James Gorrod Is Today’s Madeleine McCann ‘Suspect’
THERE is no little skill in making something look easy. We speak, of course, of the Express’s editor who leads with the quotidian headline “MADELEINE”.
Easy enough to do, you say. But the Sun often can only manage “Maddy”, the Mirror “Maddie”.
And the editor still has to think of a reason for the headline being there at the expense of other news stories, like “Ziggy’s secret sex pics” (Star), “heroin addict Amy in rehab” (Mirror) and “True hero” (Sun), the story of father-of-three Garry Newlove, beaten to death on his doorstep by a gang of yobs.
As the Express’s TV advert says, the paper’s readers stand for good manners, traditional values and do not stand in the way of progress.
Madeleine on the cover smacks of tradition. Good manners, indeed, in allowing lawyer James Gorrod to defend himself. This is progress.
Today’s speculation
Gorrod rented a blue Opel Corsa in Portugal five says before Madeleine McCann went missing. He returned the car on May 6. Staff at the rental centre were shocked to see that the car was fitted with a child seat. They believed Gorrod was travelling alone.
They called the police.
Says Gorrod: “A British police officer directly liaising with the Portuguese investigation team recently contacted me to eliminate the vehicle I hired with my wife and two-year-son in Praia da Luz at the same time Madeleine McCann disappeared. The vehicle has been identified and I have been told by the British police officer that he has no plans to interview me or my family, and he does not expect me or my family to have any further involvement in the investigation. We are, of course, deeply saddened by Madeleine’s disappearance and hope for her safe return.”
That’s that, then. But the Express wants us to know that it has been “discovered” that Mr Gorrod has “close links” with friends who were on holiday with Kate and Gerry McCann.
“British lawyer quizzed by Madeleine police on the ‘Exeter connection’,” says the Express.
The Gorrods live in Exeter, Devon, close to Dr Russell O’Brien and Jane Tanner, witnesses in the investigation who have pointed the finger at Robert Murat. The Gorrods are believed to have been staying in the same resort as their friends and the McCanns.
The Express reminds us that Robert Murat was in Exeter 10 days before Madeleine vanished.
And… And nothing. That’s it. The paper invites readers to draw their own conclusions.
And start again tomorrow…
Posted: 14th, August 2007 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (71) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
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September 7th, 2007 at 7:06 am
Please leave this little angel in a safe place
September 7th, 2007 at 7:04 am
It is so sad for Madeleine’s disappearance. I don’t expect that whoever snatched her should have killed her according to the DNA. If really really somebody killed this young little girl, then you are just a nut. There is no way you can twist this little girl around with any reasons and thereafter kill. Please if you have this girl anywhere, surrender her immediately than antogonising her parents and the whole world!!
August 19th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Pat - this thread seems to have died. There’s been nobody else on here but you and me for the last few days. I’ve moved on to the later forums. See you there!!
August 17th, 2007 at 9:09 am
Pat - my understanding is that the Cracker team are child protection experts, and have specialised knowledge in investigating these type of missing children cases, which the Portuguese do not - hence the reason they were invited over by the PJ.
You ask why would they go to Portugal unless the help was what the family wanted. That makes it sound as if it is the McCanns running the investigation, and deciding which police would be involved. I think not!! Another poster made the point that the McCanns are NOT entitled to know about everything the PJ/British police are doing, or to know exactly what line of investigation they are following. There seems to be this misconception that the PJ or Brit police dare not do or say anything without first consulting the McCanns!!!
I haven’t been following the Von Aesch case and his connection to the missing Swiss girl Ylenia, or his possible connection to Madeleine. You will have more info on that than I do. I know that Ylenia, and all the other missing kids, are just as important as Madeleine, but it is just the Madeleine case that I have been following in the news and on the forums. I am confining myself to that, because trying to follow everything else would just take too much time!! Like everyone else on these forums I have become engrossed in all the twists and turns of the Madeleine case.
You asked about my hours - well I am self employed working from home, so I find myself popping in and out of the forums at all sorts of odd times! Have a very busy day today though, so probably won’t be on here again today. Will try to catch up over the weekend.
August 17th, 2007 at 1:59 am
Response to Paul
It does make sense that the McCann party wouldn’t mind taking lie detector tests, as someone posted earlier suggesting, to rule out the Portugal leaks?
