The Complete Mystery of Madeleine McCann™
Welcome to 'The Complete Mystery of Madeleine McCann' forum 🌹

Please log in, or register to view all the forums as some of them are 'members only', then settle in and help us get to the truth about what really happened to Madeleine Beth McCann.

When you register please do NOT use your email address for a username because everyone will be able to see it!

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Mm11

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Regist10
The Complete Mystery of Madeleine McCann™
Welcome to 'The Complete Mystery of Madeleine McCann' forum 🌹

Please log in, or register to view all the forums as some of them are 'members only', then settle in and help us get to the truth about what really happened to Madeleine Beth McCann.

When you register please do NOT use your email address for a username because everyone will be able to see it!

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Mm11

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Regist10

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Page 3 of 4 Previous  1, 2, 3, 4  Next

View previous topic View next topic Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 25.12.17 0:34

Michael Terrence Wright Witness Statement - 16th April 2008

My wife is Kate's cousin and I have known Kate since she was 8 years old. She used to spend holidays on Isle of Man where I lived. My wife's and Kate's families are quite close. I have known Gerry since 1997 when he was going out with Kate before they married.

I haven't seen Kate and Gerry very often, but we always met at family events such as weddings and baptisms. I didn't attend their wedding because my wife, Anne-Marie, was ill and we didn't attend their children's baptisms because we were away on holidays. That said, since the birth of the twins we have met more frequently. In August 2006 they came to visit us at our house one weekend and that was very pleasant. On our side, we visited them in Rothley in November 2006 and they repeated their visit [to us] in February 2007. We work well together as a group and we know each other very well. We were planning a family holiday [together] for June 2007 at Center Park.

I wasn't in Portugal on 3 May at the time of Madeleine's disappearance. About 23:00 that night I received a very uncomfortable [or compelling] call from my wife's mother who told me about Madeleine's disappearance. Aunt Nora, from Canada, was in Skipton and was about to return to Canada the next morning. I suggested that she go to Liverpool instead. We all thought that Madeleine was going to appear in the following hours, even while I drove Nora back to Liverpool in the early morning of Friday, 4 May. I stayed in Liverpool. I spoke to Kate by phone between 10:00 and 11:00am that morning and she confirmed that she wanted her mother, her father and Nora with her. The family liaison [officer?] arranged the journey of the mother, father and Nora to Portugal that same afternoon. I went with them to Manchester airport. Kate's mother asked me to come to Portugal and I agreed on condition of speaking first with Gerry and Kate.

On Saturday, 5 May, I caught a plane from Leeds-Bradford to Faro and caught a taxi from the airport to the Mark Warner complex. Initially I stayed in an apartment in the same complex as Kate and Gerry. Those first days were hectic, always surrounded by the media and the situation appeared very transitory [temporary] with family and friends sleeping wherever they could. In Friday, 11 May, I returned home for a weekend with my family.

After that I made five further trips to Portugal on:


- Monday, 14 May to Friday, 18 May. I travelled alone and helped by doing what I could in the Madeleine campaign;

- Friday, 8 June to Wednesday, 13 June. I travelled with my wife, Anne-Marie. This trip was for us to take care of the twins while Kate and Gerry made a brief trip to Morocco.

- Thursday, 12 July to Friday, 13 July. I travelled alone and returned with Kate and the twins for them to attend the baptism of my own children. I had spoken previously with Gerry by phone and knew that he was in UK in meetings and he asked me to help Kate and the twins so that they could be there. Kate, Gerry and twins returned to Portugal on 15 July.

- Wednesday, 22 August to Saturday, 1 September. I left with Anne-Marie and our children, K and P, to replace Sandy and Trish Cameron. During this period we spoke with Kate and Gerry about the best time to return to UK. Provisionally the second week in September was decided and I contacted a removals firm in Lagos in my name, and I collected packing boxes and adhesive tape. We then began to pack all the stuff we wanted to keep, such as letters, postcards, etc. 

- Friday, 7 September to Sunday, 9 September. Gerry called me the night before and told me he was going to be interviewed the next day. I travelled alone and met Sandy Cameron at the airport and we caught a taxi to the villa. Kate, Gerry, the twins, Sandy and Trish, and Eileen McC left Portugal on Sunday morning and I left by myself that same afternoon after cleaning the villa.

During my initial trips to Portugal I stayed in Mark Warner apartments. In July, August and September I stayed in the villa rented by Kate and Gerry, I recall nothing strange about anything where I stayed. I didn't look for things that were particularly strange or suspicious but I did pay close attention to the Mark Warner apartments to consider potential hiding-places which could have been used by an intruder.

During my first two trips to Portugal, I recall that Kate and Gerry were in a flat spin, 
but I spent a lot of time with them especially at night at dinner. I frequently helped Sandy with with mundane tasks such as opening the mail. We received many e-mails relating to the campaign and there was much in them to talk about, but our time with Kate and Gerry during the day was very irregular. During my stay at the villa our time was more concentrated.

With respect to Kate and Gerry's comportment after the disappearance, I witnessed first hand their desperation, how they cried and were distraught, though never during their meetings with officials or at press conferences. It was uncomfortable to see. I also saw them organised and controlled in meetings and in front of the media, and felt proud and impressed at their power of self-control on those occasions.

At the time I travelled with Anne-Marie on 8 June, Kate and Gerry had rented a vehicle. It had seven seats, I judged [thought] it to be a Renault Espace. Gerry suggested that I be added to the insured driver's list so that I could drive it while they were in Morocco, but I judged [thought] that to be unnecessary as they would only be gone for a few days. When I was in Portugal on 12 July I was picked up by Kate who was driving the Renault Espace.

It was on our trip to Portugal on 22 August that Gerry suggested that I was added to the contract as an additional driver and I accepted. Gerry and I went to Lagos and I was included in the contract as additional driver.

I drove the car regularly in August and September, doing the shopping at the supermarket, taking the house and garden rubbish to the recycling area in PdL and also taking the twins to creche and to the beach, and trips to the airport. I was also a passenger in the car at various times, mainly in June and July when Gerry and Sandy drove.

There are various rubbish recycling/dump areas and we used these:
- two trash bins
at the villa, one at the main entrance and the other at the top of the hill;
- one area on the cemetery road;
- one area above the Mark Warner complex, and
- one area between the villa and the church.

The visiting gardener always generated garden rubbish and this was usually leaves and grass. Gerry and I would usually take this rubbish to the bin at the top of the property.

I never observed anything strange in the vehicle at any time that I was in it.

I noted some disagreeable smells on a number of occasions which I judged to have come from the twins' nappies. Discarded nappies were collected in rubbish bags and held until thrown into the [rubbish] bins, [thereby] provoking smell.
I have no knowledge of anything spilling from any article nor of any cleaning of the car after such a hypothetical spill.

I know that the twins travelled in the vehicle more than twenty times. For example, to creche, [to the] beach at Sagres, the airport and Burgau.
I am absolutely certain that Kate and Gerry were not capable of hiding Madeleine's body and later transporting it to a dump.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 04.02.18 23:19

Witness statement Martin Smith - 26th May 2007

The witness states:
— That he comes to the process as a witness.

— Being of Irish nationality, he does not understand Portuguese in its written or oral form and is accompanied by an interpreter.

— That he has an apartment in Luz, Lagos, located in the Estela da Luz Urbanizaco, A1C. This apartment is co-owned by a friend whose name is Li** ON****. He normally visits Portugal three times a year. When here, he stays in the apartment. Concerning this period, he states that he arrived in Portugal on the 30th of April, 2007, with a booked return date of May 9, 2007. He arrived at Faro airport and flew out from Dublin.

— Concerning the facts under investigation, on the 3rd of May, he went with his family to the Dolphin restaurant in Praia da Luz where they dined. Around 21H00 they left the restaurant and headed toward 'Kelly's Bar'; about a 50 metre distance from the restaurant, following the path, as it is very short. The walk took him a few minutes. In 'Kelly's Bar' they consumed some drinks. They left that establishment around 21H55 as his son would be travelling very early the next day. This bar is located on Calheta Street.

— After leaving the bar, he travelled in the opposite direction and reached a set of stairs which gave access to Rua 25 de Abril (25th of April Street). On this artery they followed a second street, parallel to Rua 1 de Maio (1st of May Street) whose name he does not remember. He was heading toward his apartment (Estrela da Luz complex) which is located a little above the street Travessa da Escola Primária (Primary school crossing). As he reached this artery, he saw an individual carrying a child, who walked normally and fitted in perfectly in that area, in that it is common to see people carrying children, at least during the holiday season. This individual was walking the downward path, in the opposite direction to him and his companions. He is not aware where this person was headed. He only saw him as they passed each other. He assumed it was a father and daughter, not raising any suspicion.

— Urged, states that when he passed this individual it would have been around 22H00, and at the time he was completely unaware that a child had disappeared. He only became aware of the disappearance of the child the next morning, through his daughter, L*****, in Ireland who had sent him a message or called him regarding what had happened. At this point he thought that MADELEINE could have been the child he saw with the individual.

— Regarding the description of the individual who carried the child he states that: he was Caucasian, around 175 to 180m in height. He appeared to be about 35/40 years old. He had an average build, a bit on the thin side. His hair was short, in a basic male cut, brown in colour. He cannot state if it was dark or lighter in tone. He did not wear glasses and had no beard or moustache. He did not notice any other relevant details partly due to the fact that the lighting was not very good.

— He was wearing cream or beige-coloured cloth trousers in a classic cut. He did not see his shoes. He did not notice the body clothing and cannot describe the colour or fashion of the same.

— He states that the child was female, about four years of age as she was similar to his granddaughter of the same age. She was a child of normal build, about a metre in height though not being absolutely certain of that as she was being carried. The child has blonde medium-hued hair, without being very light. Her skin was very white, typical of a Brit. He did not notice her eyes as she was asleep and her eyelids were closed.

— She was wearing light-coloured pyjamas. He cannot state with certainty the colour. She was not covered by any wrap or blanket. He cannot confirm whether she was barefoot but in his group, they spoke about the child having no cover on her feet.

— Urged, he states that the individual did not appear to be a tourist. He cannot explain this further. It was simply his perception given the individual's clothing. He states that the individual carried the child in his arms, with her head laying on the individual's left shoulder, that being to the right of the deponent. He adds that he did not hold the child in a comfortable position, suggesting [the carrying] not being habitual.

— Having already seen various photographs of MADELEINE and televised images, states that the child who was carried by the individual could have been her. He cannot state this as fact but is convinced that it could have been MADELEINE, also the opinion shared by his family.

— Questioned, says that the individual did not speak nor did the child as she was in a deep sleep.

— States that it is not possible for him to recognise the individual in person or by photograph.

— Adds that in May and August of 2006, he saw ROBERT MURAT in Praia da Luz bars. On one of these occasions, the first, he was inebriated and spoke to everyone. He did not wear glasses at that time. He also states that the individual who carried the child was not ROBERT. He would have recognised him immediately.

— At being asked, states that when he saw the individual he was accompanied by his wife, MARY SMITH, his son, PETER SMITH, his daughter-in-law, S***, his grandchildren of 13 and 6 years of age (children of PETER) TA*** and CO**, his daughter AOIFE (12 years of age), and his other two grandchildren (AI****** (10 years old) and EI**** (four years old). These are children of his daughter B***** who was in Ireland.

— States also that when he passed this individual he was coming down the middle of the road, in the street, also that at that time traffic is minimal or non-existent.

— He adds that the group walked some metres apart from each other so they would have seen the individual in different positions.

— He adds a sketch indicating the route and the locale of the sighting.

— He has nothing else to offer the investigation.

— And nothing more was said. He reads and finds it in conformity, ratifies and signs together with the interpreter.


____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 04.02.18 23:24

Witness statement Aoife Smith - 26th May 2007

— Being an English citizen, and not understanding Portuguese neither spoken nor written, she is accompanied by an interpreter.

— On 30 April 2007 she travelled to Portugal on holiday, specifically to the Algarve. She came with her parents Martin and Mary Smith and her two nieces, AC and EC.

— They stayed in the Estrela Da Luz complex in Praia da Luz where her parents have an apartment.

— When they arrived at the apartment they met her brother, Peter Smith, her sister-in-law, S.McD.Smith, her nephew (six years old), CO** and the son of her sister-in-law, TA*** (13 years old).

— They came on holiday for about 10 days, having returned to Ireland on 9 May 2007. (She is not absolutely certain of the day).

— Her days on holiday were spent in the swimming pool of the complex where they were lodged, on the beach of Luz and in the shopping centre. Normally, they were spent in Praia da Luz - Vila da Luz.

— Dinner was taken between 19h00 and 20h00, in the apartment or in the Restaurants "Dolphin", "Cavaleiro da Luz", "Chaplin" or the "Marujo", all situated in the Praia da Luz area.
' When they ate at home they would not normally go out. When they went to eat at the restaurants they stopped by Kelly's Bar, situated, she thinks, on Calheta Street in Praia da Luz.

— Regarding the 3rd of May, 2007, she went, with all her family, to eat at the Dolphin restaurant, which is close to Kelly's Bar. When they left the restaurant, around 21H30, they headed toward Kelly's Bar. They stayed there for about 30 minutes.

— Around 22H00, they left Kelly's Bar. The group headed, on foot, for their apartment.

— Questioned, she responds that she knows the time that they left because her father and her brother decided to leave early that night. There were two reasons for this: one was the fact that her sister-in-law was not feeling very well and the other was because her brother, sister-in-law, nephew and son of her sister-in-law finished their holiday the next day and had to catch the morning flight returning to Ireland.

— Upon leaving the bar, they turned right and headed along the road for 40/50 metres. At this point, they again turned to the right and ascended a small street with stairs that give access to Rua 25 de Abril. As they were a large group (four adults and five children) they travelled apart from each other along the street with some more to the front and the others more behind. She does not remember how they were divided [who was where].

— The deponent remembers that upon reaching the top of the stairs, she looked to her left and saw a man (1) with a female child (2) in his arms, walking along the pavement of Rua 25 de Abril. He was walking in her direction at a distance of, give or take, two metres.

— The deponent crossed to the other side of Rua 25 de Abril and began walking up Rua da Escola Primária in the direction of the Estrela da Luz apartment complex.

— She did not see if the referenced individual with the child descended Rua das Escadinhas or if he continued along Rua 25 de Abril.

— It was the first time she saw that man. She does not remember seeing him at any time in any location.

— She has seen photographs of Madeleine McCann and thinks that it could have been her. Asked, she said she was 60% certain.

— The description below made about the man and the female child that the witness saw was made at around 22H00, when the lighting was weak.

— Questioned, states that probably she would not be able to recognise either the individual or the child.
Personal Description:

— (1) the individual was male, Caucasian, light-skinned, between 20/30 years of age, of normal physical build, around 1,70/1,75 metres in height. At the time she saw his face but now cannot remember it. She thinks that he had a clean-shaven face. She does not remember seeing tattoos, scars or earrings. She did not notice his ears. His hair was thick-ish, light brown in colour, short at the back (normal) and a bit longer on the top.

— His trousers were smooth "rights" along the legs, beige in colour, cotton fabric, thicker than linen, possibly with buttons, and without any other decoration.

— She did not see what he was wearing above his trousers as the child covered him almost completely at the top.

— She did not see what shoes he was wearing.

— The individual's gait was normal, between a fast walk and a run. He did not look tired, moving in a manner usual when one carries a child.

— (2) the child was female because she had straight long hair to the neck. The colour was fair/light brown.

— She is certain that the child was about four years old because her niece (who was in the group) is of the same age and they were the same size.

— She did not see the child's face because she was lying against the individual's left shoulder in a vertical position against the individual. She appeared to be sleeping. Her arms were suspended along her body and were not around the individual's neck. She did not look at the child's hands and cannot state the colour of her skin. She believes she was white.

— There was nothing covering the child, a comforter/blanket or any other piece of clothing but she only saw her back.

— She was wearing light trousers, white or light pink, that may have been pyjamas. She does not remember if they were patterned as it was dark. The material was lightweight/thin and could have been cotton.

— She also had a light top, with long sleeves. She did not see it well because the individual had his arms around the child. She is not sure if the child's top was the same colour as her trousers, saying only that it was very light. The fabric was the same as the trousers.

— Questioned regarding the shoes, she responded that she did not remember seeing any shoes, not remembering if the child had any or not.

— Asked to tell the truth, she affirms that what she has finished declaring is the truth of the facts, according to her knowledge.
— And nothing more was said. Reads and finds it inconformity, ratifies and signs together with

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 04.02.18 23:28

Witness statement Peter Smith - 26th May 2007

— That he comes to the process as a witness.

— Being of Irish nationality, he does not understand Portuguese in its oral or written form and is therefore accompanied by an interpreter.

— States that his father owns an apartment in the town of Luz, Lagos, namely in Urban. Estrela da Luz, corresponding to A1C. His father comes to Portugal at least three times per year. The deponent went the first time that he travelled to Portugal.

— Concerning the period in question, states that he arrived in Portugal on the 26th of April of 2007 and had his return passage booked for the 4th of May of the same year. He arrived at Faro airport from the city of Dublin. That he arrived before his father, by choice, due to available days. He came accompanied by his wife, S***, and his two children TA*** and CO**, 13 and 6 years old respectively.

— He would like to clarify that on the 3rd of May, he and his family went to the Dolphin restaurant, situated in Praia da Luz, where they dined. Around 21H00 they left the restaurant and went to Kelly's Bar, about one minute away on foot. In Kelly's Bar (he does not remember the name of the street it is on) they had a few drinks, having left from there around 21H50/22H00.

— They left the bar, and went up some steps that give access to a road just above. On this road they took a side street, the name of which he does not know, in the direction of Estrela da Luz. Immediately at the beginning of this road he saw an individual carrying a child, who walked normally, with a fairly quick step because he was coming downhill. It appeared normal to him, like father and daughter. He adds that this individual was coming down the street, opposite to the direction of the deponent and his family. He does not know what direction the individual took as he only saw him as they passed each other.

— Urged, states that when he passed this individual it would have been around 21H55/22H00, and at the time he was completely unaware that a child had disappeared. He only found out about the disappearance of the child the next morning through someone he knew, the son of the builder of Estrela da Luz, who was also at the airport. The witness went to the airport given that, as planned, he intended to return to Ireland on that day

— At that time he did not associate the said individual with the disappearance, only after thinking on the subject and the coincidence of the time did he infer that MADELEINE could have been the child carried by the individual that he had seen.

— The description of the individual who carried the child was: Caucasian, around 175 to 180 cm tall. About 35 years, or older. He was somewhat tanned as a result of sun exposure. Average build, in good shape. Short hair, brown in colour. He does not remember if he wore glasses, or had a beard or a moustache. He did not notice any other relevant details as the lighting was bad.
— He also does not remember the clothing the individual wore or his shoes. He states that he did not notice those details as his pregnant wife was somewhat ill and he was constantly attending to her, not caring about observation of the individual.

— He states the child was female. She was perhaps two or three years old, in that she appeared to him to be a bit smaller than his niece of the same age. She was a child of normal build. She had blonde hair, of medium shade, not very light. Her skin was white, typically British. He did not notice her eyes as she was asleep, having closed eyelids.

— He does not remember her clothing very well but thinks it was lightweight summer clothing, light in colour. He does not remember if she was covered with any wrap or blanket. He cannot affirm if she was barefoot.

— He states that [the man] carried the child on his arms, with the head resting on the left shoulder, as such on the right of the deponent, appearing to him in a natural manner.

— Having already seen various photographs of MADELEINE and televised images, states that the child that was carried by the individual may have been her. He cannot state this as fact but is convinced that it could have been MADELEINE, an opinion shared by his family.

— Questioned, states that the individual did not speak nor did the child as she was sleeping deeply. He adds also that the individual did not try to hide his face or lower his look, [doing] nothing [that would be] perceived as strange.

— States that it would not be possible to recognize the individual in person or via photograph.

— At being asked, says that when he saw the individual, the deponent was accompanied by his wife, S***, his father MARTIN, his mother MARY, his children TA*** and CO**, 13 and 6 year old respectively, his sister AOIFE, 12 years old, and his two nieces AI******, 10 years, and EI****, 4 years, children of his sister B******, who was in Ireland.

— States further that when he passed the individual, the individual was coming down to his right, going around the deponent in the middle of the street. At that time the traffic was minimal or non-existent.

— He adds that the group walked some metres apart from each other, therefore they would have seen the individual in different positions.

