Madeleine McCann: The McCanns’ Return To Portugal, A Year Of Looking And Ben Affleck
MADDYWATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann
THE SUN: “McCanns risk arrest over visit”
KATE and Gerry McCann may risk arrest by returning to Portugal for the one-year anniversary of their daughter’s disappearance.
The couple are prepared to take the chance in a last ditch attempt to revive interest in four-year-old Maddie, missing since May 3.
Any facts?
The doctors, both 39, left the Praia da Luz resort last September – 48 hours after being made official suspects over the mystery.
Gerry and Kate McCann are Doctors. Such are the facts.
Says the McCanns’ spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: “They want to be there for the first anniversary. Going out there would send the strongest possible message that Madeleine could still be alive and the search for her should continue.”
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: “Turning the tabloids”
Ben Affleck is Gone Baby Gone:
Almost as troublesome was the story’s unforeseen and unintended resemblance to a real-life case of child kidnapping that hit the headlines in the months it was being filmed. That was the disappearance in Portugal last year of British girl Madeleine McCann, who was of a similar age and appearance to the film’s kidnapping victim and had a name eerily similar to the character in the Lehane novel, Amanda McCready.
McCready has disappeared amid the squalor of her south Boston neighbourhood. The police are out in formation, as are the television news vans, antennas raised high, all but trembling for blood.
Madeleine McCann: That’s entertainment
Posted: 4th, April 2008 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (1,577) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
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April 6th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Daisy
1337
The two psychologists sent to PdL from CCP were male but I don’t know whether other psychologists include a female, perhaps the one who is counselling now in Rothley?
I wasn’t suggesting Murat would be included in the ‘60′ UK interviewees. Presumably, any further questions the PJ have from him could be asked (or have been conducted already?) in PdL.
Instead, I was thinking about the fact that, as an arguido, he also has the right to submit names of persons whom he would like to be questioned, just as the McCs have.
April 6th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Daisy
1333
And, presumably, the third arguido can also ask for witnesses to be interviewed.
As I remarked last night, I’d be interested to know who named whom on the list of interviewees.
For example, do the McCs want the people who ’sighted’ ‘MM’ to be interviewed to add to the diversions, or did the police (or Murat) ask for these witnesses to be talked to again in order to establish how genuine they were or whether they have had ‘input’ from the McCs?
And have the McCs asked for the psychologists to be spoken to because they feel their confidential views will help their case, or do the police think the psychologists’ interviews might be revealing of adverse information about them?
April 6th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
I have been listening again to the Woman’s Hour interview with KM.
She says a number of times that she can’t talk about the detail of the ‘disappearance’, but the one that arouses my suspicions is when she is asked about the day (Thursday). She is very quick to say she cannot talk about that and I don’t really understand why not (and, presumably, neither does Jenni Russell or she would not have asked). She has said it was an ordinary day and that MM said it was the best day ever and, in the parents’ accounts, there is nothing out of the ordinary.
So - why can’t she discuss it? Is it because her account of what happened on that Thursday differs from her husband’s? Is it because there are so many conflicting accounts of that day? Is it, perhaps, because of the events of the night before and how the Thursday was actually spent?
I don’t know. But my suspicion is aroused by her hasty reply to Jenni Russell.
April 6th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Daisy… Portugese law is irrelevant in this case because the interviews are in Britain and are being carried out by the Brit police with the PJ observing. The PJ are not even allowed to speak directly to the witnesses…….
It is British law that takes priority on Brit soil so the interviews will be carried out according to that law. They can have lawyers if they want them…
April 6th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Ian,
Hi, thanks for thinking that I’m open minded. I do try to be fair in my life and judgements.
April 6th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
1326
Denzylle Says:
April 6th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
—
My understanding is that the face to face meetings with the Judge are voluntary. They could chose to go to trial and skip that part.
I also want to add something with regards to the witnesses being interviewed without lawyers. Apparently, because they are only classified as “witnesses” they are not allowed to have a lawyer present under Portuguese Law, but don’t know if this is accurate.
April 6th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Gandolf
1195
It appears the Express have exagerated again, 60 should actually have been 6, if interviews take place.
——————————————————————————————————-
Whatever happened to ‘no interviews will take place’?
Do I detect a subtle shift to the subjunctive there - IF - that indicates that your defences are weakening?
April 6th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
1319
Dave Says:
April 6th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
—-
We live in a twisted and selfish World! We live in a World were a lot of women are not smart and just go for the first man that gives them some attention, where new babies are made and used to “keep the man” (or so they think) and no regard is given to the creation of another human life and its responsibilities. When are women going to learn, I wonder!
