Madeleine McCann: Ben Needham Is Missing, Operation Predator And Maddie’s Cops
MADDYWATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann.
DAILY EXPRESS front page: “McCanns warn: We’ll sue over claims we drugged our children”
Page 7: “Madeleine parents: We have never sedated our children” – The “slurs” are “outrageous” and “hurtful”.
The theory that they sedated all of their children is a “wild theory”. It appears in Portuguese newspaper 24 Horas, a source for “some of the more outlandish reporting”. The Express reproduces the outlandish reporting for its readers to digest and marvel at
“Grim hunt for images as child-porn ring is smashed” – Operation Predator is a clamp down on child porn in Portugal. A friend of the McCanns says: “This shows the scale of the problem in Portugal and appears to show that the Portuguese police seem to be looking in the right direction. It may provide vital leads”
But the raids were not directly connected with the Madeleine case. Operation Predator was six months in the planning
THE SUN front page: “Maddie: cop raid on pervs”
Page 7: “McCANNS’ DELIGHT AT PAEDO SWOOP” – Kate and Gerry McCann are “encouraged” that 300 Portuguese police “smashed” a 80-strong paedophile ring
“’FIND OUR KIDS TV’” – Kate and Gerry have backed a TV channel that features the 150,000 UK children that go missing each year. Pictures of missing children will be shown at GP surgeries, shopping malls and hospitals
Page 37: “MISSING BEN AGONY – We were too working class to get help like Maddie’s family” – The mother of Ben Needham, who disappeared 16 years ago on the Greek island of Kos – sees haves and have nots
“I was 19,” says Kerry Grist. “Just an ordinary girl from a council estate and people thought, ‘She will just go away in a few months, have another child and forget about it…I don’t think people thought Ben was important enough.” Or the media didn’t…
Kate McCann is a doctor. Gerry McCann is a heart specialist. Both Madeleine and Ben are blonde
DAILY MAIL page 5: “Huge porn swoop offers hope of a Maddie clue”
“Could Ben still be alive?” – Ben Needham disappeared from near his grandparents’ farm house
Says Mrs Grist, Ben’s mum: “Madeleine’s parents are middle class people with important jobs and seemed to have had a publicity machine behind them straight away”
DAILY MIRROR page 15: “WHY STAY IF SHE HAD SOMETHING TO HIDE?”
A pal of Kate McCann says: “She could not tear herself away [from Portugal]. What mother could leave the place where her daughter vanished? …If she had something to hide why would she hang around in Praia da Luz waiting for the police to come knocking on the door?”
We don’t know. Why?
DAILY STAR front page: “MADDIE POLICE ARREST 80 PAEDOS”
Madeleine McCann does not have her own police force – not yet. But the police working on one case are Portuguese, like the police in her case. It’s an “EXCLUSIVE”
Page 7: “MADDIE COPS RAID PAEDOS” – The Star sees Gerry McCann leaving his home in a car. “STRAIN” reads the caption
DAILY TELEGRAPH page 17: “Madeleine police turn spotlight back on paedophiles”
“Missing children TV hopes to jog patients’ memories” – Ben Needham is missing. Xiao Xiao is missing. Lee Thomas Wedge is missing. Leanna Petrenko is missing. Abigaile Sommerville is missing. Andrew Paul Gosden is missing
THE INDEPENDENT page 24: “Mother in plea to missing son” – Ben Needham is missing
THE TIMES page 11: “Madeleine police return to kidnap theory”
German and Dutch police are believed to have been asked to trace and interview guests staying at the Ocean Club when Madeleine went missing
THE GUARDIAN: No Madeleine news today
Posted: 11th, October 2007 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (1,683) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
October 11th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Will Says:
“maybe because so many of the british media are shallow, amoral, braindead, coiffered (sp?) scum.”
It’s interesting that a number of posters on the Mirror boards have been saying that most people in the media sector now suspect them, but “editorial policy” has been clearly defined. One mentions that they know they won’t work again in the industry if they don’t tow the line.
Of course there’s no proof it’s true as the posters could be making it up, but it seem more logical given that we polls show most people suspect them, and none of the press coverage doesn’t reflect this position even slightly, ergo;
a) the entire press pack is too stupid / lazy / naive to see and report what the public sees
OR
b) they’ve been clearly told what to say…..
Is there a third option I’m missing???
October 11th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
OK that’s better…..
Will Says:
“maybe because so many of the british media are shallow, amoral, braindead, coiffered (sp?) scum.”
It’s interesting that a number of posters on the Mirror boards have been saying that most people in the media sector now suspect them, but “editorial policy” has been clearly defined. One mentions that they know they won’t work again in the industry if they don’t tow the line.