— He adds a sketch indicating the route and place of the sighting.

— Adds further that his son TA*** was questioned in Ireland and said that the individual was dressed in a long-sleeved coat/jacket, black in colour, and that the child was barefoot.

— He has nothing else to offer the investigation.

— And nothing more was said. Reads and finds it in conformity, ratifies and signs together with the interpreter.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 27.02.18 1:53

Witness Statement of Susan Hubbard - 13th November 2007

[Susan Hubbard, wife of Father Haynes Hubbard, Anglican priest transferred from his placement in Canada to Praia da Luz in May 2007.  According to a press report Susan Hubbard considered their transfer to be an act of God - a calling to aid a couple in distress].

' That she comes to the process as a witness

' Is married to Anglican Father Haynes

' Has known the McCann family since three days after the disappearance (Sunday). That she went to Portugal on this date (06 May 2007), not to accompany the family but due to work related to the church, which was previously organized.

' That it is the truth that she only knows them through the church and never met them before.

' States that after getting to know the parents of the missing child, she invited Kate to take part in a meeting, in Lagos, on the 25th of May, with the intention of discussing items related to missing children. That she went to this meeting, with Kate and Kates cousin, Anne. They travelled to this meeting in the deponents car.

' After this occasion, she went various times to the McCann residence in Praia da Luz, and they also visited the deponent, in her home, on various occasions. These encounters had the objective of offering them comfort and support but also allowed for the children of both couples to play.

' She also adds that the McCann's' although being Catholics, attended some masses, where Madeleines disappearance was noted, celebrated by her husband, the Anglican priest.

' Questioned regarding the key to the church, she says that she knows nothing of this. Following the McCann departure to England, she was given the key to handover to the place the McCann's rented in Praia da Luz. She handed this key over the next Monday. Her handling of the key was suggested by one of the McCann family but she does not remember who. She notes that on this Monday, she handed over the keys to the cleaning staff who forwarded the key to the responsible rental agent and whose designation she does not remember.

' Besides these contacts, she did not maintain and other relation with the McCann family.

' Sean and Amelie, she notes, are children of normal behaviour for their age. They are active and dynamic.

' Regarding the parents, Gerald and Kate, she says that, in her opinion, they always presented a normal comportment, given the circumstances. That she noted a certain tranquillity, when in the presence of the twins. Via their gestures, she noted a great sadness and suffering. In their conversations, they would always talk of their missing daughter.

' Regarding Kate, she says that, besides being preoccupied with the health of her daughter, she was scared of what could have happened to Madeleine although she never spoke of her death.

' She describes them as a normal family

' She is not aware of any relevant details for the investigation. She claims that the parents are not involved in the disappearance and knows nothing else, other than what she has related.

' And nothing more was said. Reads and finds it in conformity, and ratifies and signs.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 19.04.18 1:40

Witness Statement of Alexander James Cameron - 15th April 2008

Occupation: Professor/teacher

I am the above referenced person, also known between friends and family as 'Sandy.' I have been married to my wife Patricia CAMERON for 23 years but we knew each other for a few years before that. Patricia is Gerry McCann's sister, making me Gerry's brother-in-law. I got to know Gerry roughly the same time I got to know Patricia' approximately 30 years. Around 10 years ago, Gerry married Kate Healy and since that time I have know Kate. Gerry and Kate have three children, Madeleine (4 years old) and the twins Sean and Amelie (2 years old). I have met with Kate and Gerry and the children on numerous occasions both tat their home and in mine. I also visited the family when Gerry was working in Amsterdam. On the night of Thursday, May 3, 2007, Patricia received a telephone call from Gerry informing us of the disappearance of Madeleine. Gerry manifested all those emotions one expects from a father who has lost a child in the circumstances. He was distraught and spoke at the same time he cried. He seemed frustrated with the slowness of the searches in Portugal, with the fact that the borders had not been closed, and with the fact that sniffer dogs were not being used. Patricia and I contacted the British Embassy to try and help in this regard. We also decided to fly to Portugal in order to offer all our help and support to Kate and Gerry. It was not possible for us to arrange to a flight on Friday, and consequently left Manchester to faro on Saturday, May 5, 2007. When we arrived in Praia da Luz we found Kate and Gerry. At this time we noticed a huge interest from the media regarding what had happened and Gerry and Kate were being helped in part by the Foreign (traveller) Services, representatives from Mark Warner and other members of the family.

They continued to demonstrate much distress and tried to deal with all the advice given to them, much of which was contradictory. When we arrived in Portugal we stayed in an apartment in the Mark Warner Praia da Luz complex. Kate and Gerry were still lodged in the same complex, even though it was not the same apartment. We had a separate apartment on the same floor and close to two doors somewhat of a distance. During part of this time, our days had similar routines. During the day we would leave the apartment to meet with Kate and Gerry in order to care for the twins Sean and Amelie, and also to cook for all of us. Kate and Gerry would use our apartment as an office in order to have meetings and to effect search plans for Madeleine. This continued until the end of June, at a time when Mark Warner required that we leave the complex and at a time when tourist high season was about to begin.

During these first two months we provided help to Kate and Gerry, and only returned to the U.K. on two occasions in order to take care of some personal business. In the beginning of July of 2007, we left the Ocean Club and moved to a villa with Kate, Gerry and the twins in the Montinhos zone, around 1.5 km from the OC. We never noticed anything strange in the site were we stayed. On the 27th of May of 2007, Gerry was handed a rental vehicle in the Mark Warner tourist complex; a Renault Scenic with plate number 59-DA-27. I met with the representative of the car rental agency at Gerry's request, and as such, my name was also on the rental contract so that I could also drive the vehicle; to drive the children and to go shopping. These were things that Gerry was too occupied to carry out himself. I was the habitual drive of the vehicle and used it daily. I drove to many places, including the airport, local supermarkets, and drove the children to the zoo and the beaches in the area. I also travelled as a passenger on many occasions, when Kate, Gerry or other people were visiting, or driving the vehicle. People who were present in the vehicle were Kate, Gerry, Sean, Amelie, Mike Wright, Janet (Kate's aunt), Kate's mother and father, and her friend Amanda. Basically, the vehicle served as a transport for friend and family who cam to offer their help to Kate and Gerry and also to effect daily routines. The same vehicle was also used to move us from the Ocean Club to the villa, transporting all the luggage and personal objects from one location to the other. During these trips, the children seats would be removed to create space.

Whilst in the villa, a gardener would arrive every week or about every 15 days. This was organized by the estate agency. The gardener would leave black rubbish bags near the gate, and on at least one occasion, I used the vehicle to remove these bags. The collection of rubbish in Portugal is not made as it is in the U.K., and for this reason, it was necessary to take the rubbish to a tip (disposal area) which was called 'recycling area' near the back of the Ocean Club. I used the Renault Scenic for this reason on many occasions.

On one occasion, I believe it was on July of 2007, I took Patricia to the supermarket. We carried bags in the boot (trunk) of the Renault Scenic; bought various items including fresh fish, shrimp and beef. When we unloaded the shopping bags, we noticed that blood has run out of the bottom of the plastic bag. After this shopping trip and still in the month of July 2007, I began to notice a strange odour in the car. I did not give it much importance and assumed it was likely due to the leakage from the rubbish bags or from the blood which had escaped from the shopping bags. As a result, we removed the carpet from the boot (trunk) in order to clean it. I tossed (beat) the boot carpet to remove any particles and cleaned it with a wet cloth and left it to air out.

In my opinion, it is impossible that Kate and Gerry could have hidden Madeleine or used the car to transport her to another locale. There was always a lot of people and the media observing their movements which would make this impossible. As I cited previously, I have know Madeleine her whole life and saw her on many occasions. I always found her a very smart little girl and careful with strangers. I also saw when she woke after a nap and after a night of sleep. She would occasionally appear irritated as she would when her parents were not present. For this reason, I believe that Madeleine had been awakened by a stranger she would certainly have screamed or cried out. I do not believe that there is any possibility that she would have let a stranger take her without protest.


Relative to what is cited above, I will add that I was interviewed via DVD by Dc Gierc of the Leicestershire police between 09h58 and 10h39 on Tuesday, 15 of April of 2008 in the Leicestershire Police Squad. I confirm that my DVD testimony is true and in accordance with my understanding.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 20.05.18 14:43

Service Information document dated 11 May 2007 from Inspector Pedro Varanda relating to an informal conversation with Robert Murat

As you will know, Sir, on this day at 11h30, there appeared before the un
dersigned and (lady) Inspector Patricia Duarte, a British citizen called Diane Webster, holder of UK passport XXXXXXX, in order to hear her witness statement.

In the course of an informal approach that proceeded that work, it was determined that she was not conversant in Portuguese, written or spoken, and the service of an English-speaking interpreter was therefore called for.

In this function appeared a British citizen, Robert J.Q.E. Murat (duly identified in the files from previous work), official resident of Casa Liliana, Rua Ramalhete, Praia da Luz, Lagos.

The work
[the DW interview] being concluded, and during an informal conversation that the undersigned began with that interpreter (as would be characteristic in this type of situation), Robert Murat displayed an unusual curiosity about the investigation that was developing around the disappearance of the minor Madeleine McCann that occurred on 3 May 2007.

As an example, it will be proper to point out that he has insistently and repeatedly questioned me about the identity of possible suspects, about the strategy outlined by the lead coordinator of the investigation and the work that might possibly have been considered for the coming days.
Before
[faced with] such an attitude, that was so unusual and absolutely inappropriate that I immediately became highly suspicious, I always countered [ducked the questions], insistently requesting that person to be aware of the contractual duties pertaining to the role which he has assumed in this investigation, pointing out that it was presently the inquiry phase, and, naturally, covered by judicial secrecy.

The above mentioned suspicions were made even stronger when I realized that Robert Murat was trying, in a persistent and dissimulated manner, to look at the various procedural documents that compose the present enquiry while I was consulting them in preparation for the Dianne Webster interview.

Finally, and in the sense of reiterating the suspicious attitude shown by Robert Murat, I venture still to state that, beyond having manifested an enormous knowledge about the dynamics inherent in the functioning of the "Ocean Club Garden" (in which the events under investigation had taken place) and of the routines followed by the McCann family and their companions during their respective stays in in Praia da Luz, he has tried persistently to influence the conduct of the present investigation, suggesting various analyses the agreement with which [i.e. had they agreed to follow those suggested lines of inquiry] could be intended to impute the consummation of the present illegal act
[the missing child] to foreign third parties [i.e. to put the blame on, or to attribute the blame to, outside foreigners].

The above being exposed
[laid bare] - and without intending in any way to place in question the competence of the above individual, nor the slightest imputation that that [my suspicions] was what he wanted to be [actually intended to do] - I have to bring the above incidents to your attention, in order for you to determine what may be appropriate.11 May 2007
Inspector
Pedro Varanda

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 04.06.18 16:45

Silvia Maria Correia Ramos Batista, Maintenance Services Director - 7th May 2007

She works at Ocean Club since 03/03/1986, as a receptionist for about a year and a half, and as head of Reception for about three years. After and until the present date, as a head of maintenance and services .

The head of maintenance and services, in the area of services, is responsible for the admission of employees and, in the area of maintenance, is responsible for the admission of employees and the good functioning of all equipments of the Ocean Club, including : flats, swimming pools, gardens, fences, etc.

Concerning the admission of staff, it is done in the traditional way, ie when an employee is needed for a particular area the situation is discussed between the various
heads and other employees . Usually some employee or head indicates a person he/she knows and, in most cases, resident in Lagos.

The witness, being a native of Lagos and knowing many people in that town, tries to find out about the reputation and character of the candidate to the job.
It may happen that employees are looked for in the Centre for Employment of Lagos Either way, is always carried out a labour contract with the employee, for a
minimum of six months. A special form is filled that includes all the data identifying the employee and sometimes informations about his/her previous professional occupation.
The exception is when you hire a company to provide a service : that company is responsible for its employees, who are nevertheless under the eye of the head of works and maintenance, Mr. Joao Carlos Silva Batista .

She is aware of the events that occurred in the Ocean Club resort, having had knowledge of the girl's disappearance, by 22H.30 on 03/05/2007, through
a telephone call from the administrator George Robin Crosland .

She immediately went to the Ocean Club resort where later arrived the GNR. A search started immediately throughout the village. Many residents and employees of OC participated.

On the 03/05/2007 she started working by 09H30, having entered the Ocean Club through the area of the Club, having walked through the swimming pool area and later having checked the other swimming pools.

At about 13:00 she went to Lagos, with her husband, Mr. Joao Carlos Silva Batista and came back at about 14H30 .

At about18H00 she left the resort and only came back when the circumstances outlined above occurred.

During the day 03/05/2007 she did not detect anything unusual or different.

No strange situation was reported to her.

After the events and in conversation with other employees and heads of the Ocean Club, nothing was reported or commented concerning odd situations, such as the presence of strangers close to the resort.

She states that the Ocean Club Resort has no system of video surveillance.

She's here as a witness. She is responsible for maintenance in the Ocean Club Resort located in Praia da Luz - Lagos. Because of her profession she knows many people of the English community, who live in Praia da Luz.

She knows the Murat (sic !) family, who has been there for about 30 years. In particular Mr. Murat and his wife Jenny. Mr. Murat was linked to building business and development of tourism enterprises, in Salema in her opinion. Mr. Murat died some years ago.

The Murat live in a house named "casa Liliana", near the Ocean Club.

Asked, she said not to remember whether the Murats have any child.

Asked, she said that on the night when Madeleine McCain (sic...) disappeared (03-05-2007), she was called by her boss, at about at 22:30. As she lives in Lagos she arrived shortly after at the resort. Close to the apartment A-5 of the OC there were already about 60 people to look for the girl.

She remembers, although she is not absolutely certain, given the time already elapsed, that an individual of about 1,70m, short light brown hair, with thin framed and light brown glasses, wanted from the start to help finding the child Madeleine McCann.

She doesn't remember at what time she saw him.

She doesn't remember how he was dressed up.

She doesn't remember who was with him, whether he came walking or in some vehicle. That same individual, she was told later, is the son of Morat, his first name is ROBERT.
Robert speaks fluently English and Portuguese. He helped the GNR of Lagos and later the PJ, translating the testimony of some British persons.

She admits as possible that Paul and June of the bar "Duke of Holland" and Mr. Byron of the firm JNB (management of properties in PDL) should be able to confirm if Robert Murat was there when Madeleine disappeared, and eventually other details.

She states that she spoke for the first time with Robert on Saturday (05-05-2007) or Sunday (06-05-2007) or may be on Monday (07-05-2007), during the breaks between the interviews in which he participated as a translator.

She describes him as a very sympathetic and direct guy. RM was very communicative and extrovert during the conversations they had together. He didn't mention any personal subject.

She made already statements concerning this process several times and remembers what she stated earlier, repeating here what the content of previous statements.

She is here because, with the passage of time since Madeleine disappeared she has remembered a few details on the testified facts that she believes may be somehow of interest to the investigation.

As she said earlier she was alerted about the disappearance of Madeleine between 22.30 and 23:00. She was at home and was informed of the event via a telephone call.

She drove immediately to the Ocean Club where she arrived a few minutes before elements of the GNR popped in.

After she arrived she went immediately to the apartment A5 where she found several people inside the apartment and outside of it. She entered in the flat but soon left without having spoken with anyone, because she was informed that elements of the GNR were in the principal reception. She went there to meet them.

When she came close to the elements of the GNR she found that behind her was
Gerry, Madeleine's father, accompanied by another man whose identity she doesn't remember.

Then Gerry kneeled down, hit the floor with both hands, positioning himself as if he were a praying Arab, and screamed twice of anger, what he said being impossible to understand. Then Gerry stand up and accompanied her (the witness) and the other man in the car of the GNR to the apartment A5.

She entered the apartment and asked for the passports of all elements of the family, and also photographs of the missing girl. She went with Gerry to the GNR car to hand over the requested documents. She mentions she did this, as well as other tasks, at the request of the GNR Commandant, because she could translate their questions and the missing girl's family's answers.
She remembers Gerry gave the Commandant of several photographs of the missing girl. They were postcard-like pictures, taking into account their size and shape and seemed all the same to her.

She understood also that since the very beginning either Gerry or the others insisted on stating that Madeleine had been snatched, all using the word "abducted" instead of missing, and all showing much interest in informing the press of the situation.

She also recalls entering in the room where Madeleine should be sleeping and remembers now that the door was closed. The room was dark. The blinds were down, some light entering through their holes. The windows were closed and the curtains slightly open. Gerry, who followed her and the elements of the GNR, said he did close the window because of the babies sleeping in the room, a fact she confirms.

Gerry said that when he discovered the disappearance of Madeleine he noticed that the window and the blinds were open and the curtains fluttering.
She recalls that the beds which were in the middle of the room and used by the babies
were aligned and therefore found it strange that someone had taken Madeleine from the bed where she would be sleeping and had gone to the window because there was no space to pass.
She opened the wardrobes of that room in order to confirm that Madeleine wasn't eventually hiding there.

Then everyone left the room and someone shut the door. She remained for some time in the living room, near the GNR elements, Gerry and other elements of the group who got in and out and spoke on their cellular phones.

She observed that none of the elements of the group including the father and mother
of the child was concerned with looking for her.
The mother was sitting on the bed of her room, the father was with her (the witness) and the elements of the GNR, and other elements of the group got in and out and spoke on the phone, anxious, in her opinion, to tell the press what happened.

She thought that the child's mother was devastated, the father was worried and also asked to notify the press and to get dogs to search.
About the others she only remembers that Fiona and her husband, Payne, were hysterical with the situation.

At a certain time, after the arrival of the PJ elements, the parents removed the twins
from the beds in which they were still sleeping and took them to the first floor flat.

At the request of Kate she (the witness) removed the toys and a blanket that she took to the first floor flat. Only the mattresses remained

She wanted to mention that around 3h00 Madeleine's parents asked for a priest to be present. They didn't explain why they wanted a priest but she (the witness) was amazed, because there were no indications that the little girl was dead and only in these circumstances is usually asked the presence of a priest.

At some point she translated the statement of one of the ladies who belonged to the group and that she describes as a brunette one. This lady said to the GNR elements, and she (the witness) translated, that she had seen a man on the road who might have carried a child.

This situation surprised her because she (the witness) was convinced that when the lady saw the man, the lady was in a place from where she had no angle of vision for the place where she saw the man. She doesn't know exactly what was the position of the lady when she saw the man, but she knows that the lady said she saw the man in the street in front of the Madeleine's bedroom window, walking in the direction of the street that then leads to the Baptista supermarket.

Asked about the way the members of the group were dressed up in that night, she only remembers that Fiona was wearing a green blouse, that Gerry was wearing a dark shirt
and the husband of Fiona wearing clear pants, beige she thinks.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 04.07.18 15:20

01-Processo 86 to 103

KIDS CLUB STAFF interviewed 4 May 2007 by Inspector M.Pinho

Processo Vol I pages 86 to 90; pages 91-103 being passport photocopies.

Today we, I and my colleague L.Madeira, spoke with Mrs Silvia Maria Correia Ramos Batista., director of maintenance and services for the company "GREENTROUST", which manages the "OCEAN CLUB" company, contactable by mobile phone 964....

Through her, we contacted, Donna_Louise_Rafferty_Hill (contactable by mobile phone number 964...) manager of the creche staff for the "MARK WARNER" company, [who were] responsible for Madeleine and the twins for several periods each day after the McCann family arrived in Portugal.

The latter advised us that all these employees are English nationals and that they came to work in Portugal from
March/April until November; that there are 13 people who work in the creche, their names and telephone numbers being as follows: [NOTE: Phone numbers withheld]
- Pauline Francis M.
- Emma Louise W.
- Sarah Elizabeth W.
- Susan bernadette O.
- Leanne Danielle W.
- Shinead Maria V.
- Jacqueline Mary W.
- Kirsty Louise M.
- Lynne R.F.
- Catriona Treasa Sisile B.
- Stacey P.
- Lyndsay Jayne J.
- Amy Ellen T.

--- It was determined further that all these girls live outside the complex [resort], although quite close to it, and that Catriona B. was responsible for Madeleine during the day yesterday.
--- Stacey P. was the staff member responsible for the McCann twins.
--- Usually, it is always the same young woman who cares for the same child.
--- The latest arrivals in Portugal were Sarah W. and Charlotte Pennington who arrived last Saturday, April 28th 2007. --- The informant, responsible for coordination, distributed the children between the various girls, taking care that each child was unknown to their carer.
--- The informant noticed nothing abnormal up to today and that no one was absent from work except those who were on their day off.
--- All the carers have made themselves available to speak with the police.

