Re: Martin Smith's evidence was considered by the PJ to be 'highly contradictory...this type of witness does not deserve credibility" 24 Horas, 7.7.2008

by Amy Dean 16.09.18 10:07

Phoebe wrote:@ sharonl. Maybe I see things differently to you, but to my eyes Image 1 (the less lifelike one) is the absolute spitting image of poor Gerry. I believe he had the misfortune to be seated underneath it on a chat show and the program had an influx of calls saying "You're interviewing the man in the e-fit!! I suspect image two (the "improved" version missing half the face) was created to try to distract from the extraordinary resemblance between Gerry and image 1.

I have read before that it was a spoof image. You're talking about the Crimewatch programme in 2013 but that's not what was shown there.

by Phoebe 16.09.18 14:11

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Pictures, as they say speak, louder than words.

by **Tony Bennett** 16.09.18 15:01

Phoebe wrote:[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Pictures, as they say speak, louder than words.

What on earth are these four pictures supposed to tell us?

What the above post tells me is how desperate the poster must be to think those photos are any sort of evidence that the Smithman 'sighting' is Gerry McCann.

To put those four pictures up, Phoebe, is no answer at all to the factual evidence Verdi, others and I have produced that Martin Smith's PRETEND identification of Gerry McCann as Smithman is impossible.

In fact, it's laughable, and shows that your blind belief in this sighting is only possible because you set aside all the mountains of evidence carefully researched and compiled here & elsewhere by people of proven calibre like Petermac, Richard Hall, Lizzy Hideho, Dr Martin Roberts, sharonl and so many other good people on here and elsewhere

by Sundance 16.09.18 15:16

Apparently you're wrong Phoebe and you should stop being wrong please, because there's some other people who might be less wrong than you, but also might not be. That is laughable.

As an aside, I don't know if Smithman existed or not (nobody does, apart from the protagonists), but those ohotifits do look like GM

by Phoebe 16.09.18 15:16

@ Tony Bennett. It has been claimed that the e-fits must be A) of two different men and B) look nothing like Gerry. The above four pictures are there so that people can look at them and make up their minds on this point.

Please show the EVIDENCE (not opinion or supposition) that Martin Smith 's identification of Gerry McCann as Smithman was "PRETEND" or "IMPOSSIBLE" .

"Martin Smith's PRETEND identification of Gerry McCann as Smithman is impossible."

by **Tony Bennett** 16.09.18 15:41

Phoebe wrote:@ Tony Bennett

Please show the EVIDENCE (not opinion or supposition) that Martin Smith 's identification of Gerry McCann as Smithman was "PRETEND" or "IMPOSSIBLE".

Already done many times over by Verdi, others and myself, but you continue to ignore it and have never contributed a sensible answer to all the multiple problems with the Smiths' evidence.

You also seem to believe that Operation Grange would knowingly produce a propaganda show in 2013 with two efits which they realised in advance were of Gerry McCann.

If you don't think that, you must believe you have vastly superior knowledge of the case than Operation Grange.

It looks like Sundance is another CMOMM member who needs to have a much closer look at the evidence provided by brilliant & committed researchers like Lizzy Hideho, Petermac, Richard Hall, the forum-owner here, Verdi, sharonl, Dr Martin Roberts, Paulo Reis & Joana Morals, none of whom believe that Smithman = Gerry McCann.

by Sundance 16.09.18 15:48

It would appear that Tony Bennett is mistaken. I don't think Smithman is Gerry McCann either, but the fotofit does look like him.
And irrespective of the gaggle of luminaries you listed, they're all guessing, just like you poindexter.
As for Richard D Hall, he's a fully paid up member of the Tinfoil Hat Club.

by **Ladyinred** 16.09.18 15:48

Sundance wrote:Apparently you're wrong Phoebe and you should stop being wrong please, because there's some other people who might be less wrong than you, but also might not be. That is laughable.

