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 6:29 pm
1391 - jo Says:
SteveT we are on our own
Do you think M & A are around or having a party for the baby”s birth
++++++++++++++++++++++
If they’re having a party, the buggers haven’t invited me !!!!
April 6th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
I’d not hold out any hope - the PJ can’t have enough admissible evidence and are under pressure politically.
But ultimately the truth of the McCanns nights out will emerge and the full extent of their abandonment will be clear for all to see - in a way their high profile attempts to ‘divert attention’ will mean that any revelations will gain a high profile. So we should encourage them to set themselves up for that fall!
April 6th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
ian / Jo - i too think the mccs will be freed of their aguido status. happens automatically when charged doesn’t it?
April 6th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
1405
Ian
Yes could be very interesting to see them lie openly then
Alternatively,I wish they keep their arguidos status as long as pos because this really irritates them
April 6th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
I’m expecting the McCanns to be free’d of their status…I hope that means we will be told about their nights out during the ‘6 days of May’ - I’m convinced that we will ultimately learn that they abandoned their children for longer periods and went for longer trips without them than we have been aware of so far.
Once the full details are out, it should guiillotine their attempts at new careers.
April 6th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
1399
DCB Says:
April 6th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
I’m trying to get my head round why the Mccanns have not cancelled their trip abroad to be in the country when PJ are here.
I really wouldnt get distraught over it really
The fact is,like it or not,they are “celebs”,they are on a permanent live show.
The only ones who have the power to stop this circus is the portuguese justice.And iif in case,this doesn not happen for whatever reason,other will do it.People in portugal or in the uk will take action
Lets hope the PJ makes justice to Madeleine
April 6th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
DCB - agreed, however K mcc gave away how she felt about the whole affair with her ‘whoosh clunk’ description. Sounded like someone had taken her parking space and not her daughter.
April 6th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
not if you had stolen it
April 6th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Gloria - Anna Raquel ! : grin: PMSL
April 6th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
If my car had been stolen and the police were to interview everyone around at the time - I would want to be around.
April 6th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
I’m trying to get my head round why the Mccanns have not cancelled their trip abroad to be in the country when PJ are here.
April 6th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Bye SteveT
Wont “see” you for a while because I am going to rothley for a while now
April 6th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
1394
SteveT
++++++
Maybe it will crash!
April 6th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Portuguese detectives to quiz ‘Tapas Seven’ in London about Maddy’s disappearance
By VANESSA ALLEN and DAVID WILKES - More by this author »
Last updated at 17:42pm on 6th April 2008
Comments
Portuguese detectives arrive in Britain tomorrow ahead of fresh police interviews of Kate and Gerry McCann’s friends.
The so-called Tapas Seven who dined with the couple on the night their daughter Madeleine disappeared are among a list of 24 people due to be grilled by detectives over the next four days.
But the McCanns themselves will not face new interrogations and are due to leave Britain during the Portuguese police visit.
Madeleine McCann has been missing since May 3 2007
Their spokesman Clarence Mitchell insisted the couple were on a pre-arranged visit to Brussels to lobby Euro MPs for a better alert system for missing children, and denied the trip was a “smokescreen”.
He said they welcomed the latest police move and would be willing to be interviewed again if it would help the investigation.
But prosecutors in Portugal were reported to have ruled there was no need for the couple to face fresh interrogations, fuelling speculation they could soon be cleared of being named suspects, or arguidos, in their daughter’s disappearance.
Interviews of the Tapas Seven are due to start on Tuesday and the friends will be asked a series of questions drawn up by the Portuguese police team.
The Algarve-based team is barred from conducting interrogations on British soil, but will monitor the questioning of the couple’s friends by Leicestershire police.
Kate and Gerry McCann are due to travel to Brussels tomorrow
They will all be interviewed as witnesses and are free to leave at any time, a spokeswoman for Leicestershire Constabulary said. No lawyers will be present.
Portuguese police had requested the interviews and were also said to have asked for the McCanns’ computers, Mrs McCann’s diary and Madeleine’s favourite Cuddle Cat toy to be seized, but it is understood that no property will be searched or seized.