How sad about little Shannon, if all the latest reports are in fact true.
April 6th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Daisy
1325
It also appears that, during the four month ‘instruction’ period, the arguidos have face to face meetings with the judge, so the McCs probably will get their wish to visit Portugal and without their status being lifted.
April 6th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
1311
coolandcalm Says:
April 6th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
—
Some legal eagle on the 3A forum has posted a lengthy point by point list of the whole process. After the enquiries are concluded, it could take upto 4 months for someone to be charged or otherwise. Also, according to that person, an arguido remains arguido until the whole case is concluded. It seems that there won’t be any resolution to anything anytime soon.
April 6th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
The Express feature is on the front page of the newspaper so no reason for them to pull it online? Maybe something more interesting came up to replace it… the net is more immediate isn’t it?
Where I live we don’t get the very early editions so the story has stood on the later editions of the paper…. can’t be a problem I wouldn’t think.
Bad, bad news about poor little Shannon…. hope it all gets resolved quickly. The photos of Shannon make her look older than she is, almost a teenager?? easy to forget she is just a nine year old child.
April 6th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
1202
DuncanR Says:
April 6th, 2008 at 9:20 am
—-
G’day All!
Wow, congratulations to the Anorak family for the new arrival. How wonderful!
April 6th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
DuncanR
Is Paul an heir to the Malt Loaf Dynasty?
April 6th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Pilimary
1318
I posted it at 1164, having found again after it disappeared from the website by backtracking to what I’d read half an hour earlier.
We still don’t know why it was pulled. M+A have allowed it to stay here.
April 6th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
1319
Dave
++++++++++++
Even more sad
http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/sunday/2008/04/06/i-won-t-go-home-to-my-mum-says-shannon-matthews-98487-20373825/
April 6th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
What sort od world are we living in.
really hope there is no truth in this article.
Shannon Matthews’s aunt has made an extraordinary claim that the nine-year-old girl was visited by her own MOTHER while she was being held captive.
Amanda Hyett - sister of Shannon’s stepdad Craig Meehan - also alleges that Karen Matthews spoke at least twice to her daughter on the phone AND has accused Karen of having an affair with the man suspected of snatching her daughter, Mike Donovan.
She made the wild allegations just 24 hours before being arrested on suspicion of aiding Donovan. Police sources say the claims have been investigated and dismissed. Karen has furiously denied them.
Amanda - Karen’s neighbour and close confidante - said: “Karen and Mike have been having an affair for months. Karen had her bags packed the day Shannon went missing.
“She was planning to leave Craig and run off with Mike. Mike was supposed to have picked Shannon up on her way back from school and meet Karen but Karen didn’t turn up.
“Karen was always going out and leaving Craig at home with the kids. She told him she was round at her mum’s but really she was with Mike.”
The day after making those comments, police arrested Amanda after finding her fingerprint on a £20 note seized from the home of Donovan, who is accused of abducting Shannon and holding her for 24 days.
She was also ordered to line up in an identity parade after a woman matching her description was seen outside the flat.
Both Amanda, 25, and her mum Alice Meehan, 49, held for perverting the course of justice, were released on bail Friday night. They were holed up at a secret location last night.
The arrests came two days after Craig Meehan, 22, was remanded on child porn charges.
Amanda had until this week been Karen’s most staunch supporter and, during the abduction, was at the heart of the search. But this week she suddenly turned against Karen with a number of explosive, unfounded allegations.
Alongside husband Neil, 27, at a meeting with a Sunday Mirror representative, she claimed Karen told her about an appointment she had with detectives on Wednesday.
Amanda said: “Shannon has told the police that she was visited and phoned by her more than twice while she was at Mike’s. Karen says it’s rubbish. She says she told the police Shannon must have been confused or hallucinating.”
She went on: “My mum says a taxi driver was seen dropping Karen off at Mike Donovan’s house the day before Shannon was found there.
“Plus, a friend of mine has told me that another taxi driver has been telling people how he had Karen in the back of his cab the day before Shannon was found.
“He was telling Karen how sorry he was about Shannon being missing and then Karen said something weird.
“She told him, ‘Don’t worry, she’ll be home tomorrow’. The very next day, the police found her.”
Husband Neil, who was driving a coach through France at the time of both arrests, said last night: “I’ve spoken to Amanda since she’s been released.
“She told police Mike had lent her some money last year and she’d paid him back in January and that was how her fingerprint was on money belonging to him.
“They asked her if she’d be willing to take part in an identity parade and she said she had no problem with it. She wasn’t picked out and she was then released on bail.