Why is it that the Cracker team went to Portugal unless the help was what the family wanted? Why would so called anti thinkers figure the McCanns would want to bring in more police if they were in some way responsible?
Oh, is there anymore news about Mr. Von Aeush? What type of work did he do? I will try to search his name. So much of the information about the swiss girl is very strange too.
What are your hours?
August 16th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Pat - the “news” about Madeleine (not news really, just more speculation, finger-pointing at the PJ etc.) continues to be in the papers, and on TV. There are a lot of forums, some hosted by the papers, some independent like Anorak, and so on. The opinion on most of the forums has noticeably hardened against the McCanns these last couple of weeks. Anorak used to be about 50/50 pro/anti McCann - now it seems about 90/10 anti!
It’s been reported that RM will likely be formally cleared, or “un-arguido’d” if you like, by a judge next week.
I think you were referring to the UK “Cracker” team? (nicknamed after one of our TV series). Don’t think they’ve left Portugal yet, and I think they will be there for some considerable time. I haven’t read much about them lately. I don’t think we will hear much about them, they are just doing their job in the background, and it is the PJ that are making the public statements (such as they are, lol)
You asked about Kate McCann saying they may leave Portugal.
She said “We know we will be going back and I guess one day we will wake up and it will be right.
“We never thought we would go before Madeleine came back. Now we just don’t know but we have our two-year-old twins to consider.
“I can’t imagine how we came out as a family of five and could be going back as a four.”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=475699&in_page_id=1770
August 16th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
So how did Gerrod take to being considered? Is it true that he got a note under his door about the abduction, helped with the search, and then a rental lady thought it odd he asked for a babyseat? If he is clear now then there really is no stone unturned.
Yes Paul a lot of smearing and what could leave innocent uninvolved people feeling violated in one way or another, such as Mr. Gerrod possibly.
In the UK is the news about Madeleine mostly papers and television but not much live chat or forums, such as this?
Also, true there is little info about RM these days. I don’t know if that is because there is nothing new to tell or concern that he will sue.
Have the UK Chopper? team is that the correct name? left the Algarve?
August 16th, 2007 at 8:10 am
Correction to my last post. Sousa, speaking to a Portuguese TV station, has now confirmed that the scent of a body was definitely found by the dog in the apartment. He has also said that, despite the blood not being Madeleine’s, the PJ remain convinced that she died in the apartment on the night of her disappearance. He said that the blood in itself was never the main reason that the PJ formed this opinion. Another police spokesman has said that there is a mass of forensic evidence that has been collected from the scene which has contributed to the theory of Madeleine’s death. He said never has so much evidence been collected from a crime scene in Portugal as has been collected in this case.
If Madeleine did in fact die on that fateful night, then everybody should stop referring to her as a four year old. The poor little mite never reached her fourth birthday.
August 15th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
You are correct Rosemary - the dogs are certainly not infallible. Also, we don’t know how reliable the sources are that leaked to the Portuguese press the information about the cadaver scent being found in the apartment. It could be somebody in the PJ with their own agenda, or it could simply be a story made up by elements of the Portuguese press, which has now been so widely reported everywhere else that people believe that it is absolute fact. The PJ consistently refuse to confirm or deny anything that is being reported. We are told that Inspector Sousa has told the McCanns that they and their friends are not suspects, but then if the PJ think that they could have something to do with it, they might just be trying to lull them into a false sense of security? Sounds a bit too Columbo though!
Nobody has mentioned RM for such a long time, and he will no doubt be very relieved by that! I always felt that he was the victim of sensation-seeking British tabloid journalists and that it would be proved that he had nothing to do with it. Of course, if the case is not solved and he is not completely cleared, he will have to live with the stigma and the pointing fingers and the press speculation for some time - I wouldn’t necessarily say for the rest of his life though. He is only 33, and after a time, maybe when he has moved on and started a new life, people will have forgotten about his alleged involvement. Life will have moved on. However, it is criminal that he has had his whole life turned upside down and has had to suffer the outrageous slurs on his character by the British press. If he is finally cleared, I hope he sues them and gets a lot of money. Then he can move on and start a new life. What a nightmare for him it has been.
So much speculation about this case, false leads, apparently false sightings, mis-reporting by the press, endless allegations, smearing of reputations - the McCanns, RM, the PJ, the McCann’s friends, and none of it helps solve anything.
