowrap plugin. That will prevent your page from breaking when people leave long hyperlinks.
Have a good day!
September 8th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
(300) No - I don’t mean that! I was not being sarcastic in my post. But just a bit of a drama queen in that ONE line you asked about. “Choking back tears” . A little high drama To emphasize a point. That it’s very sad situation…
The post is totally sincere. NOT sarcastic. A Drama Queen means it was a little drama, not sarcasm. It’s different. But evidently that phrase is not translating well here from Anglo to American English and the vice versa.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Mary 301, your last comment is bizarre.
If they did it, I hope it gets worse for them. If their friends were involved and somehow they get away with it, I don’t want the McCann’s to get away with it in some insane way of evening out the score.
Because one person gets away with evil others should?
Strange position. Makes no sense at all.
And your luck theory is retarded. Actions have consequences. Had they protected their children by having dinner with them, this wouldn’t have happened. If they harmed the children, they didn’t have to.
“Luck” had nothing to do with it.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
287 - Exactly. And they got caought. The difference is most people don’t.
My point is that many people get away with stuff alll the time. Luck is not on the side of this family however. They stand to lose their Medical Licenses on top of their daughter. Could life get any worse? I hope not…..because it’s not looking to pretty for them as it stands today.
Yes, they mad their own beds and dug their own ditches. But for alll we know, the other couples could have done the same stuff with their kids. But they still have their family in tact. The Mccanns do not.
I’ve done stupid things in my life like we all have. And God knows we’ve all gotten away with doing stupid things. Careless, risky behavior. Not every one pays the ultimate price for risky behavior. The Mccans are doing this today. And it may just get even worse for them.
My point was mostly about luck. How some are much luckier than others in life. I know a lot of people who never get caught doing bogus stuff. And others who run a stop sign and get pulled over every time. NO, I am not comparing this to running a stop sign. I am comparing the luck of my firiends to one another.
Speaking of which, I’ve got to run now….
Have Sunny Saturday
September 8th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
297- You mean you were being sarcastic. Not really evident from the rest of the post, but fair enough.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
Surely thats true of any conviction, no such thing as a slam dunk in a trial.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
287 - “Don’t know where people get the idea you cannot be tried for murder without a body because you can. You just need complelling circumstancial evidence”
Yes, You can have a trial for murder w/out a body. BUT, w/out a body you need VERY COMPELLING circumstantial evidence to win a guilty verdict.
You also need a really strong legal system to be able to provide a fair trial based purely on circumstantial evidence and DNA in lieu of an actual body ever being found.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
292 - Have you ever heard of a dramqa queen?
Apparently not….
September 8th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
(294) Angry
Sell in the next transfer window
September 8th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
(287) Angry
Yes you are right. There was a case only a few months back where this guy got convicted of killing his wife and feeding her body to the pigs (he was a farmer i believe). Anyway - you do not need a body. There are countless other examples
September 8th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Wigan had better stay up i’ve have players from there in my fantasy football team.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
(278) John Kebab
Whatever way you look at it, and I have thought long and hard about it, Wigan simply will not stay up. Sorry mate
September 8th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
279- ” choking back tears when you write this” You have got to be kidding right?
I think you’re getting a little too involved.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
“Did Kate really run back leaving the younger ones alone after she found M gone ? Left them ALONE ? That is insane. You scoop them up one under each arm and run for help, asleep or not. You get THEM safe at least. Anything else is bizarre”
(Mary) - YES!! That’s what’s so ODD about this from day one!!
And did you notice, throughout all the hulabaloo, it is reported the twins did not wake up. And that it is alleged that Gerry confessed to the police that he sedated the children. Where did that come from - another “controlled information release” from the only people with a licence to keep us informed - the McCanns ? Not sure they’d want to tell us that, but maybe they are losing their heads.
(Mary) - If that’s really true (about Gerry’s confession)- what an idiot Gerry was to have admitted that. He’s opened a huge pandora’s box by that statement. I am sure his Lawyer wishes he had kept his big flappers shut back then. Now, it only leaves the door open for speculation about Madeleiene being sedated too. And a legitimate speculation it certainly is…what, with one missing young girl for 126 days…..as I said, these are not career criminals - so they are bound to have messed up along the road. We should be hearing about it in the not too distant future. Now that they are formal suspects, the information will be more forthcoming. As will the evidence.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
From the start, this case has highlighted the fact that Madeline was let down firstly by her parents and everyone else. A real shame. I’m sorry for her.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
275 - Naughty!!!
September 8th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
Arthur 284, good thing you love her so much you bothered to learn her name. Thanks for taking such a deep interest in the case and in justice.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Mary Sunshine You cannot be serious
“Could life possibly get any worse for these people??!! All for one lousy vacation!! Talk about having the worst luck imaginalble.”
They made their own luck when leaving 3 children alone in an unlocked apartement.
“But the turn of events, make that mere $3,500.00 price tag a spit in the bucket compared to the losses accumulating from this trip.”
What losses are these they have the fund to support them in Portugal. Todate they have spent £70,000 and all they have to show for it is a few lousy t-shirts and wrist bands. Where did the rest go?
Don’t know where people get the idea you cannot be tried for murder without a body because you can. You just need complelling circumstancial evidence.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
276 - Murat!!
For defamation of characer. He can go after the Mccansns and Jane Tanner/Russell O’B if it turns out they framed him.
The Portuguese Travel and Toursim also gets a piece of this.
For losses accumulated during this horrific unneccessary media circus. If they can prove those losses, which will be pretty easy to do given the strong economy and their weak bookings since the event of May 3rd transpired.
Who’s going to bail out the hotels and tourism industry that has been damaged by this IF this was all a hoax and a completely fabiricate story and cover up.
That’s what I want to know…
September 8th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
arthur (284)
good post.
September 8th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
John K––I think you are mixing up Kate and Gerry McCann with Joe and Edna McCann of Mull Street, Wigan, widely acknowledged to be very unpleasant people. The role models for the Batterbys in Coronation Street according to Wikipedia. Now both in jail I think.
Let’s not let these issues get in the way of the hunt for little Mollie McCann.
Arthur