*CATRIONA B.*

In our informal conversation with Catriona Trease Sisile B., also known as CAT, she stated:

1. That she arrived on March 21st 2007 and that she plans to return to the UK on November 7th 2007;
2. That she cared for Madeleine since Sunday April 29th 2007, daily until yesterday and that she always worked the same hours;
3. That yesterday Madeleine arrived at 9.10. It was her father, Gerry, who brought her;
4. That her mother, Kate, picked her up at 12.25;
5. That her mother, Kate, dropped her off at 14.50 and picked her up at 17.30;
6. That in the same room as Madeleine, there were 6 other children in the morning and 4 in the afternoon (including Madeleine);
7. That she did not see any strangers in the complex during that time or previous days.
8. That on the first day, Madeleine was shy. On the following days she was more calm and uninhibited. Yesterday she was joyful.
9. That she was never far from Madeleine, keeping her under visual supervision at all times when she was her responsibility, even asking her permission to go to the bathroom;
10. That, over the days, she noticed no change in the behaviour of the child's parents;
11. That she noticed no abnormal situation relating to this family;
12. That Madeleine had not told her about any person who had contacted [spoken to] her in recent days, nor [about] any possibly suspicious conversation.

*STACEY P.*

In informal conversation with Stacey P., she stated:

1. That it is she and her colleague, Shinead, who usually cares for the twins;
2. That yesterday, it was the informant who cared for the twins, her colleague was on her day off;
3. That the children were dropped off by their parents at 9.30 and that the mother picked them up at 12.30;
4. That it was the father who dropped them off at 14.30 and that it was the mother who came to fetch them at 17.30;
5. That she saw no-one strange in the surrounding area;
6. That the behaviour of the parents was always perfectly normal;
7. That she arrived in Portugal on March 18th and that she returns to the UK on November 7th 2007.

--- That it was not possible to speak with the rest of the carers, notably Shinead, because most of them were
absent and there exists higher priority work;
--- Attached are copies of the female employees' passports;
--- Attached is a list of their names with the recorded dates of arrival for each, [and] the planned date of leaving, among other things;
--- Also attached are the creche attendance registers for the children, of the recent days.

Signed: Manuel Pinho, Inspector.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 11.07.18 1:45

Stephen Carpenter witness statement - 21st April 2008

I am the person referred to above and I live at the address provided to the police.
I confirm that I was questioned by DC 4078 Ferguson from Leicestershire police on 21st April 2008.
The questioning began at 10.30 and finished at 11.10 on the same day. The questioning was filmed on DVD and on cassette. This statement was made by me and is truthful according to my understanding.

The questioning took place at the police station in Stevenage, Hertfordshire on the 21st April 2008.
I would be more than satisfied if the evidence presented by me was used and if required to appear at court in Portugal I would need to be notified in advance. .

Statement
Date 21st April 2008
Pages: 1
Statement of Stephen Carpenter

Leicestershire Police Force
Form MG15 (T)

Officer who conducted the questioning: DC 4078 Ferguson

_____________________________

Duration of Interview: 39 minutes

DCF: Do you agree with me reading out your statement'

SC: Yes, I agree, yes.

DCF: Or would you prefer to read out the statement yourself'

SC: No, thats fine, you can read it.

DCF: I thought it would make more sense that way:

SC: Ah ha.

DCF: So when we get to the moment that refers to Portugal, it will refresh your memory.

SC: Please can I take some notes'

DCF: Yes of course. I'll get you a sheet of paper.

SC: Yes, OK.

DCF: I will have to go and get one because I haven't got my bag with me.
.
DC FERGUSON leaves the interrogation room..

DC FERGUSON returns to the interrogation room.

DCF: This was the best I could find.

SC: Yes, that's fine, its just for small details like people's names.

DCF: Yes.

SC: That would be, humm the babysitters and the people I played tennis with. I've got, hummm I almost remember all of their names. .

DCF: I would just like to introduce myself, I am DC Sophie Ferguson. I work for the Main Criminal Unit of the Leicestershire police and we have obviously been working on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, to provide assistance to the Portuguese and the reason for which we are here today is because the Portuguese have asked us to carry out some questioning of some of the witnesses.

SC: Agreed.

DCF: And also, Gerry and Kate have the right to ask the witnesses some questions and for that reason some of the questionings carried out incorporate questions suggested by them.

SC. OK.

DCF: It is now 10.30 on the 21st April.

SC: Yes.

DCF: It is the 21st today, isn't it'

SC: Yes.

DCF: Of the year 2008 and we are in a room in a house on Telford Avenue in Stevenage where neither of us have been before.

SC: OK

DCF: DC Eleanor JOHNSON is monitoring this interrogation Could you please tell m your name in full'

SC: Humm... Stephen John CARPENTER

DCF: And your date of birth'

SC: *******

DCF: Thank you. Would you prefer us to call you Stephen or Steve'

SC: Steve.

DCF: Steve it is then.

SC: Mm.

DCF:Okay, there is a letter for you, a letter to be handed to you ...

SC: Okay, thanks.

DCF: Before beginning the questioning and explaining the reason why you are here.

SC: Okay.

DCF: You can take a minute to read the contents if you wish..

(CARPENTER reads the letter): Yes, that's fine..

DCF: Okay, as I already explained previously this will be filmed so that we can send the CD so that the Portuguese can hear instead of only reading the statement, once they get a copy.

SC: Ah ha.

DCF: And I know that before we begin the questioning, that you showed some concern about the truthful recording of the facts and that they could have had some distortions by what you have read about the event.

SC: Yes.

DCF: Therefore what we have agreed to do is to read your statement and put the facts together.

SC: Ah ha, yes that would seem right to me.

DCF: And afterwards I will ask you whether there is anything else you would like to add.

SC: Okay.

DCF: Or anything else that you would like to discuss and afterwards, afterwards I will ask the questions that we were requested.

SC: Okay.

DCF: And we can talk about this for as long as we need to, there is no time limit.

SC: Yes, fine.

DCF: Are you feeling all right'

SC: Yes, fine.

DC: Good. Right, this statement was taken by a UK police officer on the 17th May and so the facts should be quite fresh in your memory.

SC: Yes.
.
DCF: This is obviously 2007 and begins by explaining the reason for the questioning, in other words, relating to the disappearance of Madeleine. In the statement you say "I will mention the following persons who I will describe with greater detail at the end of the statement" Is it C*** or C******'

SC: C*****.

DCF: C***** is your wife and at the time of the events you had known her for nine years and I****** is your daughter aged three and a half and F***** is obviously your other child aged five months. During the holiday you met the following persons, Gerry and Kate McCann, saw their children, Madeleine and the twins, but don't know their names. J*** C***** whom I met whilst playing tennis, I also met Dan and Georgia who were tennis instructors of the Mark Warner holiday resort (inaudible) I had met Dan on previous Mark Warner holidays at the (inaudible) resort. . I met the following persons when I participated in the searches for Madeleine during the day after her disappearance, Raj and Neil, Mark Warner tourists, John Hill, manager of the MW resort, we also used three babysitters, Pauline, Emma and Leanne. Emma and Leanne would look after our children in the evenings, they were all British and employees of MW. A man with three children whom I met in the Tapas Bar and who I referred to as the "Tapas Guy" and a Portuguese man in a garage whom I will refer to as the "laundry man".

SC: Okay.

DCF:Okay. That was just to set the scene..

SC: Yes.

DCF: Neil and Raj, two MW tourists that I saw in the Tapas Bar who were looking for Madeleine with me, doesn't make much sense, I think it was perhaps explaining who they are and where I met them. I will now describe the resort and to help me with this description I will base myself upon an aerial photograph from the Sun Newspaper dated the 16th May, which we do not have here today, but which is not important. The resort is a closed holiday complex with apartments and some villas. This takes us to the next question which is, how did you appear on the scene. "My wife booked the holidays in the MW resort in Praia da Luz, from Saturday 28th April to Saturday 5th May, at Going Places in Welwyn Garden City." You go on to describe your previous holidays and that you chose this one because you were told that the "baby sitter" service was available. You arrived at the resort on Saturday morning, pardon on Saturday at approximately two in the afternoon and were accompanied to your apartment, FP02 Ocean Club.
At about 4.15 on the same day you went to a crèche meeting where you wee told who the crèche workers who would look after your children were and that your children would be in different groups given the difference in age. I**** was in the group for children between three and four years old, her crèche worker was Emma and it was only after the disappearance of Madeleine McCann that I realised that she was in the same group as I****. That night C****, F****, I**** and I went to the Millenium Restaurant, we did not see any of the other MW tourists there and I remember that I did not see any of the other people I mentioned in my statement there. On Sunday the 29th April C**** and I participated in a coffee morning of the MW tennis group where I met Gerry, Kate, J****, C****, R****, A***, G***, A***'s sister and A***, there were other tourists there whose names now escape me. In total there were approximately some sixteen people at this coffee morning and tennis was one of the activities that the man, or that both subscribed to during the week. I am summarising a bit, because.....


SC: Okay, that's fine..

DCF: I first played tennis with Kate and G***n, there was another lady whose name I can't remember and afterwards I played with Kate and G**** against Gerry and naturally after the game I spoke to Gerry and Kate as well as to the other people present. I think that this is just a setting of the scene.

SC: Yes, OK.

DCF: In this way I got to know Gerry and Kate and spoke with them as I did with other people.

SC: Yes.
.
DCF: And during my stay I would greet them when I met them. Later we pass to your activities during the week, do you remember if there was anything relevant in their activities during this week'

SC: Humm, anything relevant, not really....hummmm... it was normal, possibly after having left and now knowing where Murat was in relation to us, because i don't know whether they showed you the proximity between us.

DCF: No.

SC: Let me show you some things about that, humm....let's see, because...hummm, our apartment was not near to there.

DCF: Mmm mmm.

SC: Here was the club where Gerry was, behind Murat's garden and here we were probably the people closest to Murat.

DCF: Thats true, I see.

SC: The bushes were all around here, we were far away from the rest, it was all open, and this is why I think (inaudible) you know, this is the idea that, humm...I think of when i mentioned in the interrogation that there was a laundry outlet where other things were kept.

DCF: Mmm, yes.

SC: But humm, nothing strange that someone wouldn't do during their holidays, the only thing is thinking about our proximity to Murat's property.

DCF: Yes, I understand, much of this is in the....

SC: Background.

DCF: Yes. When I went to the Tapas Bar and was seen there, talking on the Thurday 3rd May we analysed this in more detail because it was obviously more relevant. "The second time I entered the Tapas Bar was on Thursday 3rd May" which ended up being the day that Madeleine disappeared.

.
SC: Ah ha.

DCF: We arrived at about seven because we had the children with us and I saw a man sitting at the table next to us with three children.

SC: Yes
.
DCF: He was going to take a plane the next day to Switzerland, given that the children's mother lived there, I had never seen him before that night, but he ended up joining us for a coffee, he was a MW tourist. Another couple whose names I do not remember, sat at the table opposite us. A man was sitting on the esplanade having a drink whilst waiting for a take away, I spoke to them briefly, I hadn't realised that the Tapas bar had a take away service. At that time i didn't know their names. At approximately half past eight, Gerry and Kate and their group of approximately ten people were already seated at their table, which was so close to ours that it was possible to converse with them, we spoke of tennis amongst other things, I vaguely remember that Gerry and Kate and other people from the group would leave the table in intervals (inaudible), I think it was to check on the children , but I do not remember with what frequency or how many times the people left the table to check on the children. We did not talk about the system for checking the children or the fact that they had left them alone in the apartment, it was only later upon hearing the news that I realised that they had left the children alone in the apartment and that they were regularly checking to see if they were all right. Between approximately a quarter past nine and half past nine we left the Tapas bar to go home, we walked across the MW reception area, crossed the road and a semi circular path to return to the apartment, were we put the children to bed and a short while later did the same ourselves. I do not remember seeing or hearing anyone during our return to the apartment. When I crossed the road outside the MW reception I remember there were cars parked, I remember taking some time to see if I could cross the road because there were cars parked to my left and I was carrying I****. They were about six metres away from me and i calculate that some (inaudible) metres from the back of Gerry's apartment, I do not remember anything about these cars, it was normal for cars to be parked there and in the morning they were no longer there. My wife mentioned on the following day that she vaguely remembered someone calling "Madeleine, Madeleine", this was after we had crossed the road from the MW reception and before entering our apartment. She does not remember where the sound came from or whether it was in an urgent tone, not paying any more attention to it and only remembered the following day when we heard about Madeleine's disappearance". OK, before going on the next part, do you remember at what time you left'

SC: Humm... vaguely, I think it was what was put in the statement, the same, the leaving the restaurant, the way back to the apartment, looking to my left to check that the way was clear and I didn't see anything....My wife vaguely remembers hearing "Madeleine, Madeleine" and that was all until the following morning when I saw the television.

DCF: Yes, and where you state that it was on GMTV.

SC:: Yes..

DCF: I think that it was reported that it was a three year old child and probably thought who could it be and knew that Kate and Gerry were from Leicestershire and assumed that it was one of their children seeing that they had small children'

SC: Ah.

DCF: And afterwards you left your apartment to see if you could help in any way and as you said previously, everything was very quiet and there was nobody around. Then you say "I went to the MW reception and I met two of Gerry's surfing friends who told me that Madeleine had been abducted on the previous night, I asked if there was anything I could do to help and I think they were waiting for news from the Portuguese police. We walked towards the supermarket and ended up at the 24 hour reception where some men tried to speak to some Portuguese employees in the attempt to make a phone call, but communication became complicated because the employee did not speak English and the man did not speak Portuguese. We returned to the MW reception where I asked whether there was anything I could do to help so that they would let me know and returned to my apartment by the same route as the previous night. Upon nearing my apartment I heard a male voice coming from the garden next to my apartment.

DCF: This would be the voice of Murat, correct'

SC: Yes. This garden is situated at the other side of the passage way from my apartment block and is enclosed by net fence of about 1.80 m in height, the garden is thick and it was not possible to see inside, there was also a passageway along the garden without a wall that was on the way from our apartment to the Millenium restaurant. At some stage I managed to see clearly inside the garden, but I did not know who was the owner of the house and I never saw anyone inside the garden or the house or see anyone leaving until the moment that I heard a voice calling me. Then a voice called me from over the hedge. "What is happening, or what is going on'", I replied that a three year old girl had disappeared, he said "I am going to come round to talk to you" and he did this, walked round to come over towards me and said "I have lived here for fourteen years, I speak Portuguese fluently and I can help to translate", and we introduced ourselves, he told me he was Robert and this was the first time I had seen this man. Robert mentioned that he had a daughter in Norfolk who was the same age as Madeleine, and that is why he was able to understand what they were going through. We walked back along the path that I had taken to Gerry's apartment and I explained that Robert spoke Portuguese fluently, he told Gerry that it was important to have someone who spoke the language so that nothing would be lost in translation.. And that was how Robert Murat was presented as a translator.


DCF: Yes

SC: After he left, he explained that Gerry was frustrated with the way in which the case was being handled and they went to talk to John Hill.


DCF: Yes..

SC: In Mark Warner and he asked that all the Mark Warner rooms be opened so that he could check them and asked the cleaning ladies etc. to help open all the empty apartments that were not necessarily in the Mark Warner complex, but for which they might have the keys. At this moment I also met an English man called Dave who lived in the area and helped the Ocean Club to authorise entry into all the apartments possible, some of the apartments in Gerry's block belonged to local owners and Dave helped to get the keys to these apartments so that they could check them and search them, they checked them all in a general manner.

DCF: Mmm mmm.


SC: Robert and I searched the areas near to the beach.

DCF: During your conversations with Robert is there anything that you would like to comment on'

SC: Humm, no, its probably nothing relevant, the only thing since all of this happened and from reading the papers, I'm not sure if I am right or wrong, but his involvement in the translations was due to my intervention, clearly it was I who, based upon what he told me, took him to see Gerry, humm..and just that, I do not know whether it was already explained and wasn't published in the papers or I do not know why (inaudible) I think that the reason for his involvement was because of me.

.
DCF: Mmm.

SC: And then the first thing that he said was "Well, I did not actually offer my services, I "bumped" into this individual.

DCF: Yes:

SC: That is the only, only thing that I would correct and I think it is a bit strange that someone would state that they offer themselves as a volunteer, or the way in which it really happened after having told me that he spoke Portuguese fluently, I said to him "Well, in this case that could be useful" and afterwards accompanied him - and that was how he (inaudible) thought that it was a bit strange. Because the way he said it gave the impression that it was voluntary.

DCF: Yes.

SC: Whereas now the version is a bit different.

DCF: Yes, yes. And do you remember what you talked about whilst you were searching with him'

SC: Humm...he obviously talked to me about his daughter.

DCF: Yes.

SC: They had a team of sniffer dogs on site, they came from Lisbon according to what I was told, and afterwards we walked to the beach in the attempt to find the scent, to see of she had got lost alone or had fallen into the sea, and it was just him and me and the dog handlers, so that there was not any big theme of conversation, just walking the route - or on the way back, when we arrived we talked with different Portuguese police
Officers and afterwards with the officer who appeared to be leading the operation, a man who appeared to be from Forensics, but as I say now nothing appears very clear to me.

DCF: Yes.

SC: Humm... where Robert presented himself as being capable of speaking both languages and they couldn't, they tried to use him in order to obtain a maximum of information from the English side, so that the Portuguese could understand what the people were saying and what state they were in... that was the involvement with the police and afterwards we tried to enter all the apartments that they had seen to where Gerry and Kate were staying.

DCF: Yes..

SC: And it was just talking about, you know...trying to get possible access and trying to open a maximum of doors in the area, and I think that was all.

DCF: You go on to describe in a little more detail the searches in the apartments neighbouring on Gerry and Kate's apartment, then you met Neil and Raj who began to talk and told you that they had collaborated in the searches the night before.

SC: Yes. .

DCF: And they explained to you that they had seen a man with dreadlocks and they felt there was something suspicious about him, that they were not satisfied with him.

SC: Yes, yes.

DCF: Then he introduced himself saying that he lived in Portugal and that he had just bought an apartment block.
.
SC: Yes.

DCF:
They were staying opposite Gerry's block, that meant that they were more concentrated in that area.

SC: Yes, because Raj in particular said that he felt there was something strange and that he was not certain, and the fact of where they were staying, the fact that the back of the apartment block was opposite Kate and Gerry's apartment, humm...and the fact that they even discussed the purchase price and how much he had paid, but the following morning there was no sign, even knocking on all the doors of the apartments that were occupied and those that were empty, we did not find anyone, he said, and that is why we thought it was strange that someone who had been available and collaborated in the searches and who lived in the area, was not found the following morning, because as you know, we were not contactable.

DCF: No sign of him and you remember that you were worried about this man who was described as being fifty years of age with grey hair.

SC:Ah ha.

DCF: And it seemed strange that a person who helped so much on the previous night disappeared the following morning.

SC: Yes, I suppose there was something that even the local Portuguese would be incapable of identifying (inaudible) or recognising for the description of a poster especially.

DCF: Who it was.

SC: Hummm.. then it was just a question of asking who he might be, where he was and to be able to eliminate him from the list of suspects, so that he would be at least one less person to worry about.


DCF: And did you speak to Robert about this as the person who was also on the scene'


SC: Ah ha.

DCF: On Saturday morning, the 5th May you spoke to a BBC reporter.

SC: Yes.

DCF: You told them that you remember that some of the reporters were being unfair and incorrect because they were treating the situation as that of a missing child and not of a child whom had been abducted.

SC: Yes.


DCF: And you go on to say that you spoke to Robert that day about how the Portuguese Police were unhappy with the incomprehensible way in which the British press treated them.
SC: That was what he said. What he explained to me.

DCF: Yes.

SC: Yes.
.
DCF: Yes, you met Gerry in the swimming pool area on Saturday afternoon, he told you that the fifty year old man had not been taken into consideration, that the Leicestershire police were on their way and you gave him your phone number and returned to England that night.

SC: Yes.

DCF: You certainly followed the events on television.

SC: Yes.


DCF: Humm... afterwards you say that on the 17th May you sent an email to Sky News about the description of an individual aged about fifty, humm.... on the 14th May you saw a report at the end of the news which mentioned that Robert Murat had been named a suspect.