All any of us really KNOW, is that we really KNOW nothing!!
August 15th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
In reply to Paul, thanks for the link and yes, I’ve read a little about cadaver spaniels, but unless the dog can speak for itself, I’m afraid I have my doubts, especially when there are many, many cases where sniffer dogs pick up no scent at all - right after the event. Not exactly reliable. There was not enough time to detect such a scent in this case, I believe.
August 15th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
“I don’t believe, either, that sniffer dogs can tell whether blood comes from a dead person or not.”
Rosemary - I’m not sure about dogs being able to detect whether blood comes from a living or dead person, but are you aware of the British cadaver dog who has apparently picked up the scent of a corpse in the McCann’s apartment?
Cadaver dogs are very special sniffer dogs, who are trained to detect whether a corpse has been in a particular location. In order for the dogs to pick up the scent of a corpse, the person has to have been dead for at least two hours, because before that the scent of the dead person would be the same to the dog as the scent of a living person.
The British cadaver dog they have used in the apartment is a cocker spaniel named Eddie. He is reputed to be the best Cadaver dog there is - I read somewhere that he earns £500 a day. The other dog that has been used is also British and her function is to detect blood. It has been claimed that she can detect blood residues that have been in a location for up to 7 years, but that could be an exaggeration of course.
Forgive me if I am telling you something you already know, but I wasn’t quite sure exactly what you meant with your comment about dogs being able to detect whether blood comes from a dead person or not.
Here’s a link to an article which explains all about Cadaver dogs.
http://dogs.about.com/cs/searchandrescue/a/cadaver_dogs.htm
August 15th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Pat, it seems to me the people who want the McCanns to shut up and go home have something to cover up. There are known paedophile rings in Portugal, like anywhere else, and plenty of paedophiles are in positions of power and trust…they’re not sad loners, but are devious b*stards, prepared to lie through their teeth. People, police or others, are likely to be threatened, even killed for investigating….plently of evidence of this in the past.
As for Brian Ladd’s dreams, I really don’t know whether there’s sixth sense, but think Madeleine’s family need all the help and sympathy they can get.
Returning to the von Aesch story and the disappearance of Ylenia (in my mind there is no proof he kidnapped her, even if his DNA was on her belongings, (he could have been put in contact with her things by another), just as there is no proof he shot himself just because a gun was lying beside him in the forest), it is interesting that his wife returned to Benimantell after only a few days with him in Switzerland because her neighbours couldn’t look after her chickens any longer. Blick, the Swiss newspaper, suggests that would have given plenty of time to wipe incriminating information from his computer (currently being examined by police).
Benimantell is close to a reservoir, and the Algarve coast where Madeleine went missing is dotted with caves. In the 1980s two Swiss girls went missing and were eventually found in caves (disappearances now being linked to von Aesch - all reported earlier in the press). All deeply troubling.
“Was ist auf von Aeschs Computern?” (What is on von Aesch’s computer?) terrible translation, but my German’s useless:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/artikel69102&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DWas%2Bhat%2Bvon%2Baesch%2Bauf%2Bseinen%2Bcomputern%2Bversteckt%253F%2BBlick%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den
On DNA, I don’t think it is conclusive evidence of a crime, it can be stolen and transferred from one site to another. I don’t believe, either, that sniffer dogs can tell whether blood comes from a dead person or not. Perhaps one of our better-informed readers can explain how this is possible.
August 15th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Response to Rosemary If a situation is close to home more likely people can have a feeling , pick up some kind of vibes…
My arguement is if person walks in and sees a door open and leaves, two people see more light but overlook… that the same people able to ignore such as that will not have an understanding of people who would go into a higher alert state? The people who didn’t pick up or act on any vibes, for lack of better words, the night Madeleine went missing, although what they noticed made enough of an impression to remember later, are just as peculiar as anything people like Brian or others might be doing?
So right ,whoever made an earlier post at some point indicating too bad Brian or someone didn’t tell them something was up before it happened. After the fact the lesson learned here is the best help is to send money, look around, and don’t comment.
I’ll be back at least once because there is one missing piece in all of this. If someone wouldn’t have felt right with the nightly routine, would acted on the notice or the door open and more light, or later discuss and try figure what the deal is are anti something but I don’t know what?
All I can personally say is I wouldn’t want to change places with the McCanns but I seriously doubt they wanted something to happen to their child. Maybe agree to disagree and hope in the end the truth is known. For now I just weep like Stephanie at the thought of it all.
Just like Diana’s son said, he and his brother don’t know what happened. I believe him. Whether or not in the future more is known I don’t know.
Does anyone want to hear the dream I had last night? I am serious!
August 15th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Chopper, at first I picked 49, and thought, no….too obvious and changed to 37!
Why so predictable?
August 15th, 2007 at 11:20 am
Very little news on the von Aesch investigation - no new witness reports from Switzerland, where he was seen making a call from a phone box after Ylenia’s disappearance…a witness remarked it was unusual to see anyone making calls there these days (days of mobile phones, I presume). Witnesses also remarked (it has been reported in some papers) that von Aesch was clean shaven, minus the beard he had in published photos. He had been in Switzerland since June (too hot in Spain, near the Algarve?), supposedly looking for a flat to rent and return to Switzerland - even though he had recently bought more land in Benimantell. The search of his property there is complete, and the Swiss police await the formalities for evidence gathered there to be forwarded by their Spanish counterparts. The evidence includes “dozens of photographs of children, according to the Spanish press” states Le Matin today, “photos which were completely normal and not linked to paedophilia in any way”. His wife, Vreni, (I read in another link she used to be a primary school teacher, presumably in Switzerland), is due to be questioned again by Swiss investigators - see link “Ylenia:la police a bout de souffle”:
http://www.lematin.ch/pages/home/actu/suisse/actu_suisse__1?contenu=287427
I just hope the police searches of all suspected properties are really thorough. In the Marc Dutroux paedophile case I’ve read the police did not find the dungeons, built below the cellars, where the children were kept, for a long time, even though police thought they heard voices and had searched the cellars. Unbelievable. Another notorious paedophile he constructed dungeons with vertical vents to carry the scents away from dogs. Elizabeth Smart’s kidnapper in Utah broke into her bedroom and led her four miles up a mountain path behind her home where he kept her without food for a week in a makeshift campsite - no scent picked up by dogs, even though the trail was fresh and they went on foot. Blunders are not uncommon, it seems
August 15th, 2007 at 9:07 am
Sousbois - I am no expert on psychics etc but I suspect that the dreams are extremely vague and only make sense when linked with some facts which have actually happened.
If you look at Brian’s drawings they do seem to represent factual events or things but without these facts you would never guess what they are.
To remain objective, there are of course people who are extremely skilled at predicting probabilities, for example think of an odd number with 2 digits between 1 and 50.
We can read a lot of things into a very vague drawing if our minds want to, a bit like reading your stars the week after, they were true but in quite a mundane way, not as you would have possibly imagined before the week had started.
We will all generally meet someone new, have some kind of issue at work which needs resolving, might find something we thought was lost etc. Try reading all the starsigns the week after and they will all be true to you in some way.
Probabilities says that most people choose 37 by the way.
August 15th, 2007 at 8:55 am
[...] of Madeleine McCann, although it has cast shadows – yesterday we read of ‘suspect’ James Jerrod. A source “close” to Kate and Gerry McCann tells the Express: “They have had enough of all [...]
August 15th, 2007 at 5:03 am
Rosemary later I am too tired now but there is something about what you say that is important. I do think what you are suggesting is possible. I’ll be back morning to read the info at the link.
Just now I looked at Brian’s site. Only making this comment without having viewed the entire site, too tired, but once I read that Mr. McCann’s sister said there is no interest in that type of help… Help people if they want the help and if helping seems the thing to do.
Listen, think, talk are whatever is okay, which is being encouraged by a media campaign to begin with, so not much to complain about that. Brian’s site and experiences are interesting and there is a lot of traffic so a lot of information to share, etc. I will vist again after sleep. For Brian’s own purpose and other people who appreciate it is a good thing.
Information obtained from people help the police, including all kinds of various information I guess. I don’t really have a clue how often out of the ordinary helps.
August 15th, 2007 at 12:39 am
To all those who are sceptical of psychics, the father of murdered schoolgirl Holly Wells said he had visions of her in a bath before he knew how she had died: “He also tells of how he had repeated visions of Holly in an empty bath long before Huntley’s trial.