As an aside, I don't know if Smithman existed or not (nobody does, apart from the protagonists), but those ohotifits do look like GM

A simple question...why hasn't Gerry been arrested?

by **Tony Bennett** 16.09.18 16:06

Ladyinred wrote:
Sundance wrote:Apparently []
A simple question...why hasn't Gerry been arrested?

Because, as I said on the very day it was set up, that this (Operation Grange) would simply be an expensive charade that took us for fools.

Incidentally this was months BEFORE I managed to get the official remit out of them.

At that time, Admin and most CMOMM members here condemned me for being 'so negative' and 'distrusting the Met Police' etc etc.

Now there are very few left who fail to recognise that Grange was a con from the Get-Go, and that the Smithman efits were just the latest stage in this expensive charade which has cost c. £14 million and lasted 7 years and 4 months.

by Phoebe 16.09.18 16:42

Tony Bennett wrote:
Phoebe wrote:@ Tony Bennett

Please show the EVIDENCE (not opinion or supposition) that Martin Smith 's identification of Gerry McCann as Smithman was "PRETEND" or "IMPOSSIBLE".
Already done many times over by Verdi, others and myself, but you continue to ignore it and have never contributed a sensible answer to all the multiple problems with the Smiths' evidence.

You also seem to believe that Operation Grange would knowingly produce a propaganda show in 2013 with two efits which they realised in advance were of Gerry McCann.

If you don't think that, you must believe you have vastly superior knowledge of the case than Operation Grange.

It looks like Sundance is another CMOMM member who needs to have a much closer look at the evidence provided by brilliant & committed researchers like Lizzy Hideho, Petermac, Richard Hall, the forum-owner here, Verdi, sharonl, Dr Martin Roberts, Paulo Reis & Joana Morals, none of whom believe that Smithman = Gerry McCann.

I have never seen EVIDENCE that Martin Smith "pretended" to identify Gerry McCann. The only evidence I have seen re. this identification of Smithman as Gerry is in the P.J. files wherein Martin Smith DOES identify Smithman as Gerry. What I have seen are opinions and theories but no factual evidence. Given that we know practically nothing about the process of how those e-fits came into existence how can there BE any evidence!
In a post upthread you were critical of my posting of 2 pics of Gerry and the 2 e-fits. It has been claimed that neither e-fit looks like Gerry and that they couldn't possibly be of the same individual. Well then, let people look at those images and the e-fits and make up their own minds. At least pictures are visual evidence rather than proffered opinion. Then it's up to people to reach their own conclusions re. what they see.
I would be astonished if Op. Grange did not expect the e-fits to look like Gerry, given that they were based on witnesses who claimed the man they saw WAS Gerry. They would also need to be visually impaired or in denial not to notice the strong resemblance between the e-fits and Gerry.
Finally, do I believe, as you claim, that Operation Grange knowingly produced a propaganda show using the e-fits - yes I do. Operation Grange leaders are on public record stating that the McCanns are not suspects or persons of interest and that they are investigating an abduction. Given that Grange has no plans to question the parents about their child's disappearance or Smith's sighting then I do infer that Grange's remit is to protect the parents in every way and to shun anything and everything which might cast suspicion on them. (not EVIDENCE note, just my personal opinion)

by willowthewisp 16.09.18 17:12

Tony Bennett wrote:
Phoebe wrote:@ Tony Bennett

Please show the EVIDENCE (not opinion or supposition) that Martin Smith 's identification of Gerry McCann as Smithman was "PRETEND" or "IMPOSSIBLE".
Already done many times over by Verdi, others and myself, but you continue to ignore it and have never contributed a sensible answer to all the multiple problems with the Smiths' evidence.

You also seem to believe that Operation Grange would knowingly produce a propaganda show in 2013 with two efits which they realised in advance were of Gerry McCann.

If you don't think that, you must believe you have vastly superior knowledge of the case than Operation Grange.