“I can’t believe what has happened. Amanda would never do anything like that.
“If it turns out she has has got anything to do with Shannon’s abduction, my marriage is over and I’m taking the kids with me.
“My main worry is that Karen has said something to the police and they’ve bullied Amanda into saying something that’s incriminated her.
“I don’t know what Karen is up to.”
http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/sund … -20373999/
April 6th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
I know that you will think that its sad, or somehow sinister… but I propose the little girl of the Sorene’s will be name Madeleine, as an hommage
April 6th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Guys, I haven’t seen the Express today? Was there aanything important about the Mccs that have been deleted?
April 6th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
The ambassadors of the Security II
Member of the British Parliament who try to enter Europe in a warning system in case of missing children, to interview McCann.
This is Edward McMillan-Scott, who will meet with the couple next week in Brussels. This meeting follows the journey made by McCann to Washington to internalized on the Amber Alert system, in order to be able to work with the senator in his campaign.
Although the West Yorkshire police said that he does not know what the Mr McMillan-Scott, said that when the system had helped to solve the case of Shannon, he stands firm in his assertions, based on statistics American. For that reason has sent a letter to the secretary of government Jacqui Smith, which discusses the issue saying: “The police in West Yorkshire suggests that it is” totally inaccurate “to suggest, as I do, that if the Amber Alert system had been installed and implemented in the UK, the case would have been resolved before Shannon. I contend otherwise. ”
It is surprising that McCann visit Parliament to discuss issues that make child safety, since they are official suspects in an ongoing criminal investigation over the disappearance of her daughter and also have admitted to all audiences have left at night and without adult supervision to his three children under four years to go for tapas and drinks. In this sense it has violated the fundamental right of every child to the safety and protection and it is not clear how violators of human rights can comment on child safety issues for children.
Remember also that the Amber Alert system is useful if it has been shown convincingly that it is a kidnapping, and that one of the recommendations made by the American government is “not to use it unless the authorities have established that really this is a kidnapping” . For the measures that the Portuguese authorities have taken, the case is far from being Madeleine. The PJ has not convincingly established that it is a kidnapping, but has appointed arguido the parents of the disappeared.
In the case of parents who are so notoriously neglected their children, not guaranteeing their fundamental rights, is it appropriate to use systems that are designed for parents responsible? In other words, the use of security systems for parents who do not worry about their children’s safety and that “ex post facto” demanding the return of the State that failed to protect children adequately, does not detract from the benefits that warning system can provide to parents to protect themselves and their children who have been victims of kidnappings duly verified by the authorities?
From Joana Morais
April 6th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
1311
coolandcalm
++++++++++++
I posted previously that it is the most important event in the search for madeleine since last September. If the parents of Madeleine chose to be away, then it is their choice.
April 6th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I sense the less than fair minded are beginning to have doubts, as to their favoured outcome, will there be enough egg to go around.
April 6th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Gone for now
See you later
XXXX
April 6th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Jo, thanks for info.
but pj still coming tomorrow ?
Travel well, remember us, we will miss you.
Will follow link to Joannas. xxxxxxxxxx
April 6th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
1303
DCB Says:
April 6th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
1300
coolandcalm
++++++++++++++
I would have expected the Mccanns to have cancelled their trip.
……………………………….
I personally can’t see that anything is going to happen while the PJ are here so how would it benefit anyone? The McCanns are here for the first two days anyway and then the PJ will have to go back and collate the statements and if there were going to be any arrests then all the info would have to go to the judge again.
It’ll be weeks I reckon before we hear anything either way.
April 6th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Thanks C&C, the only one I haven’t tried out of those is the electoral role, will give it a bash as well!
April 6th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
1306
coolandcalm
Clarrie is not going to trumpet they are “allowed” is he?
When we all know they can do whatever they want…….
My sources are saying the PJ is having a good laugh
April 6th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
C&C - I can certainly see tha advantage of not having the pink one around.
till later
April 6th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
1301
bountyhunter
Go to joana morais website.There are some bit there
I posted the link a while ago
The Express has been sued hasnt it? and what they were saying today was probably too true and has been removed
April 6th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Noseycow…. I thought they had to inform them if they were going abroad for however long, even on a day booze cruise! The 5 days rule applies within the UK I understood…..
Even as a not-anti (
) I can see it would benefit the PJ NOT to have the McCanns around if the interviews are going to be in the area!
April 6th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Off now - am going to spend some quality time with teenage daughter.
Ok so we’ll sit in front of the fire watching a movie (her choice) drink tea and stuff down a few bickies… chances of any communication - less than zero..
happy sleuthing all