Madeleine McCann: Police Errors, Kate And Gerry McCann Speak, And Amaral’s Book
MADDIE WATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann
Portuguese prosecutors have shelved the investigation into Madeleine McCann’s disappearance. Kate McCann, Gerry McCann and Robert Murat are not longer official suspects.
Fernando Jose Pinto Monteiro, Portugal’s Attorney-General, told police to halt the investigation into of Madeleine’s disappearance.
A statement released by his office confirmed that it had decided to “close the file on the investigation concerning the disappearance of the minor Madeleine McCann due to lack of evidence that any crime was committed by the persons placed under formal investigation”.
But it’s not the end of the matter. And Madeleine McCann returns to the nations’ front pages:
DAILY MIRROR (front page): “OUR DESPAIR – OUR FURY – OUR FUTURE”
No not an editorial by the Mirror’s staff wodnering where this story will end, rather words ascribed to Kate and Gerry McCann.
Says “angry” Kate McCann: “It is hard to describe how despairing it was to be named as arguido. It has been devastating to witness the detrimental effect this has had on the search”
Pages 4 and 5: “McCanns vow to keep up search for Madeleine and leave…NO STONE UNTURNED.”
Under the table, out of sight of cameras, her hand trembled as she gripped her husband’s, fighting to keep her emotions in check.
What of Robert Murat, the one the Mirror’s Lori Campbell introduced to the police?
Mr Murat spoke of his joy at being cleared but said he too now wanted the focus to be on finding her. The dad of one, 34, said: “It’s a good feeling but doesn’t take away from the fact there is still a child missing, which is very sad. I was dragged into this because of Madeleine’s disappearance so I would like to know what happened.”
FIONA PHILLIPS: “Let’s hope that they find peace one day”
Any human being with a heart will have felt the same as me - that Kate and Gerry McCann should never have been suspects at all.
If you don’t agree with Phillips then you are heartless, something less than human. Hey, you might not even be a parent:
They are an ordinary family who have lost their daughter and, as a parent, my heart goes out to them…
But as a parent, I know exactly what it’s like to go on a family holiday and be lulled into a sense of security.
DAILY MAIL: “McCanns’ fury - and despair - at Portuguese police as they are finally cleared”
Glasgow-born Mr McCann and his wife, both 40, had not ruled taking legal action against the Portuguese authorities for the way they have been treated.
The dodgy DNA evidence that lead to the McCanns being made suspects
Detectives apparently believed that scientists found Madeleine’s DNA and blood in the apartment and in the McCanns’ hire car, which they did not rent until 25 days after her disappearance.
Armed with that ‘evidence’ and the knowledge that dogs supposedly found the ’scent of death’ on Mrs McCann’s clothes, they decided to name the couple as suspects.
But the final report from the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham several weeks later said that the DNA evidence in the case was inconclusive, and did not support the police’s theory.
The forensic evidence which led to Kate and Gerry McCann being named as suspects was misunderstood by Portuguese police, it was claimed yesterday.
Detectives wrongly believed the work of British experts supported their theory that Madeleine had died in her parents’ rented holiday apartment, when in fact the DNA analysis was inconclusive, it was suggested.
The claims come from leaks from inside the Portuguese investigation, based on an initial British forensic report into the case.
THE SUN (front page): “MADDIE”
Pages 6 and 7: “COPS CLEAR ‘ARGUIDO’ HELL PARENTS”
The couple have fought long and hard to gain access to the documents, which could be available as early as the end of this week for a period of 20 days only.
After the 20-day term, the world’s media will then have the right to apply to view them.
FERGUS SHANAHAN: “TIME TO GIVE KATE A BREAK”
“Having consistently spoken up for Kate and Gerry McCann, I can welcome the official clearing of their names over Maddie without being called a hypocrite”
That’s the important thing. What of Robert Murat, also cleared? Nothing. Not a word.
DAILY EXPRESS (front page): “MADELEINE – Now Kate will see police files at last”
Great news. Now the Express can start featuring our Maddy on its front page again.
THE TIMES: “Kate and Gerry McCann cleared over Madeleine disappearance”
Remember those bungling Portuguese cops?
According to reports yesterday, one key error that led to the McCanns being declared suspects was made by Britain’s own Forensic Science Service.
The report, apparently from the Portuguese authorities and which was leaked to the London Evening Standard newspaper, states that the Policia Judiciaria, Portugal’s criminal investigation department, was told that DNA evidence found in the couple’s hire car, on the window sill of their holiday apartment and in the car park of the apartment complex, belonged to Madeleine.
The document claims that it was given categorically as her DNA and as a result the McCanns were questioned and later made suspects. But, one month later, the forensic service wrote another report saying that it could not be sure that those findings were correct.
THE INDEPENDENT: “Pandora: ‘You can imagine how I felt’ - Max Clifford”
Henry Deedes reads the Anorak.
McCanns finally cleared of blame over daughter’s disappearance
Goncalo Amaral, the detective in charge of the initial inquiry who was removed from the case, will publish a book this week making clear his belief that Madeleine died in her parents’ apartment on the night of her disappearance.