It looks like Sundance is another CMOMM member who needs to have a much closer look at the evidence provided by brilliant & committed researchers like Lizzy Hideho, Petermac, Richard Hall, the forum-owner here, Verdi, sharonl, Dr Martin Roberts, Paulo Reis & Joana Morals, none of whom believe that Smithman = Gerry McCann.

There could be a lot of "Deluded" people who may be wrong,One of the main points missed is simple.

Fact,You have a "Time Frame" wrote on the scrap book,who,what,where,when,Why, 3 May 2007?

Fact,The Smith Family met a person carrying a young girl,who was unresponsive of her surroundings(Sedated) on the evening of 3 May 2007,was this a decoy child at 22.00 PM,DCI Andy Redwood moving time frame?

Or are you saying all of the family did not see what they claimed they had seen,that evening at approx 22.00 PM?

The Person carrying the child "Chose" Not to respond to Mrs Smith asking,"Was the child a sleep",that was their choice Not to answer?

Has Mr Totman been discarded from the Operation Grange investigation,the moving time frame?
DCI Andy Redwood,sighting at 21.15 PM Jane,to E-fit Man 22.00 PM,walking a long way around to the " Night Creche",to then double back to Walk down towards the Beach,passing the Smith Family close to Kelly's Bar, 45 Minutes?

Operation Grange haven't as yet found E-fit Man?

Yet your asked to discount any facial features,due to Not being unable to recognise this person, from PJ files statements?

Yet at the same time,you are supposed to believe the E-fit images produced,that person's having drawn up have claimed is this person with Two E-fits information for One person!
As representatives of Smith Family have stated,Crime Watch October 2013 was this deliberate,As DCi Andy Redwood has interviewed the Smith Family on that matter,but FOI from Operation Grange not conclusive who drew what up?

Did Jes Wilkens spoil original time frame plan,conversation with Gerry,that Both parties didn't see Jane,hence Robert Murats comments,"I'm just a normal guy caught up in the biggest Fuck Up on this Planet"?

Perhaps this is the "Reason" why they All refused to go back and complete a reconstruction of who was where they claimed to have been on 3 May 2007?

by **sharonl** 16.09.18 19:43

Also in the PJ files, Gerry was chatting with Jez Wilkins, spotted by Jane Tanner and later seen by Neil Berry and Raj Balu.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] - Do you have a timeline from the time that Gerry was speaking to Jez, to when he was seem by Neil & Raj, to when he was running around PDL allegedly carrying Madeleine and spotted by Smith please.

Edited to include the time that Mrs Fenn claims to have spoken to Gerry

Mrs Fenn then saw that it was the mother of little Madeleine who was shouting furiously. Upon leaning over the terrace, after having seen the mother, Mrs Fenn asked the father, Gerry, what was happening to which he replied that a small girl had been abducted.

by willowthewisp 16.09.18 20:14

sharonl wrote:Also in the PJ files, Gerry was chatting with Jez Wilkins, spotted by Jane Tanner and later seen by Neil Berry and Raj Balu.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] - Do you have a timeline from the time that Gerry was speaking to Jez, to when he was seem by Neil & Raj, to when he was running around PDL carrying Madeleines' corpse and spotted by Smith please.

Hi Sharon,Be careful when mentioning a "Corpse" and who was carrying what?

Nei,Raj Balu had ordered a "Takeaway" from the busy Tapas bar,Jez Wilkens spoke to Gerry outside of his apartment Stairs Gateway 21.05 PM,after taking his Son for a stroll from 20.30 PM,where he entered into the Tapas area to use the Gentleman's Facilities.

do you suppose the Robert Murat "f**k Up" is that,Jez Wilken's,Gerry were meant to have mentioned seeing Jane to collaborate Three people being seen on the same street and only One person seeing the Abductor,but Jez,Gerry state they had Never seen Jane on the Street outside Apartment 5a Ocean club?

by **sharonl** 16.09.18 20:26

willowthewisp wrote:
sharonl wrote:Also in the PJ files, Gerry was chatting with Jez Wilkins, spotted by Jane Tanner and later seen by Neil Berry and Raj Balu.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] - Do you have a timeline from the time that Gerry was speaking to Jez, to when he was seem by Neil & Raj, to when he was running around PDL carrying Madeleines' corpse and spotted by Smith please.
Hi Sharon,Be careful when mentioning a "Corpse" and who was carrying what?