SC: Yes (inaudible) I spoke to a Sky reporter, I think it was Ian Woods, hummm...did I write that down there'


DCF: Its here, yes.

SC: Ah yes, yes and afterwards, humm...with Murat well...I just caught a glimpse of him on TV, it was rather my wife who phoned Philomena afterwards who then suggested that we contact the police support service.

DCF: Yes.

SC: And that is what I did, and afterwards the Hertford police contacted us.

DCF: Yes.

SC: Two days later I think.

DCF: Exactly, you phoned the criminal support number and was transferred to the Operational Squad of the Leicestershire Police Force which is where we are working.

SC: Ah ha.

DCF: And we made a request to the local police to collect your statement and it was in this sequence that your statement arrived. It is likely that my papers are not in order because this page is more about the details of the search of the apartments near to Gerry's apartment and mentions the man from the laundry.

SC: Yes, yes.

DCF: And about the searches carried out.

SC: I remember that, yes.

DCF: You spoke to a man who later showed you a garage where there was a bed.

SC: Yes, well what happened was that, Gerry's apartment was here because it was not a flat area, it was more or less like this and that is why the opposite apartments were higher.

DCF: Correct.

SC: That is why it could obviously be seen, these apartments could be looked over from above and all the lower parts and where we, hummm.. this is where the grey haired man was.

DCF: Right.

SC: Who had supposedly acquired a property, and that is why I strongly suggested that we should open the maximum possible number of doors,...I can't remember the name of the man who I also met by chance and who was doing some translating, what was his name again, who helped open the doors.


DCF: Was it John HILL'

SC: No, John Hill was a Mark Warner employee, I can't remember his name, but he...humm also knew the local estate agent and different people who helped to get the keys of the properties from the letters, some of whom were on holiday.

DCF: Yes.

SC: And once the garage door was opened, it was not just a garage for a car, it was a type of "capsule" of about six by nine metres in size which became longer where there was a bed in the corner, and it was when we were searching this, the English man with grey hair whose identity I did not know, but who had explained this to me.


DCF: Yes.

SC: Humm... this garage belonged to a Portuguese man, the man from the laundry.

DCF: Yes.

SC: And when we entered the garage I asked who lived there, he replied that his son lived there and then there were distractions and because I was concentrated on the fifty year old English man, this man is Portuguese, it was only afterwards when I thought later about what we were searching for, it didn't occur to me and I think it is because of this that i mentioned it in my statement two weeks later, because I remember that there had been some distortions.

DCF: Yes.

SC: Of course with Murat there is Murat and the Russian individual, you know....I thought that we might well be looking for the totally wrong person and the fact that a bed existed in the garage and some children's toys.

DCF: Yes.

SC: I thought, ohhh...its worth mentioning this and that's the reason I mentioned it in my statement.
DCF: Fine, now (inaudible) describe the Portuguese man, the laundry man to me, yes'

SC: Yes.
I am certain that I read about this at the beginning, which (inaudible)' I think that afterwards, and afterwards coincides with the fact that he was the man from the laundry and of the van parked there, because as i have already explained, we were here in a small street here above which linked to the main road and to everything beside here on top, the rest was all pathways and I remember that on two or three occasions I thought...this is a dead end road, the van was parked there, I never saw anyone and more than once assumed that it would be cleaning staff and only this thought coincided with the presence of the man from the laundry, and if there were any reply to be made in relation to the link between the van parked there and the laundry man.
DCF: Yes.

SC: Murat here, I think and the laundry thing here.

DCF: Yes

SC: And I would once again give the reason why I mentioned the subject..

DCF: Of what age did the laundry man appear to be'

SC: Humm, I do not remember clearly what I said, but obviously at times Europeans appear older than they are, because of

DCF...(inaudible) the sun.

SC: Yes with the sun, that was what I said in the statement (inaudible).

DCF: I am going to try to locate the first pages where it was mentioned, but there is no description.

SC: Forty five to fifty years old, I think.

DCF: I'm just trying to think what age the man would be, it is difficult to say for the man that I saw, but he would have been of an age that implied that he could have a small child living in the garage or it could be expected that the had a grown up child.

SC: Oh, I think he would have been about, you know.... eighteen years, twenty or twenty two years old to live in the back of a garage because it had large cupboards and other things, but to live in a garage would mean that he had to be eighteen or more, because of a question of safety and because it was not the best way to live.

DCF: No. Then as you say the children's toys seemed to you to be out of context'

SC: Yes, yes.

DCF: Yes.

SC: Yes, mainly because I would think of someone aged eighteen or slightly more.

DCF: And then the Mark Warner staff, obviously it was after your return when this was still being investigated, the staff had photos of Madeleine that the man handed to an individual called C**** and his girlfriend to be distributed.

SC: Ah ah, yes.

DCF: Its in the part where it mentions that there was a van, and says that it was parked at the back of Robert Murat'' garden, and that you never saw anyone use the van, but you remember that it had something to do with the cleaning staff.

SC: Yes, to transport the bedlinen and towels.

DCF: Yes. It says here that you never saw anyone drive it, you just know that you saw it parked, did you ever notice that it was missing or do you remember always seeing it there'

SC:Humm, no...no it was not always there, I saw it about two or three times.

DCF: OK. And it continues, obviously there are some details about the van and its description in case it would be necessary to come back to this statement. So during the week, you played tennis with Gerry about three times'

SC: Ah ha.

DCF: On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, it says here that you got on well, that he communicated easily, he was fun, he talked to you about golf which was his favourite sport, that he wanted to improve his tennis during the week. On Sunday or Monday he twisted his ankle, but managed to keep on playing, and on Sunday morning he only played tennis with Kate, that you saw them both playing sport and they passed by you at the bar on the beach and this was Sunday or Monday at about mid day.

SC: Mmm, mmm.

DCF: And you saw both Gerry and Kate at the Tapas Bar on Sunday and afterwards on Thursday in the evening, apart from these occasions you just saw them in passing at the resort and you had no opportunity to get to know Kate'

SC: No.

DCF: OK. Is there anything else that you would like to comment on or talk about in relation to the time that you were in the resort before the police, or before the disappearance of Madeleine'

SC: In relation to the holiday or to something strange that I remember'

DCF: Yes, is there anything in your memory that you think could be significant but that you didn't mention before because you thought it was a bit...

SC: No, no...until that moment it was an extremely enjoyable holiday, I think that we had already been at other Mark Warner resorts and they were more than a complex and because of that all the people in the area were Mark Warner tourists, here it was different because we could meet the same person two or three times a day, others could spend three or four days without seeing them because some were staying at this side and others on the other side and so, you know...we were not...it was not a large holiday centre but this was reasonably normal.

DCF: OK. Do you agree with me putting these questions now'

SC: Yes, that's fine, are they the questions from the police'

DCF: Yes, from the way they are written, I think they are all from the Portuguese police.

SC: OK.

DCF: Because sometimes translations are a bit different.

SC: OK.

DCF: However, I think there are no questions from Gerry and Kate that would be necessary to ask you, as I have stated previously, there are other interrogations where that was necessary.

SC: Oh.

DCF: Fine, on what day between the 28th April and 3rd May did you meet Gerry McCann and Kate Healy, I think this has already been mentioned in the statement that we have just gone through.

SC: Yes, yes.

DCF: However I am going to read this and you do not have to reply again. How frequently would you meet up between the 28th April and 3rd May and once again we have just been through this.

SC: From there onwards.

DCF: Oh yes, not from there, it was even before Madeleine disappeared. Did you see them with Madeleine and the other two children'
.
SC: Humm...I don't remember what I said in my statement, I am not sure about this because when I think about the past, and I know that he was playing tennis and I imagine something different, that's why...humm I can't specify hours and dates.

DCF: Ok. If you can remember the occasion upon which you saw them, how was the children's behaviour'.

SC: Humm. I can't reply because I was not concentrating on this type of thing, that's why...hmmm, I cannot even reply to this.

DCF: No, but I was thinking from the point of view of common sense, after the disappearance of Madeleine, any doubt that you could have had.

SC: Oh, after the disappearance'

DCF: No, what I was thinking here was that after her disappearance, you would probably have reflected upon whether you saw anything.

SC: Hummm... I remember talking to Gerry, because I had to go and fetch I*** and they were playing in the small garden and he was (inaudible), I***** and I thought it was Maddie, I am not absolutely sure but, he seemed to me to be a decent type, a good father, affectionate with his children, very easy to talk to, very good with the children, with a comfortable manner even when talking to I**** about little things, completely dedicated to the children.

DCF: OK, I'm certain that if there were anything strange in his behaviour, you would certainly remember that.

SC: Yes, certainly.

DCF: Did you see either of them in a car'

SC: See either of whom'

DCF: I think this refers to the McCann family, did you ever see them in a car'

SC: Humm, during that week'

DCF: Mmm, mmm.

SC: I think not.

DCF: Did you see Kate or Gerry on the Thursday 3rd May, obviously this was the day when Madeleine disappeared already mentioned in your statement.

SC: Yes, in the restaurant, yes.

DCF: Do you remember if you saw them before the evening'

SC: Humm... I think that we played tennis during the afternoon on Thursday.

DCF: Yes.

SC: I'm not certain, I remember that it was on Thursday that there were four individuals with whom we used to share the tennis courts, and I think that I mentioned this in my statement, I would say that it was on Thursday that we played tennis and I think that this was what we talked about in the Tapas bar.

DCF: OK, do you have any idea of what time you played tennis with Gerry'

SC: Humm... from two to four or from two until any time in the afternoon, I remember it coincided with leaving the kids in the crèche and picking them up.

DCF: OK, and it asks here what his behaviour was like on Thursday, 3rd May'

SC: His behaviour during the day or'

DCF: On all the occasions that you saw him.

SC: Always very good.

DCF: When did you realise that Madeleine had disappeared, you have already said that it was on the following day.

SC: On Friday morning.

DCF: And you took part in the searches as you have already described. Did you see Kate or Gerald after Madeleine's disappearance'

SC: Yes.

DCF: When'

SC: Hummm, the first time was when I introduced Robert Murat to Gerry, I think that he was alone at that moment...humm, or Kate was there, I'm not sure, but afterwards I saw him on Saturday before returning home, but thinking of the time on Friday morning when I introduced Murat, I think that I did not see him again until Saturday.

DCF: OK and the next question is what was their reaction and I think this means their reaction to Madeleine not being there'
.
SC: Destroyed, like any father or mother would be.

DCF: At what time did you arrive at the Tapas restaurant on 3rd May (inaudible)'

SC: At seven, I think at seven, yes.

DCF: Yes and you say that Kate and Gerald arrived at about half past eight, what was the theme of the conversation'

SC: I think it was just holiday chat, I think that we talked about our tennis and the good and bad aspects.
DCF: And who else was at the restaurant, well.... you have already referred to this in your statement.

SC: Yes.

DCF: Did you see Kate or Gerry leave the table before you'

SC: (Inaudible).

DCF: I think that this means the coming and going of people during the evening.

SC: Yes, I remember that people would absent themselves intermittently at different times, but I did not know why.

DCF: no.

SC: But as we discovered later, it was to check on the children.

DCF: And I imagine that your attention was directed towards your family and (inaudible).

SC: Yes, because we obviously had our two with us and we were on this side of the table, the single man with three small children was here and I****was playing with them, so we were more or less a group if you would like to call it that, of which they were a part, I think that all the ten members were there and some of us would speak to others here and on the other side of the table.

DCF: At what time did you leave the Tapas bar'

SC: I think it was at about half past nine.

DCF: I think that is what you said.

SC: Yes.

DCF: And you were accompanied, you replied that you were with your children and your wife. Where did you go afterwards, it says here...before going back to your apartment, can you describe the route you took'

SC: Directly to the apartment.

DCF: Did you see anyone outside the Tapas Bar or outside the apartments'

SC: If I saw anyone outside the Tapas bar or, hummm.. on the way home presumably'

DCF: Yes, is there anyone you remember that night, did you see anyone in the area'

SC: No.

DCF: At what time did you go to bed'

SC: Almost immediately, we put the children to bed because it was already quite late for them, humm... about half past ten, yes, about half past ten (inaudible).

DCF: And that's it, those were the questions.

SC: OK.

DCF: So I would say there were no surprises. Is there anything else that you think we should talk about'

SC: Hummm, no I think that's all, I spoke about Murat, hummm, about the meeting, no there is nothing more to add.

DCF: OK. Lets check with Eleanor to see if we have missed anything.

DCF leaves the interrogation room.
DCF enters the interrogation room.

DCF: No and I cannot think of anything else so we can close the interrogation.

SC: Fine.

DCF: It is 11.10, although my watch does not have numbers, so this is an approximate time.

SC: OK. And the interrogation ends here, I'm sure that Eleanor will unplug the recorder in the next room.

SC: Fine, ok.

DCF: Now we just need to write...the CD stopped and began again showing the time as 10.38.10.
....................

IMPORTANT NOTE:

People the McCanns wanted interviewed or re-interviewed by rogatory

Group 2 (independent customers and employees of the Ocean Club who saw the behavior of Kate and Gerry on the day of the disappearance):

Dan Smith, with address at ...> (Ocean Club, c / o Mark Warner)
Steve Carpenter, with address at ...> (Ware, Herts) (0,781,577 ####)
Carolyn Carpenter, with address at ...> (Ware, Herts)
Jeremy Wilkins, with address at ...> (London)
Catriona Baker, with address at ...> (Surrey) (0,785,823 ####)

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 30.07.18 0:20

Witness statement of Peter Neal Patterson (family friend) - 8th May 2008


Occupation: Attorney/Solicitor

I am the above referenced person and live at the address previously provided to the police.

I was questioned by DC Ferguson and by DC Messiah of the Leicestershire Police at the request of the Portuguese police whose charge is to investigate the disappearance of Madeleine.

As regards the questions, I can offer the following information:

I became known Kate and Gerry since 2002. My wife (Bridget) and Kate both trained in general medicine and have become good friends. We have also learnt that Kate attended the same university we did in Dundee even though she was not there when we attended. My wife faced some clinical problems (a miscarriage and an ectopic/tubal pregnancy). We discovered after that Kate and Gerry were also having problems conceiving. This brought Bridget and Kate even closer. This occurred in mid-2002. I believe that we tried to get pregnant five years ago. Suddenly Kate became pregnant with Madeleine and my wife and I had our first child, a boy, who was born after Madeleine's birth. Later Kate again became pregnant with Sean and Amelie. Our youngest son was born nine months ago today.

My wife maintains regular contact with Kate and as a result we visited them once in Queniborough. We have yet to visit their home in Rothley. I saw Madeleine for the last time on my sons birthday, the 1st of September of 2006. The friendship between Kate and Bridget is focused on themselves and the children. I have met Gerry and know him well enough to maintain a casual conversation.

Madeleine disappeared on Thursday night of the 03rd of May 2007. Normally I have a habit of listening to the news every morning but on Friday, the 04th of May 2007, I have an early morning meeting and for this reason did not see the news. After the meeting I received a text message from my wife informing me of Madeleine's disappearance. The rest of the week was spent listening to the news, and trying to prevent my son from recognising Madeleine as he has asked what was going on.
My wife and I decided to travel to Portugal. We caught a flight to faro on Tuesday, the 08th of may 2007. We did this in the hopes of offering our help and support and to do something other than just sit at home watching from afar. My wife sent a text message to Kate telling her of our flight. We reached Praia da Luz around 11 or 11:30 that morning.

I caught a ride from the airport to Praia da Luz with someone I knew. There were two receptions in the resort. I asked the functionaries about helping out with the volunteer searches and they told me to head to the hotels principal reception where people would come together every morning. The group that day had already departed and for this reason I caught a taxi to Lagos to try and find a place to stay.

I was at a slight advantage relative to other Brits because I have a slight understanding of the different laws in Portugal. Most people do not understand the difference between the adversarial system of justice in the U.K. and the inquisitorial systems of Europe.

I met Kate and Gerry on Friday after having made contact with them via written messages during the week. They knew I was participating in the searches that week. I felt dispirited because there appeared to be no coordination or leadership to the searches. Many people went searching without adequate local equipment, like for example people were cutting their feet on the rough terrain or on the shrubs in those locales. Many people wore sandal and walked over tough land. I never saw any police involvement in the operations carried out by civilians.

On Friday the 11th of May 2007 we heard rumours that the Portuguese were going to stop the searches. After having passed this information to Kate we met up in the Tapas bar in the resort between 9:30 and 9:45 in the morning. We met for only a half hour to 40 minutes as Kate had to attend a police interview.

During this meeting, I offered Kate a bible. This happened in the sequence of emotions that Kate was obviously feeling and after our having sat down to speak. We did not know each other well as she is predominantly my wifes friend. I am the leader of a South Wigston team run out of the Corporation for Exercise and Salvation, Leicestershire. I have a particular interest in the bible and the form in which it was written. I frequented the course ?Alpha Course? (an introduction to Christianity) a recommended to Kate some of the passages in the bible that she could rand to help comfort. There was a dedication from me to my wife on the first page, as it had previously been a gift from me to her. I have a tendency to mark pages and passages in the bible and even though this was my spouses bible, there were many marked/tagged passages relevant to the both of us. This happened before Madeleines disappearance.

I encouraged Kate to read Psalms X and XX of the Old Testament as I felt these were relevant to her. They are both believers. The Psalms reveal a confidence in God, in his justice and in the question which can be asked ?Why do bad things happen?. Psalms XX is a small oration asking Him to guide and illuminate our path in times of anguish.

The passage which is marked in my wifes bible I believe is Samuel 2:12. This passage is very significant for me and my wife but likely has so significance for Kate. I interpret this passage as saying that even though we cannot be with the two children that we have no lost, we will find them one day.

After meeting with Kate, I returned to Lagos and caught a taxi to Portimao where I had previously (May 2003) visited a Christian bookstore. I went with the purpose to acquire a new bible to help me through the rest of the week. Unfortunately, I did not find the bookstore.

Kate asked me to pray at the Marina, which I did, a number of times during the week. I returned home on Sunday, 13th of May, 2007, leaving from Faro at 9:30.

This testimony was made by me and is the truth in accordance with my understanding.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 22.10.18 21:58

LEICESTERSHIRE CONSTABULARY Continuation WITNESS STATEMENT

INFORMATION FROM THE FAMILY

I spoke to Kate McCann on Tuesday 8th of May 07. She told me that a friend of her Aunt & Uncle from Leicester had a friend that had a strong vision that Madeleine was on a boat with a man in the Marina in Logos.
 

This person arrived in Portugal and has spoke to Kate. They have visited the Marina and identified the boat as "SHEARWATER" They saw a man on the boat. but it was not the same man that she had in her vision.
 

This is very important to Kate. I spoke to Glen Pounder if he could make some enqs with regards to the boat.

He has done this and the boat is registered to a Canadian National called Bruce Cook. Glen has told me that George Reyes at the police Stn  is now dealing with the matter with record to doing dvc checks etc.
 

I spoke to Kate today and she has given me photographs of the boat. She has also given me photographs of a man who has been on the boat. This is not the man the woman had in her vision.

This matter is very important to her and she is very pleased that we are making enq's into the matter. Once the enq's have been completed can we please let her know the results.

Thanks

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 02volume_II_apenso_VIII_Page_331_small

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 10.01.19 0:11

Leicestershire Police Squad
Witness Statement

Janet KENNEDY
Occupation: Retired Teacher

This statement (consisting of five pages and signed by me) is the truth and in accordance with my understanding. I offer this evidence with the knowledge that, if proven to the contrary, I may be subject to litigation if having voluntarily witnessed something which is false or does not correspond to the truth.

Date: 14th April, 2008

I am married to Brian KENNEDY. We have two children together, now adults. One of them has a child of his/her own. Brian has a sister whose name is Susan Healy who is the mother of Kate Healy/McCann; Kate is married to Gerald McCann and has three children, Madeleine, Sean and Amelie. Kate was the bridesmaid when I married Brian and has maintained a close relationship with our family since adolescence, because she is an only child and was part of a very close group with our children.

Both Brian and I are retired teachers and have worked in numerous schools in Leicester and Birmingham, respectively. After the birth of my children, I stayed at home with them without working for a few years. I remember that we moved to Rothley in Leicester in 1982. I remember perfectly the day because we had a terrible rain storm/floods.

I resumed teaching until 1998, the year I retired. I then became a moral and religious education counsellor in Catholic schools for six years. I have also done voluntary work, but am very close to family and have a very strong bond with the entire family.