The three-strong team from Portugal is expected to return to the Algarve on Friday but Leicestershire officers will continue to interview other witnesses, including the couple’s spokesman Mr Mitchell.
Under Portuguese law named suspects, or arguidos, have the right to ask that police speak to witnesses who support them.
The McCanns have asked for up to 24 of their friends and family to be questioned about their relationship with Madeleine and their behaviour after her disappearance.
They will leave for Brussels on Wednesday to present a draft declaration to the European Parliament, and on Thursday they will give their first press conference since they were made official suspects in the investigation.
As arguidos they are forbidden from speaking about the events of May 3 or the police inquiry but can talk about wider issues about missing children.
Mr Mitchell said it was “pure coincidence” that the McCanns were leaving Britain during the week of the police interviews.
He said: “To say this is a smokescreen is utter rubbish. It is pure co-incidence that police interviews are being conducted at the same time the European Parliament is sitting, and Kate and Gerry are tabling a motion.”
Mr McCann, 39, and his 40-year-old wife are also due to talk about their campaign in a TV documentary to be screened on April 30, just days before the first anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance.
The couple will not return to Portugal for the anniversary unless their arguido status is lifted, but some of their relatives are expected to go to Praia da Luz for the poignant milestone.
Meanwhile they hope the police interviews could be the next step towards clearing their names over alleged contradictions in their accounts of the night of May 3.
Mr Mitchell said: “No-one wants to change their testimony and no-one is concerned about the interviews.
“Kate and Gerry hope the police will realise there is no evidence to implicate them and will finally clear them of their arguido status. Their friends are keen to assist the police and wonder why it has taken so long. “This is a voluntary process, they are not being coerced or threatened, and none of them will be made suspects.”
The Tapas Seven - Jane Tanner and her partner Russell O’Brien, Fiona Payne and her husband David and mother Dianne Webster, and Matthew and Rachael Oldfield - have all said they are happy to be questioned again.
April 6th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Why have we to boycott the Olympic games.
April 6th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Bye Jo and Clousea, must go.
Plane touches down at 12:20 tomorrow with PJ. Will some people still be saying that they are not coming!
April 6th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Clouseau, He has also said that the PJ only have to ask if they want to talk to the McCanns.
April 6th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Mccanns will not be going to Portugal according to Mitchell…whilst their arguido status is still in place
April 6th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Bye Val
SteveT we are on our own
Do you think M & A are around or having a party for the baby”s birth?
April 6th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
1386
val
Boycott the olympic games
Everybody
They must be cancelled
April 6th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Bye Val.
Good night all!
April 6th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
1384 Steve T
Mark Warner, most PDL residents, the Portugese Police to name a few.!
Gotta go, maybe catch you later.
April 6th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
But by the freaking freak of all why do they want to go to portugal for anyway????Getting restless? hyperactive, may be?
If it is to go off to jail,FINE with me but otherwise?
Or is it that being closer to Madeleine”s remains they will feel the need to say the freakin true at once?
April 6th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
1379 jo
I said to bountyhunter yesterday that in 5 to 10 years China and India will be the
Worlds leading economies. It is said “The yellow race will rule the World”, meaning
the Chinese. Shows how ineffectual the United Nations is over China and Zimbabwe.
Must go now, don”t want to ruin dinner……..
Have fun in Ireland
April 6th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
1378
Mic
Very interesting bit about Maxwell
April 6th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
1383
val
Probably not just the priest!
April 6th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
1378 Mic
That”s probably why the Priest in PDL wishes he had never met the McCanns!!!!!!
April 6th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
1378
Mic
Interesting. I didnt know that about Maxwell.
April 6th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
1380
val
I think they will be in Portugal on 3rd May, one way or another!
April 6th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
1374 Steve T
Hi Steve, the McCanns were very clever to leave the Country at this time. Good
excuse for not answering questions themselves, wouldn”t you say. I bet CM has the
gall to ask Rebelo to allow the McCanns to go to Portugal for 3rd May!!!!!