Nei,Raj Balu had ordered a "Takeaway" from the busy Tapas bar,Jez Wilkens spoke to Gerry outside of his apartment Stairs Gateway 21.05 PM,after taking his Son for a stroll from 20.30 PM,where he entered into the Tapas area to use the Gentleman's Facilities.

do you suppose the Robert Murat "fuck Up" is that,Jez Wilken's,Gerry were meant to have mentioned seeing Jane to collaborate Three people being seen on the same street and only One person seeing the Abductor,but Jez,Gerry state they had Never seen Jane on the Street outside Apartment 5a Ocean club?

HI Wilowthewisp

Just amended my original post as you suggested and also included the sighting of Gerry by Mrs Fenn.

by Phoebe 16.09.18 22:17

@ sharonl You asked [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] - Do you have a timeline from the time that Gerry was speaking to Jez, to when he was seem by Neil & Raj, to when he was running around PDL allegedly carrying Madeleine and spotted by Smith please."

Now that is indeed a very interesting question! Firstly, let me repeat what I have said before - I do not believe a word of the description of events nor the timeline given that night.

The Tapas 9's story is that Gerry and Kate were first to arrive at the Tapas bar with the others joining them gradually afterward, the Payne group being the last to arrive near 9 p.m. Yet this is contradicted by Stephen Carpenter who claimed -

"At approximately half past eight, Gerry and Kate and their group of approximately ten people were already seated at their table..."

So, was it Gerry and Kate alone at half eight and the rest, including the Paynes just before 9 p.m. or were they all in situ as Carpenter claims by 8.30 p.m.

Raj Balu in his statement makes no mention of seeing Gerry or his group at the Tapas Bar that night, claiming to have left with the takeaway between 8.15 and 8.30 p.m.
Neil Berry claims to have gone with Raj Balu to collect the takeaway at "about 8 p.m. and states -
"I remember that at dinner that the McCanns were not at the restaurant at the time that we left and we did not see them while Raj and I were there."

Jeremy Wilkins states (7th May 2007) that he left with his child in the buggy at "About 8.15- 8.30 p.m." He mentions meeting Gerry but does not say when this happened.
In his statement of (5th Nov.2007) he again mentions leaving with the buggy at 8.15 p.m. walking around, using the Tapas Bar lavatory (but he doesn't know what time this was) and meeting Gerry. He again gives no time for this meeting in this statement, but claims not to have seen Jane T. or Tannerman.
In Wilkins 3rd statement (8th April 2008) he states the following -
"I calculate I met Gerry on the road between 20.45 and 9.15 (half an hour's time-span) I am aware of the importance of this hour and am also aware that the media announced our meeting time as 21.05 p.m. Even if this were correct I have no idea from where such information originated. It is not possible to give you a more exact time".

So. Wilkins is of little help in pinning down that part of the timeline.

After his meeting with Wilkins we have only the Tapas 9's word for where Gerry was. There were no other diners and the statements of the Ocean Club staff are contradictory, with some claiming the group, save Diane Webster, had left much earlier with Arlindo Peleja stating that shortly after arriving at 9.10 pm he noted, upon entering the Tapas area only "3 couples" seated at the sole-occupied table and that by "9.20 p.m." there was a clamour and he was "informed that child had disappeared"

So it is obvious that there is no clear picture of where any of the Tapas 9 group was during dinner.

Mrs. Fenn claimed to have heard the disturbance at around 10.30 p.m.