I am particularly close to Kate and Gerry, and remember that when they moved to Leicester, before Madeleine's birth, our house was always open to them 'they were frequent visitors, often overnight' I believe that this is something I inherited from my mother.

I would say we have a good relationship with them; we have given them much help and generally, our family functions well closely. We are always present when someone needs us.

Gerry first started coming to Leicester in order to participate in cardiology conferences held at Glenfield Hospital. It was usual for us to fetch him at the airport and take him to the conference and later return him to the airport. It is for this reason the family serves and we were always present when Kate or Gerry needed us. After selling our home in Glasgow, Kate rented a room in The Limes in Rothley and Gerry stayed at the hospital' I think that he made circuits between Glenfield Leicester Royal Infirmary and the Boston Hospitals. They married in 1998. They arranged to buy a home in Queniborough. I remember that Kate was anxious to have children and I also remember the day she informed us she was pregnant with Madeleine.

I had a close friend, Sister Margaret, who stayed with us for a few days and whom Kate invited along with us to take tea. I told her not to worry as we had guests, but she was very persistent. She was seated at the table and gave us the good news. She was positively radiant and happy. I remember Sister Margaret telling me what a privilege it was to have been involved in a tender family moment such as this one.

After Kate and Gerry's move to Leicestershire, we naturally began to see each other with greater frequency. Kate had a normal pregnancy and continued to work but always took care of herself and swam a lot during her pregnancy.

When Madeleine was born, the entire family was present to help support Kate who did not return to work as she felt her place was at home. Following the birth of the twins, she only returned to work part-time when they were one year old. I remember that in the beginning, Madeleine did not sleep well at night, and needed much attention.

When Madeleine was small, Gerry arranged work in Amsterdam and shortly after living there with Kate, she discovered that she was pregnant with twins. There were some problems with this pregnancy and she needed lots of bed rest. Once again the family helped. They travelled back and forth to offer help. However, even though this was the case, Kate never neglected her care of Madeleine even tough it was very complicated.

Kate had a few scares during her pregnancy with the twins and I remember that it was necessary for a doctor to certify her ability to travel by airplane home with me, on the 1st December.

Gerry and Madeleine travelled in the family car and via 'ferry'. Madeleine was very close to Gerry; she was always at his side.

Madeleine, Sean and Amelie were all born via I.V.F. and all of us in the family believe that these children were a blessing from God. The three children are all very special and very loved. Kate's trials with I.V.F. did not all go well and it was very traumatic and uncomfortable.

Kate possesses a natural maternal instinct, also due to having worked in obstetrics in new Zealand and in Glasgow. Kate worries about people, she is kind and courteous. Gerry is a typical male and is very organised, but I feel it is Kate who dominates. Gerry adores Kate. At times, Gerry appears to be totally absorbed in his work showing some difficulty concentrating outside of this realm. Kate brings him back to reality. At times, he can appear rude or curt. I would say that they have a fresh relationship, and they are very much in love with one another and admire each other immensely. Gerry is very paternal, not only with his children but this is a natural trait that has nothing to do with his experience as a doctor.

When Madeleine was small she would cry a lot. She was a very active baby who did not sleep well. She liked to be carried. She liked people to move around with her and to sing to her. Kate and Gerry found that she craved a lot of attention and were grateful for the help from other members of the family.

They did not show resentment towards Madeleine and I would say that as parents they functioned very well.

Madeleine would normally go to bed around 19:30 ' 20:00 and Sean and Amelie around 18:30 ' 19:00. As already mentioned, together Kate and Gerry were very precise about sleep time.

The children would occasionally awake during the night, particularly when they wanted to eat or be changed. Kate and Gerry would get up and take care of them ' it was for this reason they wanted to check on them when they were out.

Because Madeleine did occasionally have bad nights, Kate arranged a bonus system. She would get up in the middle of the night, would go to her parent's room to ensure they were there and would return to her own bed. This situation had gotten better before they went to Portugal.

The bonus system appears to have functioned well with Madeleine. She also had one for swimming if I remember well. The kitchen was replete with bonuses.

I had a conversation with Kate regarding care of the children in particular, leaving the children to cry until exhaustion and Kate and I both agreed that this was not correct and that the attention should be placed on calking them down. As parents, Kate and Gerry did not let their children cry.

Kate is good with motherhood; she is calm and has the capacity of maintaining equilibrium between the children and cares for all their necessities.

I never saw Kate or Gerry punish the children physically, and as referred to previously in this statement, they make use of other strategies which the children seemed to take well to. I never saw Kate or Gerry administer any type of medication to help the children sleep. Both Amelie and Madeleine have taken 'Calpol' (paracetamol) to control fever, but nothing more.

I have no knowledge of Kate or Gerry taking any medication, nor do I believe that they have ever been in the position of not knowing what to do with the children.

Madeleine is a normal child who likes challenges. She is smart, active, required a lot of attention, participates, loves to play, and who had a wonderful imagination. She is a fantastic little girl.

I never noted that Madeleine was unhappy at home. Life has its ups and downs. She had falls and incidents, as does any child. When the twins were born, it took her a while to adapt, but she surpassed this moment. She loves the twins and teaches them and shares with them. Madeleine is very wise for her age.

On the day before the Portugal trip, I went to their house to keep the children occupied whilst Kate and Gerry packed their bags. We went to the garden and Madeleine recited the book 'We're going on a bear hunt'. She recited this fantastically and without any evidence of unhappiness.

I feel a great injustice in relation to Kate and Gerry' to the way people judged them. They checked on their children constantly; the children always came first so that their routine was not disturbed. Kate and Gerry believed that it was safe. Relative to the allegation that Madeleine made regarding Sean's crying, I do not have any idea what possessed Madeleine to make such an affirmation and also would state that Madeleine had a very fertile imagination.

This situation is profoundly sad. They made a decision that the children were safe and this is something they will have to live with for the rest of their lives. The power of hindsight is wonderful. 'The people that have been most punished for having done nothing wrong are Kate and Gerry'.

Their life was optimal, the development of Madeleine was good, she began walking and talking very early. She was smart, attentive and full of imagination. The twins were born in 2005 and I remember that Kate was great with both of them and Madeleine. Kate possessed a diary for the twins and their feedings. Madeleine dealt well with the arrival of the twins although she was only 22 months old at the time. There was occasionally a pinch or a poke but nothing more than pure jealously. As they began to grow up, they loved their older sister, and spent a lot of time with her. Madeleine taught them many things.

I remember one occasion when I was taking care of them and Madeleine took out her doctor play toys and used the thermometer to hit Sean on the head. I spoke with her about taking care of her siblings and not hurting them, at which time she hit Sean once again -- Madeleine was like this, very energetic.

Gerry and Kate are good rationalisers, they do not hit. They have their proper strategy which involves taking the child out of the situation and putting them in time-out, close the door, and let the child think about what they have done. This always seemed to gain results.

Last year, Kate and Gerry bought the children a toy for the garden. Madeleine was so confident in her strength, as she was in the protection of the twins. I was always close to the children and now I am even more. I told them that I would visit them at least once a week and we would normally go to the park'we are like the substitute grandparents. Since the disappearance of Madeleine we developed an even closer bond with the twins and help the family pick them up from the creche when it is necessary.

We never travelled together as a family. We did have a trip planned for October of last year but sadly, after the disappearance, it was not realised. We have spent important family time at Christmas and Easter. We have also spent some time in Kate and Gerrys house during the children's birthdays. At one celebration, we got to know David and Fiona Payne who are intimate friends of theirs. L*** Payne is the same age as Madeleine, and Kate and Fiona became friends as the children grew. What is evident is that both mothers are similarly dedicated and loving. David appears to be an emotionally calm man with a good heart. Kate always said that he was too kind and at work needed to be a bit more forceful.

The statement that follows was elaborated in response to questions asked by the PJ:

Madeleine frequented the creche three times per week and the twins two times per week.

Kate returned to work two days per week and would be home on Fridays and Mondays.

Kate believed that it was important to stay at home to raise her children. They possessed freedom of movement and were able to go to the park, travel, and enjoy life. She enjoyed maintaining a routine with respect to the children's feedings, namely, the type of food and the hour it was administered.

When night arrived, the routine was tea, bath, tooth-brushing' that all liked to do this so that after they could be inspected ' story for bedtime, pray 'what they could ' and bed.

Precisely related to this routine at home is why Kate rejected the idea of using the Ocean Club facilities and lay the children to sleep on one of the mattresses in a common area. It was for this reason that she and Gerry decided to leave the children sleeping in their apartment and checking on them regularly.

This statement was made by me and is the truth in accordance with my understanding.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 14.01.19 14:11

Witness statement of Amanda Jane Coxon (former McCann cleaning woman) 2nd May 2008

I am a friend of Gerry and Kate, I used to work for them and also looked after the children.

I got to know Gerry and Kate in the year 2000, I worked as a cleaner in their house in Queniborough, once a week. From the beginning they were always a very friendly couple.

During the time I worked there, Kate had her first daughter, Madeleine. Kate asked me whether I would look after Madeleine twice a week when she returned to work part time. I agreed and she would leave Madeleine at my house and come and pick her up later in the day.

Kate, Gerry and Madeleine moved to Amsterdam for a year and when they returned Kate was pregnant with the twins. The twins were born in February 2006 and from that time I helped to look after them.

The relationship I had with Gerry and Kate turned into friendship over the years and I consider myself to be a good friend of Kate's. After their return from Portugal we became very close.

Gerry is a person with his feet very firmly placed on the ground, a pleasant person who made us feel welcome from the very beginning. He is very conscientious with regard to his work but also loves his family very much. He adores the children and would often have fun rolling about on the floor with Madeleine. Kate is also a very friendly person, she is calm and serene and also adores the children. I never heard her raise her voice with Madeleine or become irritated with her. I have no knowledge of any conflict between Kate and Gerry, or between them and Madeleine. I do not know of any problem or conflict between Madeleine and any other person or child.

I had a good relationship with Madeleine, I would describe her as full of fun, intelligent for her age and very active. She is a very happy girl and the last time I saw her, she was already capable of maintaining a conversation. She clearly understood the instructions given to her and was a good listener.

I would say that Madeleine is a very healthy girl and I never noticed any changes in behaviour. I would not describe her as a hyperactive child. I do not know of any problem related to sleeping, but I was rarely present when she went to bed.

Kate and Gerry never mentioned having any type of problem with Madeleine.
She was well behaved, never caused her parents any problems and apparently always understood what she was told. The parents never looked tired of taking care of Madeleine.

I have no knowledge about whether Madeleine was subject to taking medicine and I never saw anyone giving her any medication. Gerry and Kate never referred to any medication that Madeleine was taking.

As I said before, Madeleine was a very well behaved and lively child.

With relation to the question about haemorrhages, I was never present at any episode when Madeleine bled, other than a normal nose bleed when she inserted her finger into her nose and bled.

Nothing different from any other child having a nose bleed.

In my opinion, Kate and Gerry and the children are a happy family who enjoy having fun together. There are no words to describe what happened last year and they do not deserve to have been treated in the way they have been, by the community and by the press. They are two decent and hardworking people who are devoted to their children.



This is my statement and is true according to my understanding.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 05.02.19 21:11


Jose Manuel Conceicao Pacheco witness - 30th October 2007

The first time he had contact with the McCann's was on 5th May at about 19.00. This was a personal contact with them in the Ocean Club at their apartment, but not the apartment Madeleine disappeared from. They were accompanied by members of the holiday group.

This was an important meeting for the McCann's and which had not been possible to the fact that they were busy. He knows that on the fateful night the McCann's requested the presence of a priest, but he was only informed the following morning.

On the 5th, the theme they talked about was the disappearance and he gave all possible spiritual comfort and they prayed together. They also agreed that the couple would go to the church the following day to attend a mass.

He also prayed with the McCann's on the 6th and 8th May in their apartment.

He gave them the key to the church on the 7th or 8th May upon the suggestion of John Geraghty, a resident of the parish, so that they could calmly go to the church without any media pressure. Someone from the church gave the key to John Geraghty, who then passed it on to the McCann's, with Father Pacheco's permission.

He does not remember the date upon which the key was returned.

Other contact with the McCann's took place at the end of mass when he would comfort them.

He would also meet with the McCann's after they returned from their trips and remembered they were animated when they returned from Morocco as they thought they would Madeleine there. He also comforted Kate when the news of a child buried in Arau broke, as she revealed great nervousness and anxiety, thinking that the child had died.

When questioned, he said he never heard their confessions, perhaps because they only spoke English.

He never talked to them alone.

He states that they showed great suffering to the loss of their daughter.

He adds that a parish bulletin was published giving spiritual, moral and human support to the couple and to other missing children.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 21.02.19 12:26

Kate McCann's statement - 7th September 2007

UTO FOR questioning an ARGUIDO [Defendant]
Date: 2007/09/07 Time: 11:00 AM Place: DIC PORTIMAO.
Officer performing: Paulo Ferreira, Joao Carlos and Ricardo Paiva, Inspectors.

Name: KATE MARIE HEALY

Asked if she wished to respond on the facts that are imputed, she responded:

--- That being of British nationality she does not know Portuguese, in its oral and written form, therefore an interpreter is present selected by the defendant from the list provided by the Consulate, Armanda Duarte Salbany Russell, contactable by telephone 282,48#####.

--- In this action there is also present the representative of the defendant Dr. Carlos Pinto de Abreu, the CP 9786L

--- She comes to the file now as a defendant, it being explained to her the rights and duties that assist her, along with her being subject to the TIR.

--- It is put to her the facts about her, she said she does not wish to make statements.

01--- Asked, on May 03, 2007, at 22:00, when she entered the apartment what she saw and did, where he looked, and what she touched [handled], she did not respond.


02 --- If she looked inside the cupboard of the couple's bedroom, she said No in response.

03 --- Shown two photographs of the cupboard of her bedroom, and asked for a description of the contents, she did not respond.

04 --- Asked for what reason the curtain behind the sofa in front of the side window, the photograph of which was shown to her, is moved [disordered], she did not respond. She did not respond to the question if someone [anyone] had passed [had gone; had walked] behind that sofa.
[NOTE: ?Passed? here is a physical movement, not metaphysical as in 'died']

05 --- Asked how much time it took for the search that she made in the apartment after the detection of the disappearance of her daughter MADELEINE, she did not respond.

06 --- Asked why she said from the outset that MADELEINE was kidnapped [abducted], she did not respond.

07 --- On the assumption that Madeleine had been kidnapped [abducted], why she left the twins alone at home to go to the Tapas to give [raise] the alarm, yet [while] the supposed kidnapper [abductor] could still be in the apartment, she did not respond.

08 ---Why she had not asked the twins at that time what had happened to their sister, or why she had not asked them later, she did not respond.

09 --- Questioned when she gave the alarm in the Tapas what she said specifically, what words she used, she did not respond.

10 --- Asked about what happened after giving the alarm at Tapas, she did not respond. Asked [word missing; presumed to be ?se?] if she had any mobile phone, with her at that moment, she did not respond.

11 --- Asked why she went to warn [inform] her friends instead of shouting from the balcony, she did not respond.

12 --- Asked who contacted the authorities, she did not respond.

13 --- Asked who participated in the [words missing; presumed to be ?buscas. NAo?] searches, she did not respond.


14 --- Asked if anyone outside the group knew, in the following moments [at the time], of the disappearance of MADELEINE, she did not respond.

15 --- Asked if any female neighbour offered her assistance after the alarm of the disappearance, she did not respond.

16 --- Asked what the expression "we let her down" means, she did not respond.

17 --- Asked if JANE told her about having seen a man with a child, on that night, she did not respond.

18 --- Asked how the authorities were contacted and that police force was alerted, she did not respond.

19 --- Asked, during the searches already with the police presence [after the police arrived], in what places she went [and] looked for MADELEINE, how and in what way [manner], she did not respond.

20 --- Asked why the twins did not [word missing; presumed to be ?acordavam?] wake up during this search, or when they went to the floor above, she did not respond.

21 --- Asked whom she telephoned after the facts [events], she did not respond.


22 ---Asked if she called "Sky News" she did not respond.


23 --- Asked about the danger of calling the news media alerting them of the abduction, because it could influence the kidnapper [abductor], she did not respond.


24 --- Asked if they requested the presence of a priest, she did not respond.

25 --- Asked what was the manner of divulging the face of MADELEINE, if photographs or other, she did not respond.

26 --- Asked if it is true that during the search she sat on her bed in her bedroom without moving, she did not respond.

27 --- Asked what was her behaviour during that night, she did not respond.


28 --- And asked if she had managed [been able to] to sleep, she did not respond.

29 --- Asked if before the trip to Portugal she made a comment of [about] a bad feeling [presentiment] or bad omens, she did not respond.

30 --- Asked about the behaviour of MADELEINE she did not respond.


31 --- Asked if she suffered from any infirmity [illness] or took medication, she did not respond.

32 --- Asked what was MADELEINE's relationship with the siblings.

33 --- Asked what was MADELEINE's relationship with the siblings, friends and school colleagues, she did not respond.

34 ---- Asked about her professional life, and in how many hospitals and in which she had worked, she did not respond.


35 --- Being a doctor, and asked about her speciality, she did not respond.


36 --- Asked about if she worked in shifts, in emergencies [the emergency section of a hospital] or other services she did not respond.


37 --- If she worked every day, she did not respond.

38 --- Asked if at a particular time she stopped working and why, she did not respond.

39 --- Asked whether or not it is true that the twins have difficulty sleeping, that they are restless and that that causes her uneasiness, she did not respond.

40 --- Asked whether or not it is true that at certain times she felt desperate [driven to despair; angered; exasperated] by the attitude of the children and that that left her much disquiet [unease], she did not respond.

41 --- Asked whether or not it is true that in England she was thinking to deliver MADELEINE into the custody [guardianship] of a family member, she did not respond.

42 --- Asked if at home (England) she gave medication to the children and what kind of medication, she did not respond.

43 --- In this 'auto' [official document recording an official action] there were shown several films of canine inspections, forensic in character, where can be seen the marking by them of indications of human cadaver smell and blood traces also human, and solely human, as well as the comments of the expert responsible for that inspection activity.

--- The viewing ended and after signs of cadaver odour in her bedroom next to the cupboard and behind the sofa against the window of the living room, she said that she can not explain anything more than that already mentioned.

44 --- Also signalled, now by the dog of the detection of human blood behind the sofa mentioned above, she said that she can not explain anything more than that already mentioned.

45 --- Signalled the cadaver odour in the car that they rented about one month after the disappearance, registration 59-DA-27, she said that she can not explain anything more than that already mentioned.

46 --- Signalled the presence of human blood in the trunk of the same vehicle, she said that she can not explain anything more than that already mentioned.

47 --- Confronted with the result of the collection of DNA from MADELEINE, which analysis was carried out by a British laboratory, from behind the sofa and trunk of the vehicle, situations previously described, she said that she can not explain anything more than that already mentioned.

48 --- Asked if she had any responsibility or involvement in the disappearance of her daughter MADELEINE, she did not respond.

------------------------------


49 --- Asked if she is aware that her failure to respond to the questions put in the cause of the investigation, which seeks to know what happened to her daughter, she replied that

yes, if the investigation so thinks.

--- Asked if she has anything to add,

she responded negatively.

--- The floor being given to the distinguished advocate, he said he had nothing to say [discuss] or to request.

--- At 14H30 this interview was ended.
And nothing more said, this document is read thought to be correct, she ratifies and is going to sign, together with the defence attorney and interpreter.


____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 21.08.19 13:10

Testimony from Justine McGuiness 12 May 2008
Statement by: Justine McGuiness
Occupation: Public Business Consultant
2 pages
Date: 12th May 2008
Signature __________________________________________

I am the person mentioned above and I live at the address previously supplied to the Leicestershire police. I was questioned about my association with Gerry and Kate McCann and about my visit to Portugal in the summer of 2007, after the disappearance of their daughter, Madeleine McCann.

I am the owner of a Public Business Consultancy company. During the end of the month of May, beginning of June I was contacted by recruitment consultants who asked me whether I was interested in working for the campaign to find Madeleine McCann. This occurred after some advice given to Kate and Gerry by Alex Woolfall. Alex Woolfall is the public relations officer for Mark Warner.