Of course there’s no proof it’s true as the posters could be making it up, but it seem more logical given that we polls show most people suspect them, and none of the press coverage doesn’t reflect this position even slightly, ergo;
a) the entire press pack is too stupid/lazy/naive to see and report what the public sees
OR
b) they’ve been clearly told what to say…..
Is there a third option I’m missing???
October 11th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Why can’t I post?
Or can I?
October 11th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
430 Rosemary
The bloke you’re on about was very real. He was in the Washington DC area and he allegedly fathered about 60+ children by swapping out his own sperm for the selected one. He did time for it…
October 11th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
446-
none
October 11th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
444 -
maybe,
but we do have to look at it both ways
October 11th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
442 -ben
How many children have you lost or had abudcted?
October 11th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
428 - Ben
I’ve been to 5 funerals and never fail to cry. 3 were family and 2 were strangers. But I know what you mean. One funeral in our village was a 9 year old boy who drowned. He was in my son’s class at school. The sister of this boy who was about 12, read out a eulogy for her brother. This little girl didn’t cry but there wasn’t a dry eye in the church…and the sister did have a trembly voice. It was as if she had cried all she had left.
When you thought you’d cried enough in the church service, as everyone filed outside and saw the tiny flower covered coffin, the crying raised up several notches.
I was even in Kensington Palace Gardens on the Monday after the Diana Funeral. There were 20,000+ people there that day and to see thousands of people crying and mourning for somebody they never even met was one of the most amazing experiences a human could ever witness. I would love to share in some kind of grief with the McCann parents but no matter how hard I try, I can’t. It’s like chemistry and it ain’t there with those two.
October 11th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
I don’t tfeel expressed feelings at ta funeral are comparable to how a healthy human being would react with the knowledge their child has been abducted and according to them is in the hands of a paedo or maybe being shared within a ring of paedos. If not crying every half hour each and every day then certainly rage and anger to the point where it would motivatet one to take charge and physically look for your child and kill the sicko yourself? Am I alone? You think it’s normal to be reserved when you’re telling the world a paedophile has snatched your kid? Sorry I don’t even believe a British person would be that way. And isn’t Kate of Irish parentage? All the Irish and Scots-Irish I know are very demonstrative people when happy and when sad. They are lying about something.
October 11th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
If they have to look to rags like the Sun then hey are in trouble!
Pity they didnt just look after their kids. I hope they are prosecuted for neglect.
October 11th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
434-
my wife told me she doesnt cry in public ever.
though yes she cries all the time alone
October 11th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
433-
i know what you mean,
October 11th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
430Rosemary
The man involved was jailed for a long time and was not in UK. Madeleine is too young to be his, and “accidental” mix ups are extremely rare when compared to the number of artificial inseminations/IVF attempts done every year.
October 11th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Rab and Ramon, the honest answer on my considerations about use of sedatives is that I don’t know.
But - I have kids and know a lot of people with kids, and hyper-active or not, I’ve never even contemplated sedating my kids. I just think that’s highly unlikely - and ilogical - to give drugs to kids when you want to go out for dinner and have babysitters available. I think it is unlikely to give it to hyperactive children systematically.
I suppose that what I’m trying to say is that even before Madeleine’s reported disappearance the behaviour of the McCanns and their friends is outside what one would consider a normal pattern of behaviour.
Although the investigation is understandably focused on what has happened on that night and after that (where is the body etc.) the McCanns and their friends should be subject to more intensive scrutiny of their behaviour in the days and hours preceeding Madeleine’s disappearance.
October 11th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/maddie/article291407.ece
October 11th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
424 - toni
I meant to add that I hope they nail whoever “did it” to the highest tree.
October 11th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
toni, in the beginning I was chastising my wife for being so “heartless” until I watched a few videos of the McCanns, saw them on tv and read up more on the case. Gerry does turn my stomach from sight only and sight and sound of him is enough to give me the shakes. Kate I don’t see as an abusive person. But I get the feeling she has a nervous energy. It’s been reported she had a nanny and that her mother or their mother in law was often at the McCann home on the weekends to “help out” so I find it very difficult to understand why she should be stressed out even without Gerry pitching in? From watching her on tv and in videos both my wife and myself think she’s been abused by Gerry. Maybe verbaly or psychologically? It seems to be a negative expression not something which could be atributetd to shyness. But she could be doped up.
I was horrified to learn that not only had Kate permitted excerpts of her diary to be published but that she would speak about Madeleine being “challenging” and “difficult”? Would you really want to tell your daughter’s captor negative information about her? Incredulous.
October 11th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Belated Birthday wishes
& many unhappy returns of the day Goncalo Amaral !!!