Whether Gerry was the person the Smiths saw I do not know, but it appears there is no reliable timeline for him or any of the group that night!

by **sharonl** 16.09.18 22:56

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I think you may be referring to the rogatory statements when you say that Balu makes no reference to seeing Gerry that night.

From an interview contained in the PJ files we have this:

After 22:00 we were still sitting on the veranda in the Berry apartment. We heard noises downstairs and afterwards found out that a child had disappeared. My testimony dated 6th of May 2007 related the details of the conversation we overheard and the information regarding the paper that Neil and I used in the searches. I cannot add any more details save those which have already been given in this testimony.

There was a statement made on 6th May 2007 which may have given much more detail of the period after 10pm, but I cannot locate that statement at present.

Also from the PJ Files: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Gerald was seen and spoken to by Neil Berry and Raj Malu. They heard him calling for Madeleine when they were sitting on Neil's balcony, not far from the McCann's apartment. They both went down to talk to Gerald and helped in the search.

by willowthewisp 16.09.18 23:26

Hi Phoebe,
Gerry 21.05 PM checks on his Beautiful daughter?

Jane sent by Kate to check where Gerry is,supposed to be on toilet,or watching TV Football,while your kids are trying to sleep?

21.10 PM,Jez,Gerry conversation,didn't spot Jane,but Jane spots them+Abductor?

21.30 PM, Mathew does an Hearing Check? He sees Twins breathing through a Door he is stood behind,cannot confirm Madeleine was in Bed nearest to the Bedroom door he had opened?

i have read that the Smith Family had initially stated their time of sighting around 21.45-21.50 PM.

Kate checks apartment at 22.00 PM with No sign of Madeleine,then alerts Tapas table Group,Gerry? David,Fiona,Diane W.Mathew,Rachel,Jane,Russell with his sick child!

The Portugal PJ theory they worked out was that Jane's sighting puts the alleged Abductor heading in a Easterly direction 21.15 PM,whilst the Smith family sighting is in a West position going towards the Beach Area 21.50-22.00 PM,opposite to one another?

So here we have Two children confirmed by statements of at least Two Males taking their children back home,one(Jez) in a push chair with a Boy going East,One girl(E-fit) "Night Creche,East," being carried,West towards the Beach?

Mrs Carpenter alerts staff at the Night Creche of a girl gone missing whilst picking up her son at 22.00 PM.

DCI Andy Redwoods "Moving Forward Time period",E-fits Smith man Totman sighting?

The Tapas Group are the "Main Witnesses" as to where Gerry was in the final 90 minutes from when Tapas meal began?

One person cannot be in Two different places at one Time,therefore it is vital that people account for where they were,Simon Foy moment,Richard Bilton Panorama,Tapas Bar?

If Jez Wilkens conversation with Gerry had spoiled plan,was this the Robert Murat,quote,"Biggest Fuck Up",as All Three could account for one another,but Jez,Gerry claim Not to have seen Jane,but Jane sees them?

Therefore,the second Run without Jez,where the Smiths see a man carrying a child 21.50-22.00 PM?

I'll get my Coat,thesis,time frames?

by lemonbutter 17.09.18 1:45

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Part of Tony Bennett's response to Phoebe's comments:

"Already done many times over by Verdi, others and myself, but you continue to ignore it and have never contributed a sensible answer to all the multiple problems with the Smiths' evidence."

@ Tony Bennett

To quote your own words:

"Unbelievable! Surely one of the daftest statements ever made in the near 9-year life of COMM".