THE GUARDIAN: “Case closed: no leads, no suspects but, say McCanns, the hunt for Madeleine goes on”
“We welcome the news today, although it’s no cause for celebration,” Kate McCann said at a press conference last night.
DAILY TELEGRAPH (front page): “Case closed, but parents’ hunt goes on”
THE HERALD: “McCanns’ anguish: police should be in the dock”
Shame on the Portuguese police force. It emerges from the investigation of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance with its credibility in tatters. Where to begin? It has failed to find Madeleine or even to establish whether she is alive or dead, yet it has shelved her case.
It’s “COLETTE DOUGLAS HOME”. Yeah, those bungling Portuguese plods need to be punished. They’re not like our British coppers. Not like the Forensic Science Service…
Madeleine McCann: The news goes on…
Posted: 22nd, July 2008 | In: Broadsheets, Madeleine McCann, Tabloids Comments (590) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
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July 22nd, 2008 at 12:46 pm
coolandcalm
I have a little pink laptop. He’s very cute but I think I might need to get something that makes me look less fluffy if I’m going to get a real job one day.
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:43 pm
just_me
I keep coming back to the dogs, eddie and keela, they dont lie do they? And perhaps if there was more evidence of a break in or abduction, but there is none
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Noseycow….. I’ve just had my new Pc delivered…. a teeny ASUS eee that fits in the handbag! It is gorgeous though I don’t know how to work it yet. its got a different programme… !!
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Just_Me
As I said before - I just didn’t warm to McCanns as people and found the P.R. highly irritating (as well as very funny).
It’s up to a court of law to decide who did it (if anyone ever gets charged) and all the rest is twittering (which I love to do
).
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:39 pm
just_me Says:
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 pm
does anyone believe we have been fed rubbish for 15 months, and maybe the McCanns are really innocent (other than the neglect)?
i dont’ know know what to think anymore.
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:38 pm
“Barry George goes to prison for one piece of flimsy circumstantial evidence. The McCanns become wealthy celebrities for a hundred pieces of more substantial circumstantial evidence.
There are very disturbing forces at work here to cover all this up and there doesnt appear to be anything we can do about it.”
Literally what I was thinking and explaining to the wife, even with the Barry George example.
Radio 5 went into full McCann Sympathy mode, Victoria’s replacement was trying to lead a UK child protection expert into condemning the investigation, he kept saying how they were found “innocent”, and shouldn’t they get compensation, which is complete tosh, anyway, they had a phone in about it, but mysteriously enough no calls from the public were taken, or messages read out, apart from two saying that they shouldn’t get any compensation. Instead we returned to the much less “newsworthy” debating point about is Scottish and NIrish funny money legal tender.
This implies to me that like the last time the reaction was negative.
I think the not helping out with the reconstruction and the alleged demands was what made the tide turn somewhat.
The UK public started off wanting to believe them, like with Tony Blair and Gordo, but in the end the UK public only give so much.
They invited the publicity, they rather obviously courted it all, and in that process enough damage was also done to them.
There is no getting around the neglect, or the Cadaver and Blood dog evidence (both coinciding only in one place, the Living Room, this is taken as proof of death and location in most police forces), or the obstruction of justice, hence no charges being a really baffling result, unless you put your cynical hat on.
Hopefully one of the group will crack (some kind of conscience kicking in perhaps) and give new evidence, causing the case to be opened again and charges bought, this was nearly achieved last April, it seems.
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:35 pm
m.e.
Well put!
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
sam Says:
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:16 pm
chenier Says:
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:10 pm
‘So the Metodo 3 gameplan no longer works, and I don’t think they have anything to put in its place…’
——–
otoh if they really did harm their daughter, having the police investigation closed is one way out of it for them ,which is not good.
=========
In the end it comes back to personal responsibility for one’s own actions; a thought which does not appear to have registered on the McCann mindset.
Short of retrospective legislation being introduced in Portugal it seems that there is no way to charge them under Portuguese law.
Retrospective legislation endangers everyone’s civil liberties; I would never argue for it in any case.
The McCanns’ position is that they were too stupid to realise that leaving small children alone is a high risk activity; that wouldn’t work in England, where stupidity is not a defence, but it does work in Portugal.
One of the reasons for the rabbit in the headlights look may be that the McCanns have been told that they cannot legally bar third parties from seeing the contents of the case files.
As far as I am aware the McCanns have never wanted public access to the police files; they wanted access to the police files for themselves.
That is very, very different…
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Just_Me
No.
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Yes, just_me, the thought is at the back of my mind.
But as I said a bit earlier, their actions in the coming few weeks are going to tell a lot!
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 pm
does anyone believe we have been fed rubbish for 15 months, and maybe the McCanns are really innocent (other than the neglect)?
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:16 pm
chenier Says:
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:10 pm
‘So the Metodo 3 gameplan no longer works, and I don’t think they have anything to put in its place…’
otoh if they really did harm their daughter, having the police investigation closed is one way out of it for them ,which is not good.
