Madeleine McCann: Spotting In Amsterdam, Kate McCann’s Letter And Walking Off Set
MADDIE WATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann, Kate McCann and Gerry McCann…
DAILY EXPRESS (front page): “MADELEINE: SHE COULD BE ALIVE”
Madeleine McCann has resumed her pitch on the Express’ front page. And the news is positive. But let’s not carried away on a wave of hope, Anorak has seen a peek at tomorrow’s front-page exclusive –“MADELEINE: SHE COULD BE DEAD”.
To Amsterdam, where one Anna Stam says “she is haunted by the face ‘of the angelic child with the big sad eyes’ who came into her shop near Amsterdam’s red light district.”
“I am convinced I spoke to Madeleine. She said her name was Maddie and her face had no emotion in it. The man and woman she was with acted like tourists and referred to her as La Petite. I gave a statement to Dutch police and it is terrible my information was not acted on by Portuguese authorities.
“I am sure that if my information had been acted upon at that time – as it should have been – Madeleine could have been rescued and she would still be alive and at home with her parents where she belongs.”
DAILY STAR: “MADDIE IS STILL ALIVE”
The Express’ sluttier, brasher sister paper is less circumspect. It knows:
MADELEINE McCann could be with a travelling circus, according to a Dutch shop worker who is convinced she has seen her alive.
Well, she could be…
DAILY MIRROR (front page): “KATE McCANN’S HEARTBREAK LETTER”
The parents are no longer suspects. But we are still watching the parents.
“OUR MOST PRECIOUS”
A letter from Kate McCann to chief investigator Paolo Rebelo:
“I am appealing to you to as a fellow human being to work with us and remember that we are Madeleine’s parents and have needs. Madeleine is the most precious thing in our life. The lack of information is torture.”
The Mirror cares.
Madeleine McCann dossier: Kate and Gerry rowed before daughter’s abduction
Kate and Gerry McCann slept in separate bedrooms the night before daughter Maddy was snatched from their apartment in Portugal after having a furious row, it emerged today.
THE SUN: “I saw Maddie too”
The Sun has a picture of one Hannah Weichmann pointing to a spot in the distance. Is that Madeleine?
The Sun is in Amsterdam to follow up news that Madeleine was spotted in Anna Stam’s shop. And while there it meets another Madeleine spotter, who says:
“Those eyes . . . I knew it was her.”
So what did you do when you saw her?
“Maddie wore a pink woollen coat that reached her calfs. I know because she reminded me of my own daughter when she was that young. Maddie was delighted by my dog diving into the water.”
It must be her. The Sun is on the case:
The lost girl was in pink pyjamas when she was snatched in Praia da Luz just before her fourth birthday. And pink was her favourite colour.
A little girl dressed in pink. Eureka! Case closed. It’s her.
DAILY MAIL: “Aerial photo shows sniffer dog trail following Madeleine’s scent took them to nearby car park”
But Portuguese police discounted the dogs’ trail as evidence for an abduction as it would have involved Madeleine’s captor taking her in a virtual circle around the apartment block and past the holiday complex swimming pool, while her parents ate dinner on the other side of the pool. They believed the trail could have been made if Madeleine had walked out herself, trying to find her parents.
She could have walked off.
DAILY TELEGRAPH: “Madeleine McCann’s parents consider Crimewatch reconstruction - Kate and Gerry McCann are in talks with Crimewatch about staging a reconstruction of the night Madeleine disappeared after being given access to the police files.”
Says the McCanns’ spokesman Clarence Mitchell:
“We have had low level contact with Crimewatch ever since they wanted to do something with us last year. We are talking to them again. Kate and Gerry may well take part - it is certainly something that they would consider. Given that we have a lot of new information, it may be something that we revisit, but nothing is confirmed.”
It’s a ratings winner.
THE GUARDIAN: “Madeleine McCann case: Police accused over ‘Maddy sighting’”
Yesterday she told ITN News: “I think it’s stupid, because maybe they could have done something more at that time and maybe now it’s too late to find any clue. So I think it’s very neglectful by the police. And maybe not even the Dutch police but more the British or Portuguese police, because at that time I remember the police told me they were suspecting the parents themselves. I thought it was crazy to think that, but that’s maybe why they didn’t do something with it.”
THE SCOTSMAN: “Kate McCann’s plea for news and ’snatch to order’ plan found in files”
News of the emotional letter came as it was revealed British police received intelligence suggesting Madeleine could have been snatched to order by a Belgian paedophile ring.
An anonymous source connected to the ring took a photograph of the little girl on holiday in Portugal and forwarded it to a “purchaser” in Belgium, according to information gathered by the Metropolitan Police.
The e-mail read: “Intelligence suggests that a paedophile ring in Belgium made an order for a young girl three days before Madeleine McCann was taken.
“Somebody connected to this group saw Maddie, took a photograph of her and sent it to Belgium. The purchaser agreed that the girl was suitable and Maddie was taken.”
Or not. What crime occurred, if any? The papers are investigating…
August 7th, 2008 at 7:21 am
Yippeee
August 7th, 2008 at 7:22 am
phew - now I’ve put my towel on the sun lounger I can retire to actually read the article.
August 7th, 2008 at 7:24 am
See if you can find what crime - if any - occurred…
August 7th, 2008 at 7:35 am
NOSEY
HELLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
xxxx
August 7th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Read the mccannfiles if you want a clearer picture than our press are giving of this sad case. My question - if the highly trained dogs like the one in Jersey who has worked on 200+ cases and has 100% success rate finds evidence of a death in the McCanns holiday flat and it is known that no one else has died there is that not more worth reporting than spurious ’sightings’ that were investigated and dismissed at the time?
August 7th, 2008 at 7:37 am
All crime is relative.
