FoI Act request 19 Sep 2014 - Met Police - questions about the 'Smithman' sighting

by **Tony Bennett** 19.09.14 9:31

This further request for information concerning various matters in the public domain about the 'Smithman' sighting, consisting of 5 questions, was submitted to the Met Police a few minutes ago:

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

Questions about two e-fits of a suspect issued by Operation Grange

On 14 October 2013, on a special edition of BBC's Crimewatch programme seen by an estimated 6.7 million people, DCI Andy Redwood of Operation Grange displayed two e-fits, said to be of a man who, according to presenter Matthew Amroliwala, 'could now be the key to the entire mystery'. DCI Redwood added later in the programme: "[We have] two e-fits that have never been in the public domain of this one individual – [it's] really important for us to understand who he is".

It was suggested by the programme that this 'sighting' was by 'members of an Irish family'. However, most people who have seen these two images have said that they look like two very different people. One is clearly younger-looking than the other, has a thinnish, triangular-shaped face, thin lips, a long nose, a much smaller chin, and has a quite different hairstyle from the other.

Matthew Amroliwala said: "An Irish family witnessed a man carrying a child. Could this have been Madeleine, and her abductor?"

Then DCI Redwood said: "He was a white man, in his 30s, with brown hair..."

Matthew Amroliwala then said: "Two of the witnesses helped create e-fits of the man they saw. Today, for the first time, we can reveal the true significance of these images".

However, he did not say explicitly that these e-fits were drawn up from the Irish family's recollections.

Further concerns about these two e-fits have been expressed because, according to information in the public domain, these e-fits were created in October 2008, 17 months after Madeleine was reported missing, and statements on the public record by members of the Irish family admit that they only saw this man for a few seconds at the most, in the dark, with 'weak' street lighting.

It has also been stated on the public record that a member or members of this Irish family spoke to DCI Andy Redwood and/or members of his team 'once in 2012 and once in 2013'.

In the light of the above concerns, please provide the following information:

1. On what date were these two e-fits created?

2. Did members of the Irish family create these e-fits, or were the 'two witnesses' mentioned by Matthew Amroliwala who drew up the e-fits actually
other witnesses? If so, please state who they were.

3. Are the e-fits of the same man, or not?

4. On what date were these two e-fits first shown to members of Operation Grange?

5. On what dates in 2012 and 2013, or otherwise in 2011 and 2014, did members of Operation Grange (a) meet with members of the Irish family or (b) have contact with the Irish family, whether by telephone, e-mail, letter or otherwise?

Yours faithfully,

Anthony Bennett

by **Tony Bennett** 24.09.14 10:07

The Met Police FoI Act Section have decided to put together my questions re the 'Smithman' sighting with the two I asked about meetings between the Met and Anthony Summers & Robbyn Swan. Here's is the response today from James Young of the Met:

++++++++++++++++++++++

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

24 September 2014

Dear Mr Bennett

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2014090001604
I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 19/09/2014. I note you seek
access to the following information:

Request 1:

On 11 September 2014, Headline published a book, 'Looking for Madeleine',
written by U.S. authors Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan. There has been
widespread concern that this book omits many relevant facts about the
disappearance of Madeleine McCann. The authors have stated on the record
in their book that they "met with Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood
at the outset [who] urged us to be constantly careful that we do nothing
during our research that might...impact negativley on the search for
Madeleine".

1. On what date or dates did DCI Redwood or others meet with Anthony
Summers & Robbyn Swan?
2. Who, apart from DCI Redwood and the authors, was present at those
meetings?

AND

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

Request 2:

On 14 October 2013, on a special edition of BBC's Crimewatch programme
seen by an estimated 6.7 million people, DCI Andy Redwood of Operation
Grange displayed two e-fits, said to be of a man who, according to
presenter Matthew Amroliwala, 'could now be the key to the entire
mystery'. DCI Redwood added later in the programme: "[We have] two e-fits
that have never been in the public domain of this one individual – [it's]
really important for us to understand who he is". It was suggested by the
programme that this 'sighting' was by 'members of an Irish family'.
However, most people who have seen these two images have said that they
look like two very different people. One is clearly younger-looking than
the other, has a thinnish, triangular-shaped face, thin lips, a long nose,
a much smaller chin, and has a quite different hairstyle from the other.
Matthew Amroliwala said: "An Irish family witnessed a man carrying a
child. Could this have been Madeleine, and her abductor?" Then DCI Redwood
said: "He was a white man, in his 30s, with brown hair..." Matthew
Amroliwala then said: "Two of the witnesses helped create e-fits of the
man they saw. Today, for the first time, we can reveal the true
significance of these images". However, he did not say explicitly that
these e-fits were drawn up from the Irish family's recollections. Further
concerns about these two e-fits have been expressed because, according to
information in the public domain, these e-fits were created in October
2008, 17 months after Madeleine was reported missing, and statements on
the public record by members of the Irish family admit that they only saw
this man for a few seconds at the most, in the dark, with 'weak' street
lighting. It has also been stated on the public record that a member
or members of this Irish family spoke to DCI Andy Redwood and/or members
of his team 'once in 2012 and once in 2013'. In the light of the above
concerns, please provide the following information:

1. On what date were these two e-fits created?
2. Did members of the Irish family create these e-fits, or were the 'two
witnesses' mentioned by Matthew Amroliwala who drew up the e-fits actually
other witnesses? If so, please state who they were.
3. Are the e-fits of the same man, or not?
4. On what date were these two e-fits first shown to members of Operation
Grange?
5. On what dates in 2012 and 2013, or otherwise in 2011 and 2014, did
members of Operation Grange

(a) meet with members of the Irish family or
(b) have contact with the Irish family, whether by telephone,
e-mail, letter or otherwise?

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act). You will receive a response within the
statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act, subject to
the information not being exempt or containing a reference to a third
party. In some circumstances the MPS may be unable to achieve this
deadline. If this is likely you will be informed and given a revised
time-scale at the earliest opportunity.

Some requests may also require either full or partial transference to
another public authority in order to answer your query in the fullest
possible way. Again, you will be informed if this is the case.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet, which details your right of
complaint.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write
or contact James Young on telephone number 020 7230 2372 quoting the
reference number above.

Yours sincerely

James Young
SC&O Information Manager

COMPLAINT RIGHTS: [Rest snipped]

by Snifferdog 24.09.14 15:04

Well done Tony! I for one will be keen to see what their reply will be. Surely they cannot say due to the sensitivity of the case they cannot answer your questions, especially if they have previously "collaborated" with authors Summers and Swan to facilitate the writing their book. thinking