October 11th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Ben makes a valid point about funerals. Some people don’t cry at them, but Ben, did your wife’s mother NEVER cry or did you just never see her cry? And did/do you spend a lot of time with her. I mean, if she lives in Cornwall and you’re in Edinburgh, then saying you never see her cry is not saying much! If she lives with you and you never see her cry, well, did she ever discuss her feelings of loss, or did she totter off to Gala bingo and the whole thing was just so much water off a duck’s back?
October 11th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
424 Toni
To this day I can’t watch anything to do with James Bulger. My son is one week different in age to him and I remember associating those CCTV images with my own son thinking all kinds of what-ifs. I can’t watch it because it brings back terrible memories. I know James wasn’t my son but I have a responsible attitude where if I saw any kid in distress, I’d be there to protect in a shot. I wouldn’t care if some parent gave me a hard time - my priority is to protect. I feel for James Bulger’s mother and it grieves me to see her on TV. I know I can never make things right for any parent who has suffered a loss but equally, I can’t stop my own emotions in jointly grieving for them. I have never grieved for the McCann parents because I don’t believe them. They lack credibility and call it animal magnetism or something like that but I don’t pick up any vibes from them. On the other hand, I do tend to get that choky feeling inside if I think about the victim here - poor Madeleine. Look at all the photos of her - she’s smiling and playing just like any kid her age would. Whether or not she has a syndrome is irrelevant…she is/was a precious child who isn’t around any more.
October 11th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
on tv that is
October 11th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
427-
me too with barrymoore though he sobs everytime i see him
October 11th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
399, Tony Bennett,
Well it is not unknown for IVF clinics to accidentally mix up their test tubes.
Wasn’t there a clinic where the owner used his own sperm for all his patients - or was that in a science fiction novel by Michael Crichton? Hard to sift fact from fiction these days.
October 11th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
413/421 Ramon/Salamon
Actually, the Vatican took Madeleine off late on the day when the Mccanns went in for questioning/early the next day, a week before they were named as arguido’s. If I remember rightly, that is when Kate Mccann went in first and then Gerry went after.
You might want to email the Holy C and ask the date
October 11th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
424-
you must have been to a funeral and seen a loved one who was very close to the diseased and not cried one little bit.
it happens-people are different.
my wifes mothers sibblings all died in the space of three years- heart attack and cancer,
i never saw her cry.
October 11th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
I get the same bile in my stomach when I see Kate and Gerry as I do with barrymore and heather mills
October 11th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
399 # Tony Bennett Says:
Edit….
REPLY: OK, we must accept that. Is it possible, however, that the egg was not Kate’s? And if Gerry is right, then the lie apparently published by ‘24 Horas’ and their sources is a serious one
++++++++++++++++
Indeed… but tell me, who really was the ‘source’ for the original ‘fabrication’? Ahh, the machinations of the world of spin! Tell me dear reader, have you stopped beating your partner/spouse/significant other yet?
October 11th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
415 Legui
Bonding with your kids means including them in your own activities. I still don’t understand why the issue of leaving those toddlers is discussed. Surely, on a family holiday you’d want to take them with you to wherever you were eating and drinking? It’s not like they were in an over 18s nightclub is it?
October 11th, 2007 at 2:25 pm
after a month or so after Maddie went missing I had just stopped getting that awful feeling in your throat when you know you are going to cry but shouldnt really be doing so, when dear Rhys got shot, and this started me of again, I cried buckets for that boy, and I am not even in the UK, everytime his poor mum and dad came on sky news It started me off again, I have not once cried along with K & G cos they dont show any emotion.
that is not normal, I still well up when I see pictures of Rhys and even Holly and her little friend (Ian Huntly case)
for some reason I just feel repulse when I see gerry mccann. Is this just me or does someone feel the same.
so you can feel / bond with another child / family when they are genuine and not fakes
October 11th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
401 - Tony Bennett
My daughter now 12 has Turner’s Syndrome. She was a cry baby - much like Kate McCann described Madeleine. I remember one Sunday when my daughter cried constantly for about 4 hours in the afternoon. It didn’t stop and we knew it wasn’t colic. The doctor called us back and by about 10pm an ambulance was called. The wife and daughter went to the hospital and by this time she’d been crying non-stop until about 11pm - the time the ambulance got to the hospital. My daughter stopped crying minutes after arriving at hospital but had been crying non-stop for about 10 hours by this time. It was unbelievable and my biggest memory from that was the wife complaining about having to pay a taxi to get back home. You really have to experience that non-stop crying to understand how taxing it is.
402 Peter O
Unfortunately that delinquent behaviour whereby the kids are allowed to run free without any respect for anyone or anything else is typical these days.
From your intelligent posts in here I think you’re in the handful of parents I’d entrust looking after my own kids. Frankly a lot of the parenting skills seen today are abysmal. I’ve always admired the Latin nations for their parenting skills but that only increases the embarrassment when you see Brit kids running riot abroad.