I for one admire your valuable contributions Phoebe.

by Phoebe 17.09.18 1:52

@ sharonl Yes Sharon, I have read that part of Raj Balu's statement

"After 22:00 we were still sitting on the veranda in the Berry apartment. We heard noises downstairs and afterwards found out that a child had disappeared. My testimony dated 6th of May 2007 related the details of the conversation we overheard and the information regarding the paper that Neil and I used in the searches. I cannot add any more details save those which have already been given in this testimony"

However I am completely unable to find any statement wherein he claims to have seen or spoken to Gerry at 10 p.m. I would be grateful if you could post the relevant section form the P.J files where Balu says he saw and spoke to Gerry.
I have looked at the " PJ Files: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]"
but what I found was this -

Summary

It is difficult to confirm where all the elements were in the minutes/ hours after the discovery that Madeleine was missing. It appears that most of the women remained within or near the apartments, Fiona Payne left and searched around the complex, before returning to the McCann's apartment where she stayed with Kate. Then Emma Knights (client support director) searched the beach area and asked Kate what Madeleine had been wearing. Shortly afterwards Emma returned to the McCann's apartment and stayed with Kate.

The men's movements, however, are more difficult to pinpoint.

Gerald was seen and spoken to by Neil Berry and Raj Malu. They heard him calling for Madeleine when they were sitting on Neil's balcony, not far from the McCann's apartment. They both went down to talk to Gerald and helped in the search

However, there is no TIME given for when Gerry was seen and spoken to by Balu and Berry. It could have been 10 pm, 10.10 pm 10.15 p.m or anytime. Indeed the report points out that
"It is difficult to confirm where all the elements were in the minutes/ hours after the discovery that Madeleine was missing....The men's movements, however, are more difficult to pinpoint. Why would they conclude this if they knew Gerry had been seen and spoken to at 10p.m. by two witnesses.
Can you post Balu's statement that it was at 10 p.m. thumbsup

by Phoebe 17.09.18 1:56

@ lemonbutter roses

by Doug D 17.09.18 10:06

Can anyone pinpoint exactly which apartments Berry & Balu were in. They were allocated 603 & 606, which are in the block on the other side of the road to 5a.

The reservation list only shows numbers up to 610.

From the front (Agostinho Da Silva side) there are two staircases with, I think, 2 doors visible at each, so 12 apartments, but from the side and car park car, it looks like there could be more than that, if there are two apartments, in each position, one front, one back. There could well be a corridor/lobby as well.

Balu requested and has been allocated a ground floor, but not Waterside:

Balu 603 (Booking is in name of wife N. Cox)

‘Client would like to stay in Waterside Apartments on ground floor’

Berry 606 also requested ground floor apartment, but was told it couldn’t be guaranteed, so probably all fully booked already and therefore appears to have a first floor, but it is not clear.

Either way, it would be nice to pinpoint Berry’s balcony in order to clarify exactly what he could have seen, as unless he did have an end apartment, the view must have been pretty much obscured.

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by Phoebe 17.09.18 16:42

@ willowthewisp. Forgive my delay in responding. Yes, it seems that there isn't really anyone who can verify the Tapas 9's (including Gerry's) whereabouts during that fateful Tapas meal, other then the Tapas 9 themselves. Jeremy Wilkins does confirm speaking to Gerry but there is a half hour window during which he estimates this to meeting to have occurred and he cannot be more specific. Balu and Berry saw Gerry at some stage after the alarm had been raised but no time is given for this encounter in the available files.

by **sharonl** 17.09.18 20:59

Extract from the PJ files - final report

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Further on this issue, the testimony of MARTIN SMITH was considered, pages 1606 and following, reporting the sighting of an individual carrying a child, in one of the streets that lead to the beach. It was said that the child could be MADELEINE McCANN, although it was never peremptorily stated. Some time later, the witness alleged that, by its stance, the individual who carried the child could be GERALD McCANN, which was concluded when he saw him descending the stairs from an airplane, pages 2871, 3991 and following and 4135 and following. It was established that at the time that was being mentioned, GERALD McCANN was sitting at the table, in the Tapas Restaurant.

by Sundance 17.09.18 21:07

Funny how some here are happy to rely on the decidedly dubious accounts from the Tapas 9 when it fits their personal belief.

by Guest 17.09.18 21:45

sharonl wrote:Extract from the PJ files - final report

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Further on this issue, the testimony of MARTIN SMITH was considered, pages 1606 and following, reporting the sighting of an individual carrying a child, in one of the streets that lead to the beach. It was said that the child could be MADELEINE McCANN, although it was never peremptorily stated. Some time later, the witness alleged that, by its stance, the individual who carried the child could be GERALD McCANN, which was concluded when he saw him descending the stairs from an airplane, pages 2871, 3991 and following and 4135 and following. It was established that at the time that was being mentioned, GERALD McCANN was sitting at the table, in the Tapas Restaurant.

