Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
The Complete Mystery of Madeleine McCann™ :: Books on the Madeleine McCann case :: Kate McCann's book, Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine'
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
As our main liaison with the British police, Bob was not privy to the investigation details. This was for our protection, he told us, as sharing knowledge we would otherwise not have had could potentially compromise us. In the light of the volume of information being released into the public domain by police sources via the media, this seems farcical now. It did emerge, however, that Bob had concerns of his own. He explained that the British police regarded the use of sniffer dogs as intelligence rather than evidence, and he was perplexed at the apparent fixation of the PJ on the idea that Madeleine had died in the apartment. He told Gerry he thought they’d get a shock when the forensic results came back.
The next day Gerry rang Ken Jones, head of ACPO, the Association of Chief Police Officers. He, too, was beginning to despair of the investigation and the way it was being handled. It was good to know we weren’t alone, and that we weren’t going totally mad, but why wouldn’t anyone speak out about this? Many people in top positions were saying the right things to us privately but it seemed nobody could – or would – do anything about it. If someone had stood up and said, ‘Stop! This is all wrong!’ things could have been very different.
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
Projection?
The next day Gerry rang Ken Jones, head of ACPO, the Association of Chief Police Officers. He, too, was beginning to despair of the investigation and the way it was being handled. It was good to know we weren’t alone, and that we weren’t going totally mad, but why wouldn’t anyone speak out about this? Many people in top positions were saying the right things to us privately but it seemed nobody could – or would – do anything about it. If someone had stood up and said, ‘Stop! This is all wrong!’ things could have been very different.
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
Projection?
Guest- Guest
Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
The dogs ultimately ‘alerted’. I felt myself starting to relax a little. This was not what I would call an exact science.
Kate McCann
Did the prospect of watching the dog search videos trouble you for some reason Ms Healy?
Guest- Guest
Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
When researching the validity of sniffer-dog evidence later that month, Gerry would discover that false alerts can be attributable to the conscious or unconscious signals of the handler.
From what I saw of the dogs’ responses, this certainly seemed to me to be what was happening here. We would later learn that in his written report, PC Grime had emphasized that such alerts cannot be relied upon without corroborating evidence.
Kate McCann
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
A reconstruction
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
[For comparison only]
British consul Bill Henderson and Ambassador John Buck were visiting us on a fairly regular basis and we were seeing the Leicestershire FLOs every day. The flow of information, however, was slow and limited. The Portuguese police were divulging very little to the British police and vetoing many of their suggestions – bringing out specialist dogs, for example, or staging a reconstruction.
What was forthcoming, particularly in terms of the quality and depth of the investigation, would become increasingly concerning to us. Grounds for elimination, for instance, often seemed very flimsy. I remember Gerry and me exchanging quizzical looks after the FLOs tried to explain how one couple had been ruled out of the inquiry. When we asked them if they were comfortable with this decision, there was an awkward pause before they replied, ‘No, not really.’
Frustratingly, Crimewatch was not allowed to film a reconstruction of the abduction. This was something we had wanted from the beginning, in the hope that it would encourage potential witnesses to come forward. In Britain the police often broadcast reconstructions through programmes likeCrimewatch and news channels, but we were told that this was not possible in either Portugal or Britain because of the judicial secrecy law. We were able to show a pair of pyjamas like Madeleine’s on the programme, which was particularly important since at the time it had been incorrectly stated in some press reports that her pyjamas were white.
In the spring of 2008 – almost a year after Madeleine was last seen – the PJ decided they wanted to conduct a re-enactment in Praia da Luz of the night of 3 May 2007. The participants required were Gerry, me, Fiona, