Madeleine McCann: The Tabloid Dog Pack, Kate McCann’s Diary And Shannon Matthews
MADDIE WATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann, Kate McCann, Gerry McCann and Robert Murat
PRESS GAZETTE: “Furious lawyer attacks tabloids’ ‘pack-dog’ mentality over stories”
Read all about it in the Star, Sun, Mirror etc.
Louis Charalambous represented Robert Murat in his libel action against eleven tabloid newspapers. Two other claimants in the same case, Sergey Malinka and Michaela Walczuch, were awarded apologies and a “substantial six-figure settlement”.
Charalambous tells the Press Gazette:
“Having to capitulate, apologise and pay up is not the end of it. The trust in those titles ebbs away among their combined readership of 15 million. In particular, readers of The Sun, Mirror, Express and Star were told lie after lie about my clients. It brings into question how much more of their paper’s news coverage they can rely on…
“There was a pack-dog mentality here and my clients and their families were the prey. The children of Robert and Michaela, little girls, one not much older than Madeleine, were hounded and had to go in and out of their homes with coats over their heads.
“I’d like to invite the editors of the worst of these titles to have tea and cake with them and explain why they let their journalists and photographers harass them. They are now recovering but the effects are long-lasting.”
Tea with lawyers? Take care. Bring a tape recorder and a copy of the invitation. Leave wallet at home. But what about the story, the single-thread story? What about our Maddy?
“Journalistically this was a story without legs: child goes missing, no idea of her fate and foreign coppers not leaking to their trusted hacks in the time-honoured way. Reporters then developed lines of the story and ‘creatively’ adopted the rubbish coming out of the Portuguese tabloid press.”
Case closed. What what about Murat?
Max Clifford, no longer representing Murat, says:
“If you think that the McCanns got £500,000 from one newspaper group, he went after 11 newspapers – and they were far more vicious to him than they were to the McCanns.”
Maybe Murat wasn’t after the money, just closure? Maybe the papers got of lightly?
“If you want people to believe you are innocent you can forget about it. He and his family are going to have to live with this for the rest of their lives.”
So says a professional PR not in the least bit bitter about being dropped by Murat.
THE SUN: “Kate’s Maddie diaries leaked”
EXCERPTS from Kate McCann’s diary covering the first agonising weeks after daughter Maddie vanished have emerged.
Did you see them? In case you didn’t, here they are:
They show that the desperate mum left messages asking PM Gordon Brown to “increase political pressure” to aid the search. After he phoned 40-year-old Kate and husband Gerry, she noted that Mr Brown was “nice and supportive” — but that she “felt a bit emotional after”.
DAILY MIRROR: “Kate and Gerry McCann: Portuguese cops’ hunt for Maddie ‘pathetic’”
Portuguese police knocked on just 443 doors in the failed hunt for missing Madeleine McCann.
That a lot?
There are 7,000 homes in Praia da Luz…
No door unknocked…
In stark contrast, British police probing the disappearance of Shannon Matthews earlier this year knocked on 5,000 doors and searched 2,000 houses. Nine-year-old Shannon was found in 24 days, whereas Portuguese police have stopped looking for Madeleine after 14 months.
But the police door knocking wasn’t what found Shannon Matthews. The rozzers responded to a tip off from a neighbour of one Paul Donovan.
Also, Shannon Matthews’ mother, Karen Matthews, is under arrest for her alleged part in her daughters’ disappearance. Kate McCann is innocent. So what do the two matters have in common? Or is this Tabloid Bingo?
A friend of the McCanns said: “The 443 doors would barely cover 500 yards from the apartment where Madeleine was taken. That is shocking and unacceptable.”
Is it?
Posted: 28th, July 2008 | In: Broadsheets, Madeleine McCann, Tabloids Comments (325) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
- Anorak on X Factor: Hairy Jordans Jedward To Star On I’m A Celebrity And Coronation Street
- Paul Wainwright on The Pirelli 2010 Calendar In Artful Nudity (NSFW)
- yampster on X Factor: Hairy Jordans Jedward To Star On I’m A Celebrity And Coronation Street
- Katie Norman on I’m A Celebrity Watch: Katie Price Is More Hated Than Baby P’s Mum
- percy stilton on Susan Boyle: World Divided Over SuBo And Lady Susan
July 29th, 2008 at 2:02 am
so it was kate who fingered murat allegedly
shes not exactly the shrinking violet she would like the old public to think is she?
no wonder gerry punished her IMO in the last announcement
July 29th, 2008 at 1:55 am
Ducan,
Loved your story.Very funny and very well told.
July 29th, 2008 at 1:47 am
Chenir
“Whilst I am fascinated by your list neither I, nor the offspring, have the faintest idea what ‘chaperone-clinical’ means.
Do satisfy our curiosity, please.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaperone_(clinical)
But please also note that your list does seem a very long way out of date; try this rather more modern description of what medical training is all about:”
The source was Wikipedia, so your offspring is fully entitled to edit the entry and update it with what she thinks more accurately reflects the subject matter currently taught in a modern school of medicine.
“developed from a traditional discipline-based design to a fully integrated and outcomes based course that bridges the pre-clinical and clinical divide.’”
You crack me up Chenier - outcomes based! - educationalist gobbledyspeak.
You can go and see a physician taught the new fangled way - I still think that has to be a joke - if you wish, I would rather see one taught the subjects I listed.
I can’t be bothered addressing the rest of your reply at this time of night, I leave it to others to judge how well you argued the other points.
The one about Dr’s knowing about crime scene practices because they routinely assault their patients was a doozy though
NIght all
July 29th, 2008 at 1:47 am
Annie,
C’mon, you read the book too! How do I know because I used the skin quote and you used the never know a man til you walk a mile in his shoes quote. You are a Harper Lee fan too. Admit it. Anyway to my knowledge she did have experience of a siuation, not a situation that was of her making that she felt compelled to write about. I am not aware of her guilt ,just her feelings of sorrow that it existed.
I have never experienced a child abduction or whatever, but I certainly have had a heart stopping experience when my child “disappeared” in a department store. I was like a lunatic running hither and thither grabbing assistants, asking for a description of her to be announced asking for doors to be closed, while she observed the whole pantomine from under a clothes rail. When she was found she thought it was a great joke, but I will never forget that feeling.Others have not been so lucky.
July 29th, 2008 at 1:45 am
Night everyone.
Sleep calls.
July 29th, 2008 at 1:40 am
BF
As you might expect from a nun, I’ve been to loads of Irish do’s!
Sometimes even keep my habit on…..!
You often find translations??? Where?? There’s one in the Expresso I want to read in full. It’s the opinion section, written by Henrique Monteiro, editor. Any ideas apart from Google translate which is rubbish?
July 29th, 2008 at 1:38 am
Nite everyone!!
July 29th, 2008 at 1:35 am
Melanie Says:
July 28th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Brandon, they are three assumptions I guess. Are you going to set up a 3As site?
——————————-
I assume you have never been to an irish do?
my assumptions of the scenario will be quite commonplace
July 29th, 2008 at 1:30 am
Nite Chenier - they didnt last night!!
July 29th, 2008 at 1:28 am
Hi, Annie
Sorry I have to say hello and goodnight in the same sentence, but I need to get some sleep.
Hope the cards fall in the right direction…
July 29th, 2008 at 1:22 am
Oh cummon stig - nice quotes!! We can all google a quote to fit a situation, and OK walking in someones shoes is never nice (particularly if they got that fungal nail desease that according to the numerous TV ads seems to have beseiged the country) ok - its right that people in glass houses should not throw stones, but PLEASE - looking into the archives and quoting a screed of more rightious than thou scribes is futile. In my opinion anyone who can write so eloquently about a situation has to have the guilt of being there - and is trying to win favour by being a critic in their words. My favourite quote - When the shit hits the fan, catch it in you hat, and keep it under it - that way nobody will get a whif of what is going on
July 29th, 2008 at 1:15 am
June - dont send her your wine and whiskey bills - send her to GET your wine and whiskey - tell her that the past has caught up with you and the trauma of going to a shop is just too much - then sue!! You never know, you could be awarded half of her pension for life. then she could claim deminished responsibility - sign up for incapacity benefit - claim that you need a whiskey voucher to steady your nerves - and what do you know - you will be well and truly on the British band wagon !! lol
July 29th, 2008 at 1:13 am
Elena
Nice quotes and very appropriate.