I am grateful the good doctors Kate & Gerry McCann are not related to me or mine.
August 7th, 2008 at 7:39 am
tut tut anorak mods
You didnt put The Sun story of the row on the 2nd, the seperate beds, kates retaliation, and Katriona baker, the nanny who looked after Madeleine most of that weeks critical opinion of her parents attention and hearing Madeleine saying she was scared on the boat for no apparent reason!
Has Clarence got you too now ?
August 7th, 2008 at 7:42 am
morning Brandon what have I missed?
August 7th, 2008 at 7:45 am
Nosey
A week of bollock reporting from our lovely media!!
Oh and some guy called Jerry whos been my secret admirer from 70s teenage America land !!!
August 7th, 2008 at 7:46 am
grab a coffee and read jos blog!
August 7th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Was a crime committed?
I confess to having read the Daily Wail yesterday.
The woman in the shop who spoke to Madeleine, having found out her name and the fact that she was with ’strangers’ who took her from her parents while they were on holiday, committed a crime in my opinion.
Her reaction to the above was to tell the little girl that she thought she was cute and offer her a free balloon.
(I think this sighting was in early May - though I don’t remember reading a date) She then reported this incident to the police during the second week in June. Duh….
Will the Team McC get Sue Grabbit and Grabbit involved do we think?
August 7th, 2008 at 7:53 am
I wonder who was the paedophile who took the photo ?
I wonder if there were any on holiday that week who have had allegations made about them and their conduct with children?
I wonder if any SW recognised anyone or reported any suspicious behaviour on that holiday?
August 7th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Brandon
naughty naughty
August 7th, 2008 at 8:09 am
Sorry Dr K…..re your “ipassioned” letter….
Actions speak much louder than words.
Leaving 3 children alone and unsupervised whilst going out every night with….er….friends isn’t a sign of any of those children being the most precious
things in your life.
Even more so when the eldest little abandonded one remonstrates with
you….and….er….of course…as you said…”It wasn’t only to me she said
it “..while giving Dr G P a disapproving look.
What did you actually do in response to that tearful remonstration from
your 3 year old ?
Oh yes….I remember….you went out again to mix with your …er…friends
that very same night. And the next night too….apparently.
I say that as there seems to be some doubt now as to which night Madeleine remonstrated with you…..and….er…..of course….according to you…Dr G P.
I also remember someone also saying following your alleged claim of an
abduction….Dr G P, I am sure it was…”No valuables were taken”.
Hmmmmm…..indeed.
August 7th, 2008 at 8:14 am
Oh, here we go. Fingers in ears, blindfold over eyes, kick ‘em, thrash em, and twist the knife in deeper.
August 7th, 2008 at 8:14 am
Hi daddy
August 7th, 2008 at 8:15 am
Yo brandon.
August 7th, 2008 at 8:16 am
Matt. Says:
August 7th, 2008 at 8:09 am
…………………..
The “valuables” being more valuable than one’s own flesh and blood of course …oh …and just as a complete aside, Christine has “very BAD vibes coming out of Beijing which will cause political mayhem”
August 7th, 2008 at 8:19 am
Matt does not her photo change your mind ?
August 7th, 2008 at 8:21 am
Matt
As K so passionately puts in her letter
‘…remember that we are Madeleines parents and we have needs’
I see you’ve adopted another daughter, I hope you aren’t planning to ’send her back’ when she becomes ‘difficult’
August 7th, 2008 at 8:23 am
Pink pyjamas ? G and K said the bottoms were white. Only JT says they were pink.
Do the McCs, and the tabloids, know that Amsterdam is not in Belgium ?
They don’t seem to realise that Barcelona is not in Portugal, so that is a real possibility.
KM obviously failed English. “….my writing to you” “Writing” in this context is a gerund.
And does anyone else feel that in writing to a sardine muncher, she might have used a slightly simpler style “With regard to this latter point…”
And a small point, is Madeleine really more precious than the other children ?
August 7th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Noseycow Says:
August 7th, 2008 at 8:21 am
brandon has already been warned to not test my Saintly patience beyond
human control.
August 7th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Gailen
twist the knife in deeper than what??
Do you suppose Lizzie Cookes Dad set out to get her killed when he bought her a quad bike for Christmas?
Do you think that he wanted her harmed when he let her and her brother follow him along country lanes??
Does he not have to live with the consequencese of his stupidity for the rest of his life?
So why are the courts taking action against him, and not the McC’s??
http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/news/Brentwood-quad-bike-death-dad-court/article-245678-detail/article.html
Do our laws only apply to those who don’t have friends in high places?
August 7th, 2008 at 8:26 am
precious THING !!
August 7th, 2008 at 8:27 am
brandon flours Says:
August 7th, 2008 at 8:19 am
Which photo is that ?
August 7th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Matt
I hear that she’s good at making bacon baps.
Should more than make up for her ummm ummm challenging behaviour imo
As long as you don’t let her within 2 miles of any local BBQ’s you should be fine.
August 7th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Noseycow Says:
August 7th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Her cup of tea making is a major plus.
Meanwhile, she has not transgressed…yet….. thus not causing any reason for
her to have to “disappear”.
August 7th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Matt
In the event of her ‘transgressing’ - there seems to be suitable (cough) egg woman over on forums who could divert any heat from your good self
http://www.anorak.co.uk/forums/topic.php?id=1659
August 7th, 2008 at 8:38 am
Noseycow Says:
August 7th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Excellent !!
A most perfect distraction, if required.
E-fit (
) copied for possible future use. 
August 7th, 2008 at 8:42 am
I have a wee and see that I am replaced with an egg!!!! HMPH
( slams door and runs up the stairs…………. puts on Bittersweet symphony full blast )