Add to that the PJ case files Legal Summary..

A situation was investigated relating to two individuals, Neil B. and Rajinder B., especially as regards the former, whose information was crossed with Tasmin Silence’s witness account, the photofit showing that this was not the same individual. In spite of the inquiries made, including by means of the Letter of Request, nothing was found to link him to the disappearance of the British girl.

Martin Smith was questioned, who said that at the beginning of the Travessa da Escola Primária he saw an individual carrying a child, walking in the opposite direction, at a normal pace, when he passed this individual it must have been about 22.00, being totally unaware that a child had disappeared. Later he states that when he saw Gerald McCann on the news, leaving by plane, he appeared to him to be the individual whom he had seen on the night of 3rd May in Praia da Luz.

This witness was heard again by the Drogheda Irish police on 23-01-08, having been shown a video clip of Gerald McCann’s departure by plane carrying one of the twins. This witness maintains his belief that judging by the posture, there seemed to be a probability of 60-80% that the person seen by him at about 21.55 at the previously mentioned place, was Madeleine’s father. At this time, Gerald’s presence at the restaurant was confirmed by his friends and has not been denied by restaurant employees.

by Phoebe 20.09.18 12:35

From reading the files I'm afraid I see no evidence whatsoever to support the claim by "24horas" that Martin Smith's evidence was considered by the P.J. to be "Highly contradictory ... and this witness does not deserve credibility" as per the title of this thread.
The P.J. went to the bother of requesting (8th Nov 2007, and Dr. Amaral was no longer in charge by this stage) that Martin Smith be questioned again. In the specific list of questions suggested by the P.J. there is no reference or suggestion whatsoever re. any contradictions in the evidence already given.
On Jan 30th 2008 Smith was questioned again with the information being forwarded to the P.J. as per request. One has to wonder why they bothered to request this if there had been any suggestion that his previous testimony was "contradictory".
Personally, I think the problem was that Mr. and Mrs. Smith could not claim to be 100% certain that the man they had seen was Gerry (whom they did not know) while at the same time eight of his friends (who knew him well) were prepared to swear that he was sitting with them at the Tapas table.
Given the odds of two Smith's up to 80% certain they had seen Gerry in location "A" against eight others claiming to 100% certain that he was with them in Location "B" at that time, it was obvious that the Smiths' claim was dead in the water. That does not, however, mean that it was contradictory or undeserving of credibility. It merely means it would be trumped by the alibi claims of eight people.

by Sundance 20.09.18 13:20

He has been contacted by numerous tabloid press looking for stories. He has been contacted by Mr Brian Kennedy who is supporting the McCann family to take part in a photo fit exercise. He has given no stories or helped in any photo fits. He sent a solicitor's letter to six papers in relation material that was printed that was misquoted. The Evening Herald paid his solicitor's fees and all papers printed an apology. His photograph appeared in another tabloid paper and this matter is being pursued at the moment.

I do not believe that Martin Smith is courting the press and my view his is a genuine person. He is known locally and is a very decent person.

Forwarded please

Sergeant

Liam Hogan

by Sundance 20.09.18 13:30

Gonçalo Amaral - The Truth Of The Lie - AN IRISH FAMILY IN A STATE OF SHOCK.

The McCann couple return to Great Britain after more than four months spent in the Algarve. It's an almost triumphant return. The media coverage is such that you'd think you were witnessing the liberation of hostages held for years in a far-off country. Gerald McCann is shown on television carrying his son, as he descends from the plane. The child's head is against Gerald's left shoulder and his arms dangling by his sides. Gerald walks across the tarmac, still holding his son closely against himself.

In Ireland, the Smiths are watching the BBC news, which is broadcasting the event. For them, it's a shock: that person, they recognise him. That way of carrying his child, that way of walking...It's the man they saw at around 10pm on May 3rd, with a little girl, who seemed to be deeply asleep, in his arms.

This image, brings back with a jolt, that of the man they encountered in the streets of Vila da Luz, on the evening of Madeleine's disappearance. It's as if the scene is repeating itself ....Mr Smith thinking he's hallucinating, sees the same report on other channels, ITV and Sky News. From that moment, he is sure: the man they came across that night was Gerald McCann. Of that there is very little doubt. Upset by the implications of this discovery, he alerts the police and waits to be called back by those in charge of the investigation.

When we receive this information, at the end of September, we think we finally have the piece that will allow us to complete the puzzle. Because of this, we may be able to reconstruct the course of events on that cold night of May 3rd in Vila da Luz. We have a better understanding of why Jane Tanner, "sent," the alleged abductor in the opposite direction to that taken by the man seen by the Smith family. Suspicion had to be diverted from Gerald who - if he was the guilty party - would have taken this route: leaving apartment 5A, the individual who was carrying the child, did not go east, towards Murat's house, but west in the direction of the beach.

We decide to get the Smiths back to the Algarve, for a formal identification of Gerry McCann - by means of televised images, certainly - direct confrontation being impossible - and possibly proceed to a reconstruction of the events of the night of May 3rd. The National Director of the Judiciary police agrees, the process is set in motion, all the details are sorted out; all that remains is to choose the hotel where they will be put up. But the Smiths were never to come back to Portugal. After my departure, the PJ were to change their minds. They asked the Irish police to proceed with interviewing the witness. That decision was to seriously delay the process since the Smiths were not interviewed until several months later. Meanwhile, rumours were to circulate and people not involved with the investigation would be made aware of the existence of this witness; someone allegedly even sought out contact with the family, without its being known to what end.

by Guest 21.09.18 12:47

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by **sharonl** 26.10.18 18:07

Additional statement from Martin Smith 30/01/2008

I would like to state that the statement I made on 26th May 2007 in Portugal is correct. The description of the individual that I saw on 3rd May 2007 carrying a child is as follows. He was average build, 5 foot 10' in height, brown hair cut short, aged 40 years approximately. Wearing beige trousers and darkish top maybe a jacket or blazer. He had a full head of hair with a tight cut. This individual was alone. I saw Gerard McCann (sic) going down the plane stairs carrying one of his children on 9th September 2007 BBC news at 10 PM, I have been shown the video clip by Sergeant Hogan which I recognise. A clip I have seen before on the Internet. In relation to the video clips of Gerard McCann and the person I saw on 3rd May 2007 when I saw the BBC news at 10 PM on 9th September 2007 something struck me that it could have been the same person. It was the way Gerard McCann turned his head down which was similar to what the individual did on 3rd May 2007 when we met him. It may have been the way he was carrying the child either. I would be 60-80% sure that it was Gerard McCann that I met that night carrying a child. I am basing that on his mannerism in the way he carried the child off the plane. After seeing the BBC news at 10 PM, footage on the 9th September 2007 I contacted Leicestershire police with this information. During that time I spoke to all my family members who were with me on the night of 3rd May 2007 about this and the only one who felt the same way as me was my wife. She had seen the video clip of Gerard McCann walking down the stairs of the plane earlier that day. We did not discuss this until some days later. This statement has been read over to me and is correct

Martin Smith's evidence was considered by the PJ to be 'highly contradictory...this type of witness does not deserve credibility" 24 Horas, 7.7.2008