I agreed to presenting my CV for the appreciation of Kate and Gerry McCann. A short time later I received a phone call from Gerry who asked me a number of questions by phone. It was almost a mini interview that included questions about me and continued to talk about the kind of support that they were looking for. Later I went for another interview in London. I was interviewed by Gerry McCann, John McCann and John Corner. On the same day I agreed to carry out my function which would be to manage the campaign to find Madeleine.

Initially I appeared in an interview with Gerry McCann for Newsnight (BBC news programme) on the same day that I took up my functions. Gerry returned to Portugal some days later, I stayed in the UK and attended meetings in the name of the Campaign. I travelled to Portugal on fiftieth day anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance, a Friday the 22nd June 2007. I stayed in an apartment in the Mark Warner complex, very close to where Kate and Gerry were staying. This was the same apartment that they were using as an office.



During my stay I would regularly meet with Gerry and Kate. I also regularly collaborated with the world press. Part of my functions was to manage the press communications in the name of Kate, Gerry and Madeleine.

My involvement in the 'Find Madeleine' campaign ended on 15 September 2007.

During my time as director of the campaign I made several trips to Portugal.

I did not know Kate and Gerry McCann before May 2007. My relationship with them was purely professional and lasted for 89 days.

I do not remember the dates of the trips but as was mentioned previously, there were several trips. I stayed in the apartment mentioned previously, as well as in another apartment in the same block. I also stayed in hotels in the area for short periods of time. I never noticed anything strange about any of the lodgings.

I spent much time with Kate and Gerry but I am unable to quantify exactly how much time. I would meet them at their apartment as well as in the private villa where they were staying. 



Kate and Gerry were in a very frustrating situation, at times I could see that they were under great pressure. They managed to cope with the pressure and I credit them with behaving as true professionals would have done in an identical situation. I remember that on certain days Kate was very tearful and sad. I also remember Gerry's frustration upon seeing the presentation of some photos of Madeleine one night.

I travelled as a passenger in the Renault Scenic many times, which was driven by Kate and Gerry and their family members, Sandy Cameron and Michael Wright. I cannot specify the number of times that I travelled in the vehicle.

The first time that I travelled inside the vehicle was when I arrived at Faro on the fiftieth day anniversary. At that time the car smelt exactly like what you would expect after having been cleaned by a rental car company. I never noticed unpleasant odours.

Unfortunately I cannot answer the last question because I was obviously not present from the first day they hired the car, neither during the period of the lease. Because of my knowledge of the routine and the amount of members from press that surrounded them, I think it unlikely that they could have hidden or transported Madeleine in the vehicle.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 12.10.19 21:52

Russell James O'Brien witness statement
Date: 2007.05.16

He comes to the process as a witness and of his own free will to make this statement.

When asked he says that he does not speak Portuguese and is assisted by the interpreter Alice Avakoff.

When asked whether he is capable of recognising without any doubt the suspect Robert Murat, the witness replies yes.

When questioned he says that the first time he saw Robert Murat was on the night of the events currently under investigation, in other words, the night upon which Madeleine disappeared, at about 01.00 in the early morning of 4th May.

That he saw Murat for the first time at this moment in the Rua Silva in front of the apartment where the events occurred, near to the parking area.

When asked whether Murat arrived before or after the police, the witness says that he does not know, given that at the time the police arrived he was not present as he was searching for Madeleine.

When he saw him for the first time the police were on the scene.

Robert Murat appeared in the middle of different people (friends from the group, people from the resort, tourists and locals) who were searching for Madeleine. he adds that he does not know at what time Murat appeared on the scene, nor whether he arrive alone or accompanied, in the sense that when the witness arrived at the scene, Murat was already there.

When asked, he says that as far as he can remember, Robert was translating conversations between two officers and various people who were searching for Madeleine. As far as he could make out at that time, it seemed that Robert was trying to help, in the sense that these people were exasperated with some of the officers. He remembers that all the people were quite upset, whilst Robert was very calm. That morning was the first time the witness spoke to Murat, not remembering whether he had approached Murat or whether Robert had addressed him. They had various discussions including the fact that Robert was fluent in Portuguese as he had lived in the country for many years.

He adds that Robert told him he had a daughter of Madeleines age in the UK and that Madeleines disappearance was a terrible thing.

When asked what Murat was wearing that night, the witness says he is not certain but thinks he was wearing dark coloured trousers, he can't remember the colour, and a T-shirt, perhaps dark grey in colour and perhaps a jacket, the characteristics of which he cannot describe. He clearly remembers that Robert wore glasses.

When asked he says he does not know how Robert found out about Madeleines disappearance nor how he arrived at the scene.

When asked, he says that he had never seen Robert before.

After this morning the witness saw Murat 3 more times, once on the morning of 4th May in the same street, rua Silva at about 12.00 in the company of police officers. About two days later he saw Murat at the OC reception at about 12.00/14.00. Robert was alone and walking towards the previously mentioned road. The witness says that he (ROB) was accompanied by Rachel. The last time he saw Robert was last Sunday, near to his house at about 20.30. At that moment the witness was with Jane.

He never noticed anything suspicious about Murat except for the last time he saw him when Robert was being transported in a vehicle, a green van with four windows, he does not remember the make, model or number plate and that he stopped, got out of the van, opened the back and showed photos of Madeleine and that he showed himself to be a very important person in the investigation, saying that he was providing immense help to the police in discovering the truth.

When asked, he says that according to his wife Jane, she did not see Murat on the night of the events as she had spent most of the time looking after her children.

No more is said. Reads, ratifies, signs.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Witness statement of Russell James O'Brien 2007.07.11
Date: 11 July 2007; Time: 19h15; Place: Praia da Luz
Officer: Paulo F., Inspector
To the matter at hand he said:
--- That he confirms the completeness of his previous declarations given in the present case, giving
all of it unchanged as reproduced for this present document.
--- The deponent reaffirms that in truth he met Robert Murat on the night on which Madeleine
disappeared. He saw him for the first time about 01h00 on 4 May near to the parking area in front
of the main entrance [front door] of the apartment from which Madeleine disappeared.
--- That in the early hours of the morning of 4 May he was speaking with Robert Murat, having
spoken about the circumstances in which Madeleine could have disappeared. He saw him several
times that night given that he had stayed [remained] in the area [and] having also seen him
speaking with uniformed people.
--- The deponent would like now to inform that at some time he was aware that Robert Murat
assisted police officers [by] being the interpreter. Therefore, at some time, but already the following
morning, it appeared to him, he [ROB] approached Robert Murat having asked him [RM] to give
him [ROB] his [RM's] telephone number because he [ROB] considered that at some time he might
need the support of that person [RM] given that he spoke Portuguese correctly. In truth Robert
Murat furnished him with his mobile number which the deponent inserted into the calendar/address
book of his own mobile phone. He doesn't recall exactly the time that happened but has the idea
that it was already during the morning of 4 May [i.e. it was already daylight]. In an analysis of the
calendar/address book of the mobile phone by PJ officers it was verified that the number of Robert
Murat was inserted there immediately before number 914..., indicated as being of David Priest.
Questioned the deponent states that David was an Anglican priest [English vicar?] with whom the
deponent spoke on the morning of 4 May, and [of/from] whom he had asked his [David P.'s]
telephone number. He recalls that the conversation that he had had with that vicar was
accomplished [done/made] already at the end of the morning in the Ocean Club it having been on
that occasion that the deponent introduced that number into his calendar/address book.
--- He has no knowledge of any other facts that might assist in any way the present investigation.
--- The present work was accomplished in the presence of of Mrs. Lieve Van Loock, interpreter
who translated all questions and answers.
Nothing more said. Read, ratifies and will sign.

https://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/RUSSELL-OBRIEN.htm

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 23.05.20 22:09

Witness statement of Saleigh Louise Gordon (former holidaymaker in Apartment 5 A) 2008.04.24

 
Statement of Saleigh Gordon.

Occupation: Air Hostess
4 pages
Date: 24th April de 2008
Signature_______________________________


I am married to Paul Gordon, we have two children, our son xxxx who is three years old and our who is two.
I planned our holiday last year and from a series of recommendations from family members, I looked at Mark Warner resorts. I found that the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz met with our requirements. Good price, good facilities for the children, I initially made a reservation for apartment T1 which was changed by Mark Warner to apartment T2 before we travelled.

We left Gatwick for Faro on Saturday 21st April 2007 and when we landed we were received by Mark Warner staff and driven to Praia da Luz. We were handed the keys during the journey and given the location of the apartment which was 5A. The holiday was perfect, the people were kind and friendly. It was a very pleasant break, the area was pretty and relaxing and I would describe it as a sleepy place.

During our stay Paul cut his face whilst shaving and the cut bled for some time. Neither the children nor I injured ourselves and as far as I know nobody died in the apartment. We never noticed that any of our personal objects disappeared or were lost. Nothing strange or worrying to note, just on one occasion I heard Paul speaking to an individual on the patio that looked over the complex's swimming pool. I can't say who he was talking to or what they were talking about. I was inside the apartment washing some of the childrens clothes in the kitchen that faced out onto the road. I did not see anyone pass in front of the window or knock on the door.

I remember Paul entering the apartment and asking where the money was, I asked him why and he said something about a collection for charity. I did not go out to see or speak with the man. It was only after the disappearance of Madeleine and when the news broke that we thought we should contact the police, not because we thought there was anything suspicious about this but simply because we thought the police should be informed.


I would like to add that this was the only time that we saw someone asking for money.

The doors, windows and shutters of the apartment were all in good condition. We noticed that it was only possible to close the patio door from the inside of the apartment, not from the outside. The bedroom shutters made a lot of noise and I find it difficult to understand that opening them would go un-noticed. The bedroom overlooked the parking area and was also overlooked by other apartments from which I think that if anyone had opened the shutters from outside, somebody would have noticed. The front door was easy to open from the inside unless it had been locked. We always used the wooden door overlooking the parking area to enter and exit the apartment.

With regard to the sofas, there were two on the right where you entered and another opposite the dining table - there was also a coffee table between the sofas. The sofa on the right when you entered by the patio door was situated against the wall and it does not seem possible to me that anyone could have passed behind the sofa.

The children slept in the bedroom overlooking the parking area and Paul and I slept in the bedroom with the patio overlooking the pool.

We would have breakfast in the Millenium restaurant, lunch in the apartment so that the children could have a siesta. We also dined in the Millenium except for two occasions when we dined at the Tapas Bar. I had the impression that dining at the Tapas was restricted to once during ones stay, and because of this it surprised me to hear that the McCann group used to dine there every day.

The children would use the club facilities, I think they were called 'Ama 1 and 2'.



They would spend the morning or afternoon, I dont remember them having spent a whole day there. We were always with them when they were not in the childrens club. It was usual to go to the Tapas bar at lunchtime and I know that of 6 occasions they went five times. On one occasion we thought of using the night club and we took the children there with their pyjamas on. When we got there we saw that the club was not for us and we did not leave the children there. We always took the children with us when we went for dinner. We never left them alone.

I remember that at the welcome ceremony we were informed about the 'babysitter' services at 15 Euros per hour, but they told us that that the service would have to be booked well in advance. I remember that when we went for dinner there were couple without children and imagined that these services were often requested, but we never used them.

I cannot speak badly of our holiday and this only changed after the disappearance of Madeleine.

I know that Paul received text messages from Kate McCann as well as voice messages, some of them were heartbreaking. We have tried to collaborate with the police as much as possible. We have been visited by the press at home and have had to face cameras and reporters, asking them to leave us alone.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 23.05.20 22:12

Leicestershire Police Force
Witness Account
Statement by Paul Anthony Gordon
Occupation: Accountant
Date : 24th April 2008

CARTAS ROGATORIAS (FILE 5)
Pages 36 to 38
Witness statement of Paul Anthony Gordon (former holiday maker in Apartment 5A) 2008.04.24

NOTE: There is no word "tenhos". It should either be "tenho" or "temos" [we have]. Not being certain, I omitted the personal pronoun in my translation.

Testimony from Pa.Go
Age if less than 18 years:
Occupation: Accounting Technician

This statement (consisting of 4 pages and signed by me) is true and in line with my understanding. I depose being aware that, given proof to the contrary, I will be subject to prosecution in the case I had voluntarily testified to something I know to be false or does not correspond to the truth.

Date: April 24, 2008

Signature ______________________________________________

I am married to Saleigh and [SEE NOTE ABOVE] have two children, our son xxxxxxx of three years of age and our daughter xxxxxxx of two years of age. We have lived at our present address since July 2007.

We took the decision to take a family holiday before we were to move to the house.
Sal did a search of places to vacation and found the place indicated in Portugal - in the village of Mark Warner. We stayed in the same apartment that the McCann family would come to share, 5A of the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz.
We travelled directly from Gatwick to Faro on 21 April 2007. We were transferred from the airport to our accommodation by staff of Mark Warner, and everything went well with our vacation.
The week was quiet, the children went to kindergarten either in the morning or in part of the afternoon and there was a day that I think they went all day - but I cannot state this with exactitude. The children always returned to the apartment at lunchtime for a nap that usually occurred between 13.00 and 15.00. The children were always in our company when they were not at the nursery, and frequently we took them to the beach for an ice cream.
On Wednesday or Thursday the children were sleeping in the apartment and Sal also was inside - reading a book if I am not mistaken. I was seated in the paved garden that faced the area of the pool, when I heard a male voice say "Hello". The voice came from the gate that leads to the road at the corner of the apartment and connects to the main reception area.
I stood up and I went to the man who asked me if I would be interested to contribute a donation to an orphanage in the interior mountains. I spoke with him and noticed that he had a badge with identification and that he had what seemed to me to be a book of receipts.
I thought that either he was genuine or a professional "cheat". It was then that I entered the apartment and asked Sal where was the money, and returned with a 10 euro note that I gave to him. I can not say exactly where he put the money and I think that he gave me a receipt, which I imagine that I threw away or left in Portugal. At no time did I think the individual aggressive or in any way persistent. I felt that he was genuine and it appeared to be for a good cause.
I would describe the man as polite, with good appearance and he brought with him a pamphlet. He had dark hair with slight tendency to grey, he appeared to be someone from the area with tanned skin [by the sun]. I would say that he was more than forty years old and 1.77 - 1.80cm in height - this is hard to say with certainty since I was looking down at him from the step above.
I would add that the man was robustly built but was not fat. He wore a light green polo, trousers and shoes.
After all this time I do not know if he had a slight goatee in the picture of the identification badge [card] or in person. But in one way or another I remember him as being clean and shaven and with light facial hair. I would say that I was with this man 2-3 minutes. The individual was not seen by the children since they were in bed asleep, nor seen by Sal since she remained inside while I spoke with him. I had never seen this man before and saw him no more after this. Apart from mentioning him to Sal I did not speak again about this man while I was in Portugal.
The man did not seem to be knocking from door to door and as far as I remember moved away from our apartment, walking down hill.
While we were in Portugal there were no incidents worthy of record, beyond this man that I have described, however there was one occasion when I cut myself shaving in the bathroom of the apartment. I would say that the cut bled for about 4 5 minutes and that it took some time until the cut stopped bleeding, during which period I walked around the apartment with paper tissues trying to stop the blood. Aside from this, to the best of my knowledge no one else cut themselves nor did anyone die in the apartment.

[THOUGHT: Could Mr Gordon have been misheard, or might there have been a typing error in one or other transcription?
If misheard: Did he say 'FORTY-five minutes' or 'FOUR TO five minutes'?
If a typing error: should the '45 minutes' perhaps be '4 to 5 minutes' or '4-5 minutes'?


During our stay we never left the children alone, other than in the care and supervision of the nursery staff. We felt safe and there was no reason for concerns.
I was satisfied with the care that the children received in the creche and they were well although they were not our company.
Other than the charity donations collector we had no other visitors nor did we sense anything strange.

We felt safe in the apartment and at no time was anything stolen or missing from the apartment.

The doors, windows and shutters were in perfect working order.
There was no sign of the doors, windows and blinds ever having been broken into, but also there was no need to examine [them]. The front door had a double lock that was difficult to lock, but we managed to do it. The patio door did not lock from the outside, only from the inside of the apartment and for that reason when the family left [went out] together we always used the front door.

We used to open the blinds during the day, returning to close them at night. When the blinds were [being] closed they would make much noise.

[NOTE: The next line is:
"Descreverias como tendo um cinto no interior como mecanismo para abrir e fechar."
Direct translation: You [singular] would describe [something???] as having a belt inside as a mechanism to open and close.

I think that the single word "Descreverias" should be two words "Descreveria as" meaning "I would describe them", giving the translation as:]

I would describe them [the blinds] as having a belt inside as a mechanism to open and close [them]
.


Possibly on some occasions Sal and I even used the patio door as a passage way, generally when we were at the pool and needed to return.
Regarding the couch I do not remember where it was positioned in the room. I would say that it was next to the wall to prevent children from walking around it, but beyond saying that it was blue, I can not affirm anything else.
The children would sleep in the bedroom facing the car park - the window had a Persian blind, Sal and I would sleep in the bedroom with the door to the patio. Whoever entered from the patio, our bedroom would be on the [to their] left.
[NOTE: He is saying that the master bedroom had French windows that gave access to/from the veranda; he is not saying that the sliding patio door in the lounge was in his bedroom.]

Generally we took breakfast at the Millennium restaurant, lunch in apartment and dinner at Millennium, dining only on two occasions in the Tapas Bar - on the second day and the sixth day.

[NOTE: Given the day-of-week naming in Portugal this last phrase is potentially ambiguous and the original Portuguese (or English) needs to be checked.]

I remember there [having been] a limit to the number of times we could eat meals at Tapas, but we managed to do it twice. The children always accompanied us during dinner and for that reason we tried to do it at the earliest possible time so that they could return to sleep at a reasonable hour.

At no time did we leave our children alone.

When we finished the holiday (on 28 April 2007) our luggage was taken to the reception, where I delivered the keys and I settled the account. We were transported to the airport by Mark Warner and returned to Gatwick the same day.

To the best of my knowledge I never met the McCann family and never delivered the key to anyone other than the staff of Mark Warner.
The holidays were good, the children enjoyed themselves at the nursery and we had no worries of any kind while they were there. The resort was affordable and was well located. Our opinion changed only after the disappearance of Madeleine.
I want to add that since January this year I have received numerous phone calls, messages and visits from the press regarding the collector of donations, which in turn put me in contact with other people such as Brian Kennedy, Kate and Gerry McCann. I feel that this is a constraint that makes it difficult to take the more correct decision.
I tried always to cooperate with the police in every way possible, telephoning them at the first available opportunity as soon as the news broke about the disappearance of Madeleine. There are certain times when I feel like a pawn in chess.

This testimony was prepared by me and is true and according to my knowledge.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 23.05.20 22:15

Surname: Gordon

Forenames: Paul Anthony


Occupation: Marketing Manager

Statement Date: 06-05-2007



On Saturday 21st April 2007, I went on holiday with my wife and two children to Portugal. We went to an area of the Algarve called Praia da Luz and stayed at the Mark Warner Ocean Club Resort. Our apartment was a two-bedroomed ground floor one, which was situated in block G. The room number was 5A. To the front of the property was a bedroom and a kitchen, and to the rear was another bedroom and lounge. Myself and my wife shared the rear bedroom and the two children had the room to the front. From the rear bedroom and lounge you can access a private balcony. From the balcony are approximately ten steps down to a gate and small enclosed patio area. This area is exclusive to the apartment and not used by other residents. Running parallel to the patio area was a footpath and on the other side of this was a swimming pool and Tapas restaurant. I am quite sure, from seeing recent news events, that this is the same apartment that a young girl has recently gone missing from.