During the trial last year, Huntley said that Holly had drowned in his bath when he accidentally killed Jessica by covering her mouth to stop her from screaming.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3500126.stm
There is another link on the UK Psychics website.
August 15th, 2007 at 12:37 am
Paul, cross your fingers. An attic might be a good place in some respect… According to some, long story, you are in the future zone.
August 15th, 2007 at 12:29 am
Response to Paul
Well I’m not a Catholic either Pat, but even I know they use the rhythm method! What is Brian’s method - sounds like it might be fun.
Paul Brian only dreams about it.
August 14th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
Suddenly I had a thought about whether there is anything significant about a particular date. Who and how is the best person to ask that question? Who is informed about dates?
Susanne, no one in Portugal has bothered to check out Brian’s suggestions? I understand now. duh I am a ding bat ok? LOL
Are you making fun of Brian or serious? Sousbois, I can’t imagine someone being able to focus in on everything all the time. That is only an assumption I make without knowing. There are the 1800 numbers and all of that so whether or not some people can who knows. All people must have an ability to some extent, don’t you think? Think about your girlfriend, smile blink blink and can you figure more in that situation than you might otherwise? If your girlfriend was running around on you would someone need to pull in your driveway and wave? You might get the feeling something is up before that, sometimes anyway? Intuition maybe? Do you suppose some people can take it a little further? Vibes and maybe Brian adds the dot,his method from the little I read on his site so far, possibly involving intently focusing etc. Have you ever started thinking about someone you haven’t seen in a long time and they suddenly call? Telepathy or is it? Lucid dreams? What are the people called who got messages from God? I wonder what their profile would be these days?
August 14th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
“Is there some reason the Catholics don’t believe in using Brian’s method? I am not a Catholic.”
Well I’m not a Catholic either Pat, but even I know they use the rhythm method! What is Brian’s method - sounds like it might be fun.
“Where are you actually located Anorak?”
Well Pat, Anorak is located in an attic atop the Express Newspaper building in London. It’s a nice cosy little office he has, situated just between the broom cupboard and the ladies loo. He used to be a real bigshot on Fleet Street did Anorak - had a big swanky office and lots of flunkies and all. Then he got caught in the gym with Diana - caused a huge storm it did and, well, the rest is history as they say. The whole thing was filmed by that chancer Truthman, who put it on the internet and then retired on his ill-gotten gains.
BTW Truthman might be on here a bit later - he’s been to Althorp today to visit Diana’s grave. It’s a bit bloody late now to have feelings of remorse Truthman, isn’t it Anorak.
August 14th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
If any of these charlatans were *really* able to see into the future, it might have been an idea to give the McCanns a call before they set off on holiday to remind them to tear themselves away from the dinner table a bit more often in the evenings to check on their kids. Mind you, you don’t need to be psychic to work that out…
August 14th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
PAT……guess you missed th whole point….Brian does NOT need to be in Portugal to dream, he does that perfectly fine where he is. He merely kindly offered to go to Portugal - to free little Madeleine - since noone else seem to be able to!!!!
August 14th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
Response to Paul I’m just all natural really, smile, no outside help.
Who is Frances? Tell me Frances’s profile. LOL
Does this site go 24 hrs? I have a few thoughts, seriously speaking, but for now can only take a break for a few minutes at a time.
Brian said he thought Madeleine would have been found already? I will also go back to his site later. Not having much understanding of lucid dreamers I am aware of what he explains about how he started with the dot, maybe. Although uninformed about him for the most part until reading more, the dot part of the experience sounded similar to meditation…
Is there some reason the Catholics don’t believe in using Brian’s method? I am not a Catholic.
Looking forward to another break in about thirty minutes. Paul forgot it’s coffee!!
August 14th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
I am curious why Brian must be in Portugal to dream?
August 14th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la - where’s Nurse Ratched, I want me little pink pills - la-la-la …
August 14th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
! Absolutely !
August 14th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
Well if they’ve been looking at this one today they’ll think the inmates have taken over the asylum!
August 14th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
If the PJ do take psychic reports seriously and have thick files just in case one message happens to be from the abductor, I guess they must be regularly checking all forums too - just in case the abductor decides to let his or her penny worth’s be known online.
Any comments?!