July 29th, 2008 at 1:11 am
Here’s the last bit of the (short) article translated by Professor Google!
“The rule of law based on evidence, beyond doubt. The idea that innocence prevails over the blame - when there is no evidence to the contrary - separates civilization from barbarism.
Unfortunately, we have between us remains of barbarism. Until very little headed the PJ of Portimao. I hope that was the last.’
—————————————————————————————————–
I presume “until very little” means “until a little while ago” or “until recently” and the sentence seems to mean that this “barbarism” (Amaral) headed the Portimao PJ until recently. Monteiro hopes he will be the “the last” (the last example?) of this.
“between” and “among” are often interchangeable.
I suppose “remains of barbarism” is akin to “the remnants of barbarism”.
Does “Goncalo” translate as Richard??? Prof Google calls him Richard Amaral throughout!
I haven’t read any other commentary but c and c and Rasputin seemed to think there’s been a negative reaction in Portugal from some important quarters. No more than one would expect given the number of people and institutions he blames and criticises, including “Her Majesty’s Government for pressurising and the Portuguese Government for letting itself be pressurised.” (Monteiro + Maria + Professor Google)
Only another newspaper but Henrique Monteiro and Expresso are well-respected, I understand, in contrast to “24 whores”, to quote Stiggy!
July 29th, 2008 at 1:05 am
Maria
No I haven’t, I don’t speak Portuguese. I think Gandolf claimed such an ability.
July 29th, 2008 at 1:04 am
Garth Says:
July 29th, 2008 at 12:51 am
henier Says:
July 29th, 2008 at 12:45 am
But praising, or criticising, the McCanns isn’t what matters.
What matters is a small child who disappeared well over a year ago, and the other children who have suffered as a result…
————–
You are the one criticising. Im certainly not praising them.
We are debating. That will not help the Madeleine or any other children who’ve suffered.
—————————————
No.
But it might help children in times to come.
That is the function of debate in a civilised society; this isn’t Athens where war could be decided by the citizens’ vote standing in the market square. Our pols declare war on our behalf and then ask us to approve it retrospectively by voting for them at the next general election.
All we can do is argue about how we might be able to change things for the better; I don’t think that children will be helped by moral panic legislation, and that is what we are being asked to sign up to.
So I oppose it, but you are right in saying that the hours we spend arguing with each other will not help Madeleine, or the children of Robert Murat or Michaela Walczuch.
But what else can we do?
July 29th, 2008 at 12:56 am
jo Says:
July 28th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Duncan,
“Anyway that won’t happen tonight because I have to go and I am already late”
*****
jajajajaja Dun-caaaaan !! wot is NOT happening tonight? jajajaja
———————————————————————————
Jo behave! I am a respectable married woman…well a married woman anyway.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:51 am
henier Says:
July 29th, 2008 at 12:45 am
But praising, or criticising, the McCanns isn’t what matters.
What matters is a small child who disappeared well over a year ago, and the other children who have suffered as a result…
————–
You are the one criticising. Im certainly not praising them.
We are debating. That will not help the Madeleine or any other children who’ve suffered.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:50 am
The Real Stig Said:
July 28th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Elena
“I guess whatever your training, if your child went missing the last thing you would think of would be preserving a crime scene. I would imagine you would run through the place,pull it apart shouting the child’s name and scream for help from those nearby who in turn would, in shock and disbelief run through the place,pull it apart, shouting the child’s name until somebody got their head together and rang the police.”
Spot on. Oh for a modicum of empathy and imagination!
Now I’m not looking for absolution,
Or forgiveness for the things I do.
But before we come to any conclusions,
Try walking in my shoes.
Try walking in my shoes.
You’ll stumble in my footsteps.
Keep the same appointments I’ve kept.
If you try walking in my shoes.
If you try walking in my shoes.
Morality would frown upon,
And decency look down upon,
The scapegoat fate’s made of me.
But I’ll tell you now, my judge and jurors.
Intentions couldn’t have been purer.
My case is easy to see.
I’m not looking for a clearer conscience.
Peace of mind after what I’ve been through.
But before we talk of any repentance,
Try walking in my shoes.
Try walking in my shoes.
—————————————————————————————–
A good one!
Now how about these two. I love tis novel.
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”
and
“They’re certainly entitled to think that, and they’re entitled to full respect for their opinions… but before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience. ” ~Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, spoken by Atticus
————————————————————————–
July 29th, 2008 at 12:45 am
Garth Says:
July 29th, 2008 at 12:36 am
Chenier Chenier
This is not about professions. Its about normal peoples reactions in times of panic. Rational thinking does not come into it.
The McCanns actions were what you would expect given the circumstances. But of course, you would know better.
————————————-
We are back to personal perceptions, again.
You think it was normal behaviour, even for a highly trained professional accustomed to situations of extreme stress, to run around like a headless chicken.
I don’t.
As Karen has pointed out, they were not so far gone that they omitted to think about publicity.
But praising, or criticising, the McCanns isn’t what matters.
What matters is a small child who disappeared well over a year ago, and the other children who have suffered as a result…
July 29th, 2008 at 12:39 am
Karen
Im not going to bottle feed you tonight!
July 29th, 2008 at 12:36 am
June - What on earth was your mother or grandparent thinking of to let you, a five year old go to a shop alone - one that demanded you to turn corners (must have, if you took the wrong turn on the way back) If I were you I would sue whoever let you go, even though it may have been many years ago - you have suffered trauma since then and the need for psychiatric nursing is probably only days away !!! Sue now or forever hold your peace!!
**************
Annie, she didn’t let me out of her sight after that, bit embarrassing at 22 and you want to go on honeymoon……
Compromise over suing, I’ll send her my wine and whisky bills
July 29th, 2008 at 12:36 am
Chenier Chenier
This is not about professions. Its about normal peoples reactions in times of panic. Rational thinking does not come into it.
The McCanns actions were what you would expect given the circumstances. But of course, you would know better.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:30 am
M and A
OK. But I can only do that if I find an “official” one on the net. If my friend does it, I shall keep it to myself.
My own snippets this evening have only come from google translation (!!!) and my own guesses.
Mccannfiles might. They have sometimes shown both sides. I’ll look again tomorrow.
Anyway, the overall thrust is absolutely clear.
m and A
its likely someone may post it overnight, or a link to it. But I don’t think Jo speaks Portuguese anyway
July 29th, 2008 at 12:30 am
Kate and Gerry were rational enough to phone GMTV… so they weren’t in a blind panic - they were already thinking about publicity in Britain.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:28 am
Garth Says:
July 29th, 2008 at 12:20 am
Chenier
You bring a smile to my face every time you try to wriggle your way out of some of your daft comments.
Be brave, accept it was a just plain stupid. I promise not to laugh.
—————————-
Fibber.
Let’s put it like this; I know rather a lot of medics.
They take the whole image of the profession thing very seriously.
And in that department the best the McCanns can hope for is rolling eyeballs.
The worst is not nearly as kind as I am…
July 29th, 2008 at 12:26 am
****************************
“And as I noted in the part of my post which you omitted, there is no conceivable justification for a doctor not to be aware that leaving small children alone with no-one to care for them is very dangerous; as the Cemach report ‘Why Children Die’ notes:
‘A critical lapse in parental supervision was a recurrent feature in accidental and traumatic child death in the younger age groups.’
Which is why responsible adults don’t leave small children with no-one to care for them.”
This has nothing to do with Doctors being specially trained or equipped to deal rationally with a crime scene involving a family member. It is irrelevant.
*********************
Actually, it seems very relevant. Had they not left their small children with no-one to care for them there would have been no crime scene…
==========
Should you not have put ” Had they (the doctors) not left ……….. etc
We could quite easily miss the relevance of your point! Or maybe understand the irrelevance.
M and A
garfy I cannot do double negatives this time of night
July 29th, 2008 at 12:24 am
I have a Portuguese friend who might translate the whole article tomorrow if she’s available. Hope someone does so in the meantime, though.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:20 am
Chenier
You bring a smile to my face every time you try to wriggle your way out of some of your daft comments.
Be brave, accept it was a just plain stupid. I promise not to laugh.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:18 am
The Sun is publishing that some things of the files are leaking from the police to a Portuguese news paper.
I don’t think so, I am nearly sure this is not the case.
I think the Correio da Manhã is publishing parts of Amaral’s book, which are based on the files.
After being shelved, the investigations results are not a secret anylonger.
By now, they must be in the hands of the lawyers.