During our stay at the apartment on either Wednesday 25th April or Thursday 26th April, I was sun-bathing alone on the patio area. My wife and children were in the apartment and I know that the children were sleeping. At approximately 14.30 hours (I know it was around this time as the children always slept between 13.00 and 15.00 hours and it was nearly time to get them up) I was approached by an unknown male. He came to the light green barred gate which leads to the road running adjacent to the apartment. I can't remember exactly how he initiated conversation, but he introduced himself and started to explain that he had permission to be on site in order to collect money for either a charity or project. I went over to where he stood, and he explained some more. I remember him making reference to the fact that he was only allowed to collect for one week of the year (or something about one week) and that the money would go towards the orphanage. I got the impression that the orphanage was not nearby. I got the distinct impression that I was being had over, but gave the man ten Euros just to get rid of him. He was perfectly polite and good-natured and showed me some sort of identification. I didn't look closely at this, but saw there was a photograph of him on it and possibly his name. I am sure the photograph was of the same male, but he had a 'goatee' beard in the photo which he no longer had. The man also had with him, a pad of paper (perhaps a clip board) and an old looking brochure of some sort. He also had a receipt book, which he filled in when I gave him the money. He gave me a receipt, but I know (sic) longer have it. All in all, I stayed chatting to the man for about 5-10 minutes. I had to go inside during this time to get the money for him but was only gone for a few seconds. Once this meetings had finished, the male walked of (sic) down the hill towards the supermarket and I went into the apartment. I would describe the male as Portuguese looking, very tanned, medium build and about 5ft 7" to 5ft 10" tall. He looked between 40 and 45 years old and spoke really good English with a foreign accent. He had short dark black hair with possibly some grey around the sides. His hair was not perfectly straight and I would imagine that should he have grown it longer, then it would be wavy. He had no facial hair and I'm quite sure that he wasn't wearing glasses. He had a few wrinkles on his face and was quite presentable. He was wearing a light blue or green pale polo shirt with short sleeves. It was plain and had no logos or writing on it. I believe he was wearing light tan coloured trousers and dark brown shoes. I think they were slip - ons. I had never seen this man before that date, and I did not see him again. I am confident that I would recognise him, should I see him again. I have produced a map of the apartment and surrounding area which I can now produce as my exhibit,
PAG/01.
I am willing to attend court if need be and will support any police action.



Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 15volu10Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 15volu10Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 15volu10Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 15volu10

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 31.05.20 1:28

13- Processo Vol XIII 3924 to 3926
13_VOLUME_XIIIa_Page_3924
13_VOLUME_XIIIa_Page_3925
13_VOLUME_XIIIa_Page_3926

Translation of Father Pachecos Statement to the PJ 30th October 2007

Jose Manuel Conceicao Pacheco

The first time he had contact with the McCann's was on 5th May at about 19.00. This was a personal contact with them in the Ocean Club at their apartment, but not the apartment Madeleine disappeared from. They were accompanied by members of the holiday group.

This was an important meeting for the McCann's and which had not been possible to the fact that they were busy. He knows that on the fateful night the McCann's requested the presence of a priest, but he was only informed the following morning.

On the 5th, the theme they talked about was the disappearance and he gave all possible spiritual comfort and they prayed together. They also agreed that the couple would go to the church the following day to attend a mass.

He also prayed with the McCann's on the 6th and 8th May in their apartment.

He gave them the key to the church on the 7th or 8th May upon the suggestion of John Geraghty, a resident of the parish, so that they could calmly go to the church without any media pressure. Someone from the church gave the key to John Geraghty, who then passed it on to the McCann's, with Father Pacheco's permission.

He does not remember the date upon which the key was returned.

Other contact with the McCann's took place at the end of mass when he would comfort them.

He would also meet with the McCann's after they returned from their trips and remembered they were animated when they returned from Morocco as they thought they would Madeleine there. He also comforted Kate when the news of a child buried in Arau broke, as she revealed great nervousness and anxiety, thinking that the child had died.

When questioned, he said he never heard their confessions, perhaps because they only spoke English.

He never talked to them alone.

He states that they showed great suffering to the loss of their daughter.

He adds that a parish bulletin was published giving spiritual, moral and human support to the couple and to other missing children.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 31.05.20 1:42

13-Processos Volume XIII, pages 3418 to 3420

TRANSLATION BY INES
13_VOLUME_XIIIa_Page_3418
13_VOLUME_XIIIa_Page_3419
13_VOLUME_XIIIa_Page_3420

Witness Statement of Susan Hubbard


Date: 2007.11.13
Time: 11H30
Nationality: Canadian

' That she comes to the process as a witness

' Is married to Anglican Father Haynes

' Has known the McCann family since three days after the disappearance (Sunday). That she went to Portugal on this date (06 May 2007), not to accompany the family but due to work related to the church, which was previously organized.

' That it is the truth that she only knows them through the church and never met them before.

' States that after getting to know the parents of the missing child, she invited Kate to take part in a meeting, in Lagos, on the 25th of May, with the intention of discussing items related to missing children. That she went to this meeting, with Kate and Kates cousin, Anne. They travelled to this meeting in the deponents car.

' After this occasion, she went various times to the McCann residence in Praia da Luz, and they also visited the deponent, in her home, on various occasions. These encounters had the objective of offering them comfort and support but also allowed for the children of both couples to play.

' She also adds that the McCann's' although being Catholics, attended some masses, where Madeleines disappearance was noted, celebrated by her husband, the Anglican priest.

' Questioned regarding the key to the church, she says that she knows nothing of this. Following the McCann departure to England, she was given the key to handover to the place the McCann's rented in Praia da Luz. She handed this key over the next Monday. Her handling of the key was suggested by one of the McCann family but she does not remember who. She notes that on this Monday, she handed over the keys to the cleaning staff who forwarded the key to the responsible rental agent and whose designation she does not remember.

' Besides these contacts, she did not maintain and other relation with the McCann family.

' Sean and Amelie, she notes, are children of normal behaviour for their age. They are active and dynamic.

' Regarding the parents, Gerald and Kate, she says that, in her opinion, they always presented a normal comportment, given the circumstances. That she noted a certain tranquillity, when in the presence of the twins. Via their gestures, she noted a great sadness and suffering. In their conversations, they would always talk of their missing daughter.

' Regarding Kate, she says that, besides being preoccupied with the health of her daughter, she was scared of what could have happened to Madeleine although she never spoke of her death.

' She describes them as a normal family

' She is not aware of any relevant details for the investigation. She claims that the parents are not involved in the disappearance and knows nothing else, other than what she has related.

' And nothing more was said. Reads and finds it in conformity, and ratifies and signs.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 06.04.21 13:14

15-Processos Vol 15  Pages 3856-3858
TRANSLATION BY INES
15VOLUMEXVa_Page_3856
Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 15VOLUMEXVa_Page_3856_small
15VOLUMEXVa_Page_3857
Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 15VOLUMEXVa_Page_3857_small
15VOLUMEXVa_Page_3858
Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 15VOLUMEXVa_Page_3858_small
15VOLUMEXVa_Page_3859
Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 15VOLUMEXVa_Page_3859_small
Witness Statement

Date: 2007/11/20 Time: 14H00 DIC Portimao

Joao Franciso Pascoa Luis Trigo Barreiras

Occupation: PJ Deputy Specialist

Place of work: Criminal Investigation Department Portimao

He is a specialist in the area of Criminology for the PJ and works in the Criminal Investigation department in Portimao.

His professional responsibilities are to carry out examinations at crime scenes, such as detecting finger prints, biological examinations as well as the identification, signalling and collection of other traces. He is also responsible for making photographic reports and sketches. On the date of the events - 3rd May 2007 he was on duty at the Portimao DIC.

At about 00.10 on the morning of the 4th, he had just finished filing a report about a fire, when he was informed that a child had disappeared in Praia da Luz.

He was brought into service together with an Inspector from the station. It was the inspector's duty to take notes of the services as well as all the information relating to them. The inspector who accompanied him on that date, Vitor Martins, informed him that the case in question was that of the disappearance of a small girl, of British nationality, who was staying at the OC with her parents.

The immediately left for the scene and arrived about 30 - 40 minutes later, at about 00.40/00.50.

When they arrived at the scene, which they immediately identified due to the presence of GNR officers, as well as quite a lot of people who were walking around the street searching for the child, they immediately went to the apartment in question, where they found several people, including some GNR officers, as well as the head of the Lagos GNR station.

He states that the people inside the apartment and close to it, entered and left the building and circulated in the whole apartment, completely freely, in other words, without there being any restriction or care in preserving the scene. .

He said that these people were the friends of the parents of the missing girl and a lady responsible for the resort called Silvia.

He was shown the room the child had disappeared from, having noticed that people also entered and left that room without any care in the sense of preserving traces. Inside this room there were two children, babies, sleeping in two cots placed in the middle of the room.

It was requested that the babies were moved, which was done accordingly, the witness having subsequently put his gloves on to begin the on-site inspection.

At that moment one of the GNR officers told the witness that they had already searched for the girl in the wardrobes and other places in the apartment without having taken any care as to leaving their own traces or for destroying or adulterating any traces that might be of interest to the investigation.

After the arrival of the witness and his colleague Vitor Martins the scene was isolated and the inspection began, namely the collection of statements and inspection of the scene, the respective reports that were subsequently attached to the process documents.

The witness carried out finger print testing on the inside of the bedroom window, where the girl had been sleeping, leaving other examinations for the following day given that on that occasion these tests could not be carried out in the best technical conditions. For this reason, the apartments and the surrounding area were sealed off, watched over by the GNR officers who remained on site.

As far as he knows, after the first examination, other members from the finger print detection service and also officers from the LPC Crime Scene arrived at the scene.

The witness states that, at a given moment, the father of the missing girl led him to understand that he had already contacted the Sky News TV station and informed them of the situation.

As much the father as the girl's mother looked quite worried with the situation and he can even confirm that the mother was very agitated and out of control, crying a lot and shouting in an uncontrolled manner, saying in English "They have taken her".

He remembers that he remained on the scene until about 04.00. There were many people in the street. He does not remember having seen Robert Murat there on that occasion.

When questioned, he says that it was a fresh night with some breeze. It was not a clear night, nor was it very dark. Referring to the light conditions around the apartment, he says they were very dark, and thinks that even on a bright night there would always be little light around the apartment because of the trees and lack of street lights.

Reads, ratifies and signs.



https://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/JOAO_BARREIRAS.htm

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Key Witness Statements - For Information Only - Page 3 Empty Re: Key Witness Statements - For Information Only

Post by Verdi 06.06.21 2:21

RESTRICTED
Statement number S87B
Printed version of recorded document

Surname: CARPENTER
First name. STEPHEN

Profession: Maintenance Technician
Date of Statement: 21/04/2008- Number of pages : 1

I am the person referred to above and I live at the address provided to the police.
I confirm that I was questioned by DC 4078 Ferguson from Leicestershire police on 21st April 2008.
The questioning began at 10.30 and finished at 11.10 on the same day. The questioning was filmed on DVD and on cassette. This statement was made by me and is truthful according to my understanding.

The questioning took place at the police station in Stevenage, Hertfordshire on the 21st April 2008.
I would be more than satisfied if the evidence presented by me was used and if required to appear at court in Portugal I would need to be notified in advance. .

Statement
Date 21st April 2008
Pages: 1
Statement of Stephen Carpenter

Leicestershire Police Force
Form MG15 (T)

Officer who conducted the questioning: DC 4078 Ferguson

Pages: 26

_____________________________
__
Duration of Interview: 39 minutes

DCF: Do you agree with me reading out your statement'

SC: Yes, I agree, yes.

DCF: Or would you prefer to read out the statement yourself'

SC: No, thats fine, you can read it.

DCF: I thought it would make more sense that way:

SC: Ah ha.

DCF: So when we get to the moment that refers to Portugal, it will refresh your memory.

SC: Please can I take some notes'

DCF: Yes of course. I'll get you a sheet of paper.

SC: Yes, OK.

DCF: I will have to go and get one because I haven't got my bag with me.
.
DC FERGUSON leaves the interrogation room..

DC FERGUSON returns to the interrogation room.

DCF: This was the best I could find.

SC: Yes, that's fine, its just for small details like people's names.

DCF: Yes.

SC: That would be, humm the babysitters and the people I played tennis with. I've got, hummm I almost remember all of their names. .

DCF: I would just like to introduce myself, I am DC Sophie Ferguson. I work for the Main Criminal Unit of the Leicestershire police and we have obviously been working on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, to provide assistance to the Portuguese and the reason for which we are here today is because the Portuguese have asked us to carry out some questioning of some of the witnesses.

SC: Agreed.

DCF: And also, Gerry and Kate have the right to ask the witnesses some questions and for that reason some of the questionings carried out incorporate questions suggested by them.

SC. OK.

DCF: It is now 10.30 on the 21st April.

SC: Yes.

DCF: It is the 21st today, isn't it'

SC: Yes.

DCF: Of the year 2008 and we are in a room in a house on Telford Avenue in Stevenage where neither of us have been before.

SC: OK

DCF: DC Eleanor JOHNSON is monitoring this interrogation Could you please tell m your name in full'

SC: Humm... Stephen John CARPENTER

DCF: And your date of birth'

SC: *******

DCF: Thank you. Would you prefer us to call you Stephen or Steve'

SC: Steve.

DCF: Steve it is then.

SC: Mm.

DCF:Okay, there is a letter for you, a letter to be handed to you ...

SC: Okay, thanks.

DCF: Before beginning the questioning and explaining the reason why you are here.

SC: Okay.

DCF: You can take a minute to read the contents if you wish..

(CARPENTER reads the letter): Yes, that's fine..

DCF: Okay, as I already explained previously this will be filmed so that we can send the CD so that the Portuguese can hear instead of only reading the statement, once they get a copy.

SC: Ah ha.

DCF: And I know that before we begin the questioning, that you showed some concern about the truthful recording of the facts and that they could have had some distortions by what you have read about the event.

SC: Yes.

DCF: Therefore what we have agreed to do is to read your statement and put the facts together.

SC: Ah ha, yes that would seem right to me.

DCF: And afterwards I will ask you whether there is anything else you would like to add.

SC: Okay.

DCF: Or anything else that you would like to discuss and afterwards, afterwards I will ask the questions that we were requested.

SC: Okay.

DCF: And we can talk about this for as long as we need to, there is no time limit.

SC: Yes, fine.

DCF: Are you feeling all right'

SC: Yes, fine.

DC: Good. Right, this statement was taken by a UK police officer on the 17th May and so the facts should be quite fresh in your memory.

SC: Yes.
.
DCF: This is obviously 2007 and begins by explaining the reason for the questioning, in other words, relating to the disappearance of Madeleine. In the statement you say "I will mention the following persons who I will describe with greater detail at the end of the statement" Is it C*** or C******'

SC: C*****.

DCF: C***** is your wife and at the time of the events you had known her for nine years and I****** is your daughter aged three and a half and F***** is obviously your other child aged five months. During the holiday you met the following persons, Gerry and Kate McCann, saw their children, Madeleine and the twins, but don't know their names. J*** C***** whom I met whilst playing tennis, I also met Dan and Georgia who were tennis instructors of the Mark Warner holiday resort (inaudible) I had met Dan on previous Mark Warner holidays at the (inaudible) resort. . I met the following persons when I participated in the searches for Madeleine during the day after her disappearance, Raj and Neil, Mark Warner tourists, John Hill, manager of the MW resort, we also used three babysitters, Pauline, Emma and Leanne. Emma and Leanne would look after our children in the evenings, they were all British and employees of MW. A man with three children whom I met in the Tapas Bar and who I referred to as the "Tapas Guy" and a Portuguese man in a garage whom I will refer to as the "laundry man".

SC: Okay.

DCF:Okay. That was just to set the scene..

SC: Yes.

DCF: Neil and Raj, two MW tourists that I saw in the Tapas Bar who were looking for Madeleine with me, doesn't make much sense, I think it was perhaps explaining who they are and where I met them. I will now describe the resort and to help me with this description I will base myself upon an aerial photograph from the Sun Newspaper dated the 16th May, which we do not have here today, but which is not important. The resort is a closed holiday complex with apartments and some villas. This takes us to the next question which is, how did you appear on the scene. "My wife booked the holidays in the MW resort in Praia da Luz, from Saturday 28th April to Saturday 5th May, at Going Places in Welwyn Garden City." You go on to describe your previous holidays and that you chose this one because you were told that the "baby sitter" service was available. You arrived at the resort on Saturday morning, pardon on Saturday at approximately two in the afternoon and were accompanied to your apartment, FP02 Ocean Club.
At about 4.15 on the same day you went to a crèche meeting where you wee told who the crèche workers who would look after your children were and that your children would be in different groups given the difference in age. I**** was in the group for children between three and four years old, her crèche worker was Emma and it was only after the disappearance of Madeleine McCann that I realised that she was in the same group as I****. That night C****, F****, I**** and I went to the Millenium Restaurant, we did not see any of the other MW tourists there and I remember that I did not see any of the other people I mentioned in my statement there. On Sunday the 29th April C**** and I participated in a coffee morning of the MW tennis group where I met Gerry, Kate, J****, C****, R****, A***, G***, A***'s sister and A***, there were other tourists there whose names now escape me. In total there were approximately some sixteen people at this coffee morning and tennis was one of the activities that the man, or that both subscribed to during the week. I am summarising a bit, because.....


SC: Okay, that's fine..

DCF: I first played tennis with Kate and G***n, there was another lady whose name I can't remember and afterwards I played with Kate and G**** against Gerry and naturally after the game I spoke to Gerry and Kate as well as to the other people present. I think that this is just a setting of the scene.

SC: Yes, OK.

DCF: In this way I got to know Gerry and Kate and spoke with them as I did with other people.

SC: Yes.
.
DCF: And during my stay I would greet them when I met them. Later we pass to your activities during the week, do you remember if there was anything relevant in their activities during this week'

SC: Humm, anything relevant, not really....hummmm... it was normal, possibly after having left and now knowing where Murat was in relation to us, because i don't know whether they showed you the proximity between us.

DCF: No.

SC: Let me show you some things about that, humm....let's see, because...hummm, our apartment was not near to there.

DCF: Mmm mmm.

SC: Here was the club where Gerry was, behind Murat's garden and here we were probably the people closest to Murat.

DCF: Thats true, I see.

SC: The bushes were all around here, we were far away from the rest, it was all open, and this is why I think (inaudible) you know, this is the idea that, humm...I think of when i mentioned in the interrogation that there was a laundry outlet where other things were kept.

DCF: Mmm, yes.

SC: But humm, nothing strange that someone wouldn't do during their holidays, the only thing is thinking about our proximity to Murat's property.

DCF: Yes, I understand, much of this is in the....

SC: Background.

DCF: Yes. When I went to the Tapas Bar and was seen there, talking on the Thurday 3rd May we analysed this in more detail because it was obviously more relevant. "The second time I entered the Tapas Bar was on Thursday 3rd May" which ended up being the day that Madeleine disappeared.

.
SC: Ah ha.

DCF: We arrived at about seven because we had the children with us and I saw a man sitting at the table next to us with three children.

SC: Yes
.
DCF: He was going to take a plane the next day to Switzerland, given that the children's mother lived there, I had never seen him before that night, but he ended up joining us for a coffee, he was a MW tourist. Another couple whose names I do not remember, sat at the table opposite us. A man was sitting on the esplanade having a drink whilst waiting for a take away, I spoke to them briefly, I hadn't realised that the Tapas bar had a take away service. At that time i didn't know their names. At approximately half past eight, Gerry and Kate and their group of approximately ten people were already seated at their table, which was so close to ours that it was possible to converse with them, we spoke of tennis amongst other things, I vaguely remember that Gerry and Kate and other people from the group would leave the table in intervals (inaudible), I think it was to check on the children , but I do not remember with what frequency or how many times the people left the table to check on the children. We did not talk about the system for checking the children or the fact that they had left them alone in the apartment, it was only later upon hearing the news that I realised that they had left the children alone in the apartment and that they were regularly checking to see if they were all right. Between approximately a quarter past nine and half past nine we left the Tapas bar to go home, we walked across the MW reception area, crossed the road and a semi circular path to return to the apartment, were we put the children to bed and a short while later did the same ourselves. I do not remember seeing or hearing anyone during our return to the apartment. When I crossed the road outside the MW reception I remember there were cars parked, I remember taking some time to see if I could cross the road because there were cars parked to my left and I was carrying I****. They were about six metres away from me and i calculate that some (inaudible) metres from the back of Gerry's apartment, I do not remember anything about these cars, it was normal for cars to be parked there and in the morning they were no longer there. My wife mentioned on the following day that she vaguely remembered someone calling "Madeleine, Madeleine", this was after we had crossed the road from the MW reception and before entering our apartment. She does not remember where the sound came from or whether it was in an urgent tone, not paying any more attention to it and only remembered the following day when we heard about Madeleine's disappearance". OK, before going on the next part, do you remember at what time you left'

SC: Humm... vaguely, I think it was what was put in the statement, the same, the leaving the restaurant, the way back to the apartment, looking to my left to check that the way was clear and I didn't see anything....My wife vaguely remembers hearing "Madeleine, Madeleine" and that was all until the following morning when I saw the television.

DCF: Yes, and where you state that it was on GMTV.

SC:: Yes..

DCF: I think that it was reported that it was a three year old child and probably thought who could it be and knew that Kate and Gerry were from Leicestershire and assumed that it was one of their children seeing that they had small children'

SC: Ah.

