Madeleine McCann: Relocated To The Royal Court
MADDIE WATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann
THE TIMES: Relocated at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, London SW1
Yesterday, the Telegraph’s Charles Spencer reviewed the play Relocated and thought of Madeleine McCann, the Soham murders and Josef Fritzl. He left out Shannon Matthews. Can the Times’ Sam Marlow do better at Tabloid Bingo!?
Anthony Neilson’s new play, written during the rehearsal period and finished just days before its opening, is claustrophobic and clotted with menace. It’s performed, in the author’s horribly compelling production, behind a black gauze, which turns from opaque to transparent with lighting changes.
It’s as though we can see through walls, glimpsing the terrors that can occur inside seemingly commonplace homes. It’s a nightmarish vision that calls to mind not just the recent Josef Fritzl case, but also Fred West, the Soham murders and the abductions of Madeleine McCann and Shannon Matthews.
And a Fred West - Bingo!
DAILY RECORD: “Mccanns Alert Plea”
MADELEINE McCann’s parents will visit Strasbourg today to drum up support for a Europe-wide child abduction alert system. Gerry and Kate McCann, from Rothley in Leicestershire, still have to persuade 182 MEPs to sign up before July 20.Spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: “Kate and Gerry are confident this can be achieved but they accept there’s a lot to be done.”
THE HERALD: McCanns lobby MEPs to win support for child abduction alert system
The couple visited Brussels in April to launch their campaign and have gained the signatures of 211 MEPs so far. They hope their presence at the other European Parliament building will help them reach the 393 mark.
Posted: 17th, June 2008 | In: Madeleine McCann, Tabloids Comments (219) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
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June 17th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
63
Noseycow Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Chenier
I can’t see them releaseing anything to the media. It is a police investigation, non of the contents while have been proved or disproved in a court of law.
——————————————–
I would have thought that all of it must be publically available for inspection in much the same way as voting lists are, otherwise things like the contents of witness statements could be misrepresented by arguidos/arguidas without the witness having any recourse.
It seems bizarre to our eyes because we are so used to the fact that our police files are secret, but if you pause to consider the potential consequences for all of the people who gave witness statements of arguidos/arguidas being able to make whatever claims they like, then it looks even more bizarre.
I don’t think it’s going to happen, not least because our libel lawyers are ever-ready to spring to the defence of the maligned…
June 17th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Marie
where did you get the fact that there could not be another extension from?
June 17th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
I also think that when the files are open to the interested parties, the PJ will make a public announcement. It is a public investigation.
June 17th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Chenier 59
Anyway it is no news that the secrecy has been extended until the 14th of July, therefore August for the interessted parties,because of the holidays. What I didn’t know is that another extension is not possible.
Cheryl,
What allows you to say that the investigation was bungled by Amaral? It is just what you think. The waters have been muddied since the start, and not by the police I think. Don’t forget the media were on the case before the police. You are bringing the investigation about Amaral into the case when it has nothing to do with it. Why not bring it the charges against one of the Tapas doctors in his job too?
June 17th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Cheryl
Interesting but I can find no news or the impending trial of these officers, since it was announced that they would face prosecution.
Can you enlighten me as to how you think the investigation was bungled? Please?
June 17th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Chenier
I can’t see them releaseing anything to the media. It is a police investigation, non of the contents while have been proved or disproved in a court of law.
June 17th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
60
Noseycow Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Marie
I don’t think that the PJ can release the contents of the files to the public.
They (or relevent parts) will be released to Team Mcc and presumabley Murat.
If Murat continues in his strong but silent mode you can gaurentee that all the public will find out about is what team mcc want us to find out about.
————————————————————
I would imagine that if the veil of judicial secrecy is lifted then the Press must be able to gain access of sorts.
After all, if the McCanns continue to claim that Madeleine was abducted then every person present in PDL at the time of her disappearance, whenever it was, is a potential abductor, and thus a potential ‘arguido’ or ‘arguida’.
It would be unjust if actual, but not potential, arguidos/arguidas have access to the papers…
June 17th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
The safest route to take, Noseycow, is to believe whatever is going to happen next when Investigator Rebelo and/or other high ranking Officials stand before the cameras and announce in person.
As an aside, I’ve been wondering when Amaral and the other policemen involved are going to stand trial on their criminal charges. They have been charged with really some serious shit. Yet Amaral is looked on by some as some sort of god and writing a book on the McCann case throwing gasoline on the fire of rage against the McCanns. IMO covering his own arse in how the case was bungled and keep public attention away from the trial he is facing.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Marie
I don’t think that the PJ can release the contents of the files to the public.
They (or relevent parts) will be released to Team Mcc and presumabley Murat.
If Murat continues in his strong but silent mode you can gaurentee that all the public will find out about is what team mcc want us to find out about.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
56
Marie Nicholas Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
————————————–
I think you need to bear in mind that this is brought to us courtesy of 24 Horas, which has made any number of ‘ludicrous’ comments in the past.
Somehow, I doubt that the Portuguese Attorney General was seized by a burning desire to talk about the case with a tabloid newspaper and phoned them out of the blue; it seems far more probable that 24 Horas instigated questions, to which we have what purport to be answers.
Thus, if the question was:
‘What will happen if no further extensions of judicial secrecy are available?’
his answer would make sense.
That is very different to an official announcement that x, y and z will happen…
June 17th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Marie / Melanie
I don’t think that anybody has said that they will be granted access to the files in August.
As Chenier just said - the investigation is covered by the secrecy laws until July 14th. (when the current investigative phase is due to be complete)
That is the actual quote that they have got, on which they’ve based their story.
The report that the McC’s and presumably Murat will get access to the files is based on the assumption that the investigation will not be extended. The files are made available to relevent parties at this point in all Portuguese investigations ( or so I am lead to think).
We have seen EXACTLY these reports twice before, and twice before the case has been granted an extension.
So who knows? Will the PJ apply for an extension? if they do will one be granted? if they don’t apply for one will they press charges or will they shelve the case?
Seems to me like we have four possibilities…
June 17th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
24 Horas are obviously not working around the clock anymore. They too are growing weary of the case. What else could explain why towards the end of the article do they change to being 14 Horas?
June 17th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Noseycow 52
Well, actually the secret files will be opened to them on the 14th of July, but because of the holidays, they will actually see them mid August. I get the feeling they will not be charged for anything else but neglect, if ever they are.
I don’t know if the public will know what is exactly in the files. We can’t rely on the interested parties to give us an accurate version of the contents. I wish Salomon ES could tell us if there is some hope of us knowing.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Noseycow, time lines has been the one consistent inconsistency throughout this whole case.
In view of what you’ve just said, do you think that the access to files is being granted because the case is being closed or because charges are to be brought?
June 17th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
This is London has an article based on 24 Horas:
‘Gerry and Kate McCann will finally be told what evidence police have against them next month, Portugal’s most senior law officer revealed today.
The couple will be given full access to the confidential case files.’
As, presumably, will everybody else.
However, it is not as clearcut as it may seem:
‘Attorney general Fernando Jose Pinto Monteiro told daily newspaper 24 Horas: “From July the (Madeleine) case will cease to be covered by judicial secrecy, and will be available to consultation by all parties involved.
“I do not know which date, but in July the case ceases to be covered by judicial secrecy.”
‘The McCann’s lawyer Rogerio Alves reacted cautiously to the attorney general’s statement, saying he understands he will not have access to the files until August.
Portugal’s courts take a month long summer break from July 15.
Mr Alves told 14 Horas: “I’m not going to comment on the case, but the information we have is that we will only have access to the case in August.”
It looks as if 24 Horas may be being a little economical with the actualite…
June 17th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
OK Jo. No worries.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Marie
It is my understanding that the evidence is released to appropriate parties when either the case is closed or charges brought.
So August is the next predicted date is it?
yesterday Cheryl linked to an article saying that it would happen at Christmas (last year).
Other suggested dates have been coincidental to when the Pj have needed to apply for an extention to the investigation phase of the case. The current one runs out in August.
So while it is a possibility, non of us have been able to acurately predict the twists and turns so far…
June 17th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23495830-details/McCanns+to+finally+find+out+the+evidence+Madeleine+police+have+against+them/article.do
whoops
June 17th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
I have just been looking in esplendor delaforma and SOS M, couldn’t find anything new aobut the case. In SOS M, they mostly talk about the MCs’ journey to Brussels.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
McCanns to finally find out the evidence Madeleine police have against them
The McCann’s will be told of evidence against them
Gerry and Kate McCann will finally be told what evidence police have against them next month, Portugal’s most senior law officer revealed today.
The couple will be given full access to the confidential case files.
The development will be a massive boost to the couple as they arrived in Strasbourg to urge MEPs to back their campaign for a Europe-wide alert system.
Gerry and Kate believe such cross-border co-operation would have helped police find their daughter when she went missing from their holiday flat on the Algarve in May last year aged three.
Attorney general Fernando Jose Pinto Monteiro told daily newspaper 24 Horas: “From July the (Madeleine) case will cease to be covered by judicial secrecy, and will be available to consultation by all parties involved.
“I do not know which date, but in July the case ceases to be covered by judicial secrecy.”
Access to the confidential police files will allow the McCanns to begin building a defence - and demand that they are cleared.
24 Horas speculated the judicial secrecy will end on July 14 - more than 10 months after the couple were named suspects.
The McCanns, both 40-year-old doctors from Rothley, Leics, were made official suspects last September but have never been arrested or charged and vigorously deny any wrongdoing.
Their official spokesman Clarence Mitchell has previously described the endless delays in the process as “inhumane.” Judicial secrecy is normally lifted in Portugal after eight months.
But investigating judge Pedro Frias has previously granted extensions to the period after state prosecutor Jose Magalhaese Menezes argued the case is “exceptionally complicated”.
Madeleine disappeared from family’s rented holiday apartment in the Ocean Club, in Praia da Luz, on May 3 last year.
Her parents left Madeleine and twins Sean and Amelie, now two, sleeping while they dined at a nearby restaurant with seven holiday friends.
The McCanns still face the possibility of charges of neglecting their daughter, who was three when she went missing.
Court documents revealed last month confirmed they could face “abandonment” charges, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years.
It is understood for such a charge to succeed prosecutors would have to show the McCanns intended to neglect their daughter.
The police inquiry also covers possible abduction, homicide and concealment of a corpse.
Today a source at the court in Portimao told 24 Horas the case was not a priority.
The source said: “The Maddie case is not a priority. Nobody has been arrested. There is evidence of neglect or abandonment of the children, but that prosecution can wait.”
The Portuguese authorities have previously been accused of using the secrecy laws to cover up their incompetence.
The President of the Portuguese Order of Lawyers, Antonio Marinho e Pinto, said: “There are strong reasons to fear that judicial secrecy is being used to conceal the fact that the police have gone down a blind alley and don’t have a way out.”
The McCann’s lawyer Rogerio Alves reacted cautiously to the attorney general’s statement, saying he understands he will not have access to the files until August.
Portugal’s courts take a month long summer break from July 15.
Mr Alves told 14 Horas: “I’m not going to comment on the case, but the information we have is that we will only have access to the case in August.”
June 17th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Thank you Chenier for the historical informations.
It now seems the current issue to arrange everything is the lack of Glenlivet.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
I have just read Joana’s site. So, the MCs and all parts interested will have access to the files in August.
From what I read, I understand the charges would be only for neglect or child abandonnement.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
ok honey
have good day
i’ll lurk … but i bet i miss your posts
be good
June 17th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
42
gillyflower
I just hope they would suicide
Gilly,I cant post here today for various reasons
I will come back at another time ok?
Sorry about it but too much is going on and I must be at my post.Have no time to post
Bye for now
June 17th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
bugger
June 17th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Jo
WHAT OTHER NEWS??????????????
C’mon.
I was first today!!!
I deserve a treat
: roll:
June 17th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Jo
Just read your post and followed the link.
Excellent, interesting reading!
Just had a thought….
what do you suppose the McCann reaction would be if one of the twins did go missing?
June 17th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
40
Melanie
NO
Sorry I wont
I already translate stuff from french AND spanish including a bit of protuguese at times so,you”ve eyes and I am certain you can read english perfectly
I have other news but I really wont bother anymore.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Jo, is it possible that you could provide a quick summary of the details of your link? I am such a lazy cow.
June 17th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
HAVE YOU READ my post 31?????