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:10 pm
sam Says:
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:47 am
chenier Says:
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:44 am
‘Beware what you ask for; you may get it…’
what ? not sure what that means, nevermind., they do though, they look like they did not expect that outcome.
——————————————-
It’s an old saying, sam, about thinking before you act.
I suspect that in some hazy way the McCanns thought that they could carry on as before, slagging any and all off, whilst the PJ continued to follow up each and every ‘lead’ no matter how silly, with the added bonus of no longer being arguidos, so they could be the fragrant duo for evermore.
But that isn’t the way it works in real life, and they are now required, as JJ has noted, to put their money where their mouth is.
They are also required to think long and hard about attempting to finger anyone since the libel courts are ready and waiting, and whilst the previous settlements have been small change, a newspaper repeating those libels would be in deep doodah.
And then there’s the possible breach of privacy suits, with punitive damages.
So the Metodo 3 gameplan no longer works, and I don’t think they have anything to put in its place…
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:09 pm
m.e. Says:
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:01 pm
‘There are very disturbing forces at work here to cover all this up and there doesnt appear to be anything we can do about it.’
i think all is not as it seems. for instance amarals book, it’s been publicised as being published very soon, and this was before yesterdays announcement. one wonders if he knew what the decision would be as he can not publish until the secrecy has been lifted according to his own statements.
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
“Goncalo Amaral, the detective in charge of the initial inquiry who was removed from the case, will publish a book this week making clear his belief that Madeleine died in her parents’ apartment on the night of her disappearance.”
oh well at least there is something for the anorakians (small ‘a’) to spew their bile on and they can throw a few quid towards their ‘hero’ amaral.
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:04 pm
June, do you really think that people are going to be looking at them to find their daughter? I doubt it to be honest.
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Haven’t been on for about 6 months. My last post just said ‘file under whitewash’.. I dont think I’ll ever believe anything the media or government ever tell me again. I remember the day it happened and the disturbing thoughts I had when I first saw the parents reaction on tv. Nothing has changed my mind, merely enhanced it considerably at every turn.
If a child goes missing in such circumstances then its almost certain that the rationale is paedophilia. And if there was no abduction that makes it very disturbing because it doesn’t alter the rationale one iota.
Barry George goes to prison for one piece of flimsy circumstantial evidence. The McCanns become wealthy celebrities for a hundred pieces of more substantial circumstantial evidence.
There are very disturbing forces at work here to cover all this up and there doesnt appear to be anything we can do about it.
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:01 pm
JuneJohnson Says:
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:55 am
makes sense, yes, i hadn’t thought of that. they do looked a bit shocked. well they do have some fund left. clarence is probably too expensive now though. is that too cynical ?, i dunno.
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Julie, it is only a game
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:58 am
“He said: “We don’t have any immediate plans to return to Portugal at the moment.
“Obviously we want to digest the statement and also to get access to the files to see what can still be do”
So…. they have “plans to go back then”?….. even if not in the immediate future?
To digest the statement,to see what can still be do? about wot? suing the PJ?what is really there and you”re s……yourself with?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/madeleinemccann/2443959/Madeleine-McCann-Kate-and-Gerry-could-sue-Portuguese-police.html
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:58 am
Time for some eats.
Good sleuthing !!!!
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:57 am
Matt, my worst ever cricket moment was in the ‘99 world cup semi-final (SA vs Aus).
Donald and Klusener were batting (last men in) - we needed to win the game outright to advance to the final - scores were level at this stage with four balls to go - we needed ONE damn run to get through to the final!
Fourth last ball bowled …. Donald almost gets stumped …. third last ball …. Klusener whacks it, calls the run - Donald is watching the ball and doesn’t hear the call - Klusener meets up with him at the bowler’s end
- Donald LOSES his bat 
then starts running - TOO LATE - stumped at the batsman’s end before he could get halfway down 
I think I was in mourning for six months after that ……………..
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:55 am
Noseycow Says:
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:51 am
Under the Dell…..plenty of room.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:55 am
sam
I just wonder if the McC realise now that they have been focussing on the wrong thing?
Lifting the arguido status is peanuts really, as it still won’t produce Madeleine,and NOW they have to put their money where their mouths are, and go and find her themselves. I think the shock of it all as full reality hit them is what we saw last night
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:51 am
Matt
But then where would I go?
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:50 am
Nosey, just password protect and go to bed!
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:49 am
Brandon, Hyde Park, 3rd bench on east side of Serpentine. I’ll be there!
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:47 am
chenier Says:
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:44 am
‘Beware what you ask for; you may get it…’
what ? not sure what that means, nevermind., they do though, they look like they did not expect that outcome.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:46 am
Noseycow Says:
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:44 am
Hide it in the Laundry basket.
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:44 am
sam Says:
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:36 am
good morning all,
what rotten news, poor maddie.
looking at the video i think they look like they’ve just escaped the hangman.
————————————-
Beware what you ask for; you may get it…