DCF: And afterwards you left your apartment to see if you could help in any way and as you said previously, everything was very quiet and there was nobody around. Then you say "I went to the MW reception and I met two of Gerry's surfing friends who told me that Madeleine had been abducted on the previous night, I asked if there was anything I could do to help and I think they were waiting for news from the Portuguese police. We walked towards the supermarket and ended up at the 24 hour reception where some men tried to speak to some Portuguese employees in the attempt to make a phone call, but communication became complicated because the employee did not speak English and the man did not speak Portuguese. We returned to the MW reception where I asked whether there was anything I could do to help so that they would let me know and returned to my apartment by the same route as the previous night. Upon nearing my apartment I heard a male voice coming from the garden next to my apartment.

DCF: This would be the voice of Murat, correct'

SC: Yes. This garden is situated at the other side of the passage way from my apartment block and is enclosed by net fence of about 1.80 m in height, the garden is thick and it was not possible to see inside, there was also a passageway along the garden without a wall that was on the way from our apartment to the Millenium restaurant. At some stage I managed to see clearly inside the garden, but I did not know who was the owner of the house and I never saw anyone inside the garden or the house or see anyone leaving until the moment that I heard a voice calling me. Then a voice called me from over the hedge. "What is happening, or what is going on'", I replied that a three year old girl had disappeared, he said "I am going to come round to talk to you" and he did this, walked round to come over towards me and said "I have lived here for fourteen years, I speak Portuguese fluently and I can help to translate", and we introduced ourselves, he told me he was Robert and this was the first time I had seen this man. Robert mentioned that he had a daughter in Norfolk who was the same age as Madeleine, and that is why he was able to understand what they were going through. We walked back along the path that I had taken to Gerry's apartment and I explained that Robert spoke Portuguese fluently, he told Gerry that it was important to have someone who spoke the language so that nothing would be lost in translation.. And that was how Robert Murat was presented as a translator.


DCF: Yes

SC: After he left, he explained that Gerry was frustrated with the way in which the case was being handled and they went to talk to John Hill.


DCF: Yes..

SC: In Mark Warner and he asked that all the Mark Warner rooms be opened so that he could check them and asked the cleaning ladies etc. to help open all the empty apartments that were not necessarily in the Mark Warner complex, but for which they might have the keys. At this moment I also met an English man called Dave who lived in the area and helped the Ocean Club to authorise entry into all the apartments possible, some of the apartments in Gerry's block belonged to local owners and Dave helped to get the keys to these apartments so that they could check them and search them, they checked them all in a general manner.

DCF: Mmm mmm.


SC: Robert and I searched the areas near to the beach.

DCF: During your conversations with Robert is there anything that you would like to comment on'

SC: Humm, no, its probably nothing relevant, the only thing since all of this happened and from reading the papers, I'm not sure if I am right or wrong, but his involvement in the translations was due to my intervention, clearly it was I who, based upon what he told me, took him to see Gerry, humm..and just that, I do not know whether it was already explained and wasn't published in the papers or I do not know why (inaudible) I think that the reason for his involvement was because of me.

.
DCF: Mmm.

SC: And then the first thing that he said was "Well, I did not actually offer my services, I "bumped" into this individual.

DCF: Yes:

SC: That is the only, only thing that I would correct and I think it is a bit strange that someone would state that they offer themselves as a volunteer, or the way in which it really happened after having told me that he spoke Portuguese fluently, I said to him "Well, in this case that could be useful" and afterwards accompanied him - and that was how he (inaudible) thought that it was a bit strange. Because the way he said it gave the impression that it was voluntary.

DCF: Yes.

SC: Whereas now the version is a bit different.

DCF: Yes, yes. And do you remember what you talked about whilst you were searching with him'

SC: Humm...he obviously talked to me about his daughter.

DCF: Yes.

SC: They had a team of sniffer dogs on site, they came from Lisbon according to what I was told, and afterwards we walked to the beach in the attempt to find the scent, to see of she had got lost alone or had fallen into the sea, and it was just him and me and the dog handlers, so that there was not any big theme of conversation, just walking the route - or on the way back, when we arrived we talked with different Portuguese police
Officers and afterwards with the officer who appeared to be leading the operation, a man who appeared to be from Forensics, but as I say now nothing appears very clear to me.

DCF: Yes.

SC: Humm... where Robert presented himself as being capable of speaking both languages and they couldn't, they tried to use him in order to obtain a maximum of information from the English side, so that the Portuguese could understand what the people were saying and what state they were in... that was the involvement with the police and afterwards we tried to enter all the apartments that they had seen to where Gerry and Kate were staying.

DCF: Yes..

SC: And it was just talking about, you know...trying to get possible access and trying to open a maximum of doors in the area, and I think that was all.

DCF: You go on to describe in a little more detail the searches in the apartments neighbouring on Gerry and Kate's apartment, then you met Neil and Raj who began to talk and told you that they had collaborated in the searches the night before.

SC: Yes. .

DCF: And they explained to you that they had seen a man with dreadlocks and they felt there was something suspicious about him, that they were not satisfied with him.

SC: Yes, yes.

DCF: Then he introduced himself saying that he lived in Portugal and that he had just bought an apartment block.
.
SC: Yes.

DCF:
They were staying opposite Gerry's block, that meant that they were more concentrated in that area.

SC: Yes, because Raj in particular said that he felt there was something strange and that he was not certain, and the fact of where they were staying, the fact that the back of the apartment block was opposite Kate and Gerry's apartment, humm...and the fact that they even discussed the purchase price and how much he had paid, but the following morning there was no sign, even knocking on all the doors of the apartments that were occupied and those that were empty, we did not find anyone, he said, and that is why we thought it was strange that someone who had been available and collaborated in the searches and who lived in the area, was not found the following morning, because as you know, we were not contactable.

DCF: No sign of him and you remember that you were worried about this man who was described as being fifty years of age with grey hair.

SC:Ah ha.

DCF: And it seemed strange that a person who helped so much on the previous night disappeared the following morning.

SC: Yes, I suppose there was something that even the local Portuguese would be incapable of identifying (inaudible) or recognising for the description of a poster especially.

DCF: Who it was.

SC: Hummm.. then it was just a question of asking who he might be, where he was and to be able to eliminate him from the list of suspects, so that he would be at least one less person to worry about.


DCF: And did you speak to Robert about this as the person who was also on the scene'


SC: Ah ha.

DCF: On Saturday morning, the 5th May you spoke to a BBC reporter.

SC: Yes.

DCF: You told them that you remember that some of the reporters were being unfair and incorrect because they were treating the situation as that of a missing child and not of a child whom had been abducted.

SC: Yes.


DCF: And you go on to say that you spoke to Robert that day about how the Portuguese Police were unhappy with the incomprehensible way in which the British press treated them.
SC: That was what he said. What he explained to me.

DCF: Yes.

SC: Yes.
.
DCF: Yes, you met Gerry in the swimming pool area on Saturday afternoon, he told you that the fifty year old man had not been taken into consideration, that the Leicestershire police were on their way and you gave him your phone number and returned to England that night.

SC: Yes.

DCF: You certainly followed the events on television.

SC: Yes.


DCF: Humm... afterwards you say that on the 17th May you sent an email to Sky News about the description of an individual aged about fifty, humm.... on the 14th May you saw a report at the end of the news which mentioned that Robert Murat had been named a suspect.


SC: Yes (inaudible) I spoke to a Sky reporter, I think it was Ian Woods, hummm...did I write that down there'


DCF: Its here, yes.

SC: Ah yes, yes and afterwards, humm...with Murat well...I just caught a glimpse of him on TV, it was rather my wife who phoned Philomena afterwards who then suggested that we contact the police support service.

DCF: Yes.

SC: And that is what I did, and afterwards the Hertford police contacted us.

DCF: Yes.

SC: Two days later I think.

DCF: Exactly, you phoned the criminal support number and was transferred to the Operational Squad of the Leicestershire Police Force which is where we are working.

SC: Ah ha.

DCF: And we made a request to the local police to collect your statement and it was in this sequence that your statement arrived. It is likely that my papers are not in order because this page is more about the details of the search of the apartments near to Gerry's apartment and mentions the man from the laundry.

SC: Yes, yes.

DCF: And about the searches carried out.

SC: I remember that, yes.

DCF: You spoke to a man who later showed you a garage where there was a bed.

SC: Yes, well what happened was that, Gerry's apartment was here because it was not a flat area, it was more or less like this and that is why the opposite apartments were higher.

DCF: Correct.

SC: That is why it could obviously be seen, these apartments could be looked over from above and all the lower parts and where we, hummm.. this is where the grey haired man was.

DCF: Right.

SC: Who had supposedly acquired a property, and that is why I strongly suggested that we should open the maximum possible number of doors,...I can't remember the name of the man who I also met by chance and who was doing some translating, what was his name again, who helped open the doors.


DCF: Was it John HILL'

SC: No, John Hill was a Mark Warner employee, I can't remember his name, but he...humm also knew the local estate agent and different people who helped to get the keys of the properties from the letters, some of whom were on holiday.

DCF: Yes.

SC: And once the garage door was opened, it was not just a garage for a car, it was a type of "capsule" of about six by nine metres in size which became longer where there was a bed in the corner, and it was when we were searching this, the English man with grey hair whose identity I did not know, but who had explained this to me.


DCF: Yes.

SC: Humm... this garage belonged to a Portuguese man, the man from the laundry.

DCF: Yes.

SC: And when we entered the garage I asked who lived there, he replied that his son lived there and then there were distractions and because I was concentrated on the fifty year old English man, this man is Portuguese, it was only afterwards when I thought later about what we were searching for, it didn't occur to me and I think it is because of this that i mentioned it in my statement two weeks later, because I remember that there had been some distortions.

DCF: Yes.

SC: Of course with Murat there is Murat and the Russian individual, you know....I thought that we might well be looking for the totally wrong person and the fact that a bed existed in the garage and some children's toys.

DCF: Yes.

SC: I thought, ohhh...its worth mentioning this and that's the reason I mentioned it in my statement.
DCF: Fine, now (inaudible) describe the Portuguese man, the laundry man to me, yes'

SC: Yes.
I am certain that I read about this at the beginning, which (inaudible)' I think that afterwards, and afterwards coincides with the fact that he was the man from the laundry and of the van parked there, because as i have already explained, we were here in a small street here above which linked to the main road and to everything beside here on top, the rest was all pathways and I remember that on two or three occasions I thought...this is a dead end road, the van was parked there, I never saw anyone and more than once assumed that it would be cleaning staff and only this thought coincided with the presence of the man from the laundry, and if there were any reply to be made in relation to the link between the van parked there and the laundry man.
DCF: Yes.

SC: Murat here, I think and the laundry thing here.

DCF: Yes

SC: And I would once again give the reason why I mentioned the subject..

DCF: Of what age did the laundry man appear to be'

SC: Humm, I do not remember clearly what I said, but obviously at times Europeans appear older than they are, because of

DCF...(inaudible) the sun.

SC: Yes with the sun, that was what I said in the statement (inaudible).

DCF: I am going to try to locate the first pages where it was mentioned, but there is no description.

SC: Forty five to fifty years old, I think.

DCF: I'm just trying to think what age the man would be, it is difficult to say for the man that I saw, but he would have been of an age that implied that he could have a small child living in the garage or it could be expected that the had a grown up child.

SC: Oh, I think he would have been about, you know.... eighteen years, twenty or twenty two years old to live in the back of a garage because it had large cupboards and other things, but to live in a garage would mean that he had to be eighteen or more, because of a question of safety and because it was not the best way to live.

DCF: No. Then as you say the children's toys seemed to you to be out of context'

SC: Yes, yes.

DCF: Yes.

SC: Yes, mainly because I would think of someone aged eighteen or slightly more.

DCF: And then the Mark Warner staff, obviously it was after your return when this was still being investigated, the staff had photos of Madeleine that the man handed to an individual called C**** and his girlfriend to be distributed.

SC: Ah ah, yes.

DCF: Its in the part where it mentions that there was a van, and says that it was parked at the back of Robert Murat'' garden, and that you never saw anyone use the van, but you remember that it had something to do with the cleaning staff.

SC: Yes, to transport the bedlinen and towels.

DCF: Yes. It says here that you never saw anyone drive it, you just know that you saw it parked, did you ever notice that it was missing or do you remember always seeing it there'

SC:Humm, no...no it was not always there, I saw it about two or three times.

DCF: OK. And it continues, obviously there are some details about the van and its description in case it would be necessary to come back to this statement. So during the week, you played tennis with Gerry about three times'

SC: Ah ha.

DCF: On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, it says here that you got on well, that he communicated easily, he was fun, he talked to you about golf which was his favourite sport, that he wanted to improve his tennis during the week. On Sunday or Monday he twisted his ankle, but managed to keep on playing, and on Sunday morning he only played tennis with Kate, that you saw them both playing sport and they passed by you at the bar on the beach and this was Sunday or Monday at about mid day.

SC: Mmm, mmm.

DCF: And you saw both Gerry and Kate at the Tapas Bar on Sunday and afterwards on Thursday in the evening, apart from these occasions you just saw them in passing at the resort and you had no opportunity to get to know Kate'

SC: No.

DCF: OK. Is there anything else that you would like to comment on or talk about in relation to the time that you were in the resort before the police, or before the disappearance of Madeleine'

SC: In relation to the holiday or to something strange that I remember'

DCF: Yes, is there anything in your memory that you think could be significant but that you didn't mention before because you thought it was a bit...

SC: No, no...until that moment it was an extremely enjoyable holiday, I think that we had already been at other Mark Warner resorts and they were more than a complex and because of that all the people in the area were Mark Warner tourists, here it was different because we could meet the same person two or three times a day, others could spend three or four days without seeing them because some were staying at this side and others on the other side and so, you know...we were not...it was not a large holiday centre but this was reasonably normal.

DCF: OK. Do you agree with me putting these questions now'

SC: Yes, that's fine, are they the questions from the police'

DCF: Yes, from the way they are written, I think they are all from the Portuguese police.

SC: OK.

DCF: Because sometimes translations are a bit different.

SC: OK.

DCF: However, I think there are no questions from Gerry and Kate that would be necessary to ask you, as I have stated previously, there are other interrogations where that was necessary.

SC: Oh.

DCF: Fine, on what day between the 28th April and 3rd May did you meet Gerry McCann and Kate Healy, I think this has already been mentioned in the statement that we have just gone through.

SC: Yes, yes.

DCF: However I am going to read this and you do not have to reply again. How frequently would you meet up between the 28th April and 3rd May and once again we have just been through this.

SC: From there onwards.

DCF: Oh yes, not from there, it was even before Madeleine disappeared. Did you see them with Madeleine and the other two children'
.
SC: Humm...I don't remember what I said in my statement, I am not sure about this because when I think about the past, and I know that he was playing tennis and I imagine something different, that's why...humm I can't specify hours and dates.

DCF: Ok. If you can remember the occasion upon which you saw them, how was the children's behaviour'.

SC: Humm. I can't reply because I was not concentrating on this type of thing, that's why...hmmm, I cannot even reply to this.

DCF: No, but I was thinking from the point of view of common sense, after the disappearance of Madeleine, any doubt that you could have had.

SC: Oh, after the disappearance'

DCF: No, what I was thinking here was that after her disappearance, you would probably have reflected upon whether you saw anything.

SC: Hummm... I remember talking to Gerry, because I had to go and fetch I*** and they were playing in the small garden and he was (inaudible), I***** and I thought it was Maddie, I am not absolutely sure but, he seemed to me to be a decent type, a good father, affectionate with his children, very easy to talk to, very good with the children, with a comfortable manner even when talking to I**** about little things, completely dedicated to the children.

DCF: OK, I'm certain that if there were anything strange in his behaviour, you would certainly remember that.

SC: Yes, certainly.

DCF: Did you see either of them in a car'

SC: See either of whom'

DCF: I think this refers to the McCann family, did you ever see them in a car'

SC: Humm, during that week'

DCF: Mmm, mmm.

SC: I think not.

DCF: Did you see Kate or Gerry on the Thursday 3rd May, obviously this was the day when Madeleine disappeared already mentioned in your statement.

SC: Yes, in the restaurant, yes.

DCF: Do you remember if you saw them before the evening'

SC: Humm... I think that we played tennis during the afternoon on Thursday.

DCF: Yes.

SC: I'm not certain, I remember that it was on Thursday that there were four individuals with whom we used to share the tennis courts, and I think that I mentioned this in my statement, I would say that it was on Thursday that we played tennis and I think that this was what we talked about in the Tapas bar.

DCF: OK, do you have any idea of what time you played tennis with Gerry'

SC: Humm... from two to four or from two until any time in the afternoon, I remember it coincided with leaving the kids in the crèche and picking them up.

DCF: OK, and it asks here what his behaviour was like on Thursday, 3rd May'

SC: His behaviour during the day or'

DCF: On all the occasions that you saw him.

SC: Always very good.

DCF: When did you realise that Madeleine had disappeared, you have already said that it was on the following day.

SC: On Friday morning.

DCF: And you took part in the searches as you have already described. Did you see Kate or Gerald after Madeleine's disappearance'

SC: Yes.

DCF: When'

SC: Hummm, the first time was when I introduced Robert Murat to Gerry, I think that he was alone at that moment...humm, or Kate was there, I'm not sure, but afterwards I saw him on Saturday before returning home, but thinking of the time on Friday morning when I introduced Murat, I think that I did not see him again until Saturday.

DCF: OK and the next question is what was their reaction and I think this means their reaction to Madeleine not being there'
.
SC: Destroyed, like any father or mother would be.

DCF: At what time did you arrive at the Tapas restaurant on 3rd May (inaudible)'

SC: At seven, I think at seven, yes.

DCF: Yes and you say that Kate and Gerald arrived at about half past eight, what was the theme of the conversation'

SC: I think it was just holiday chat, I think that we talked about our tennis and the good and bad aspects.
DCF: And who else was at the restaurant, well.... you have already referred to this in your statement.

SC: Yes.

DCF: Did you see Kate or Gerry leave the table before you'

SC: (Inaudible).

DCF: I think that this means the coming and going of people during the evening.

SC: Yes, I remember that people would absent themselves intermittently at different times, but I did not know why.

DCF: no.

SC: But as we discovered later, it was to check on the children.

DCF: And I imagine that your attention was directed towards your family and (inaudible).

SC: Yes, because we obviously had our two with us and we were on this side of the table, the single man with three small children was here and I****was playing with them, so we were more or less a group if you would like to call it that, of which they were a part, I think that all the ten members were there and some of us would speak to others here and on the other side of the table.

DCF: At what time did you leave the Tapas bar'

SC: I think it was at about half past nine.

DCF: I think that is what you said.

SC: Yes.

DCF: And you were accompanied, you replied that you were with your children and your wife. Where did you go afterwards, it says here...before going back to your apartment, can you describe the route you took'

SC: Directly to the apartment.

DCF: Did you see anyone outside the Tapas Bar or outside the apartments'

SC: If I saw anyone outside the Tapas bar or, hummm.. on the way home presumably'

DCF: Yes, is there anyone you remember that night, did you see anyone in the area'

SC: No.

DCF: At what time did you go to bed'

SC: Almost immediately, we put the children to bed because it was already quite late for them, humm... about half past ten, yes, about half past ten (inaudible).

DCF: And that's it, those were the questions.

SC: OK.

DCF: So I would say there were no surprises. Is there anything else that you think we should talk about'

SC: Hummm, no I think that's all, I spoke about Murat, hummm, about the meeting, no there is nothing more to add.

DCF: OK. Lets check with Eleanor to see if we have missed anything.

DCF leaves the interrogation room.
DCF enters the interrogation room.

DCF: No and I cannot think of anything else so we can close the interrogation.

SC: Fine.

DCF: It is 11.10, although my watch does not have numbers, so this is an approximate time.

SC: OK. And the interrogation ends here, I'm sure that Eleanor will unplug the recorder in the next room.

SC: Fine, ok.

DCF: Now we just need to write...the CD stopped and began again showing the time as 10.38.10.

____________________
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marx
Verdi
Verdi
ex forum manager
ex forum manager

Posts : 35069
Activity : 42327
Likes received : 5932
Join date : 2015-02-02

Back to top Go down

Page 3 of 4 Previous  1, 2, 3, 4  Next

View previous topic View next topic Back to top

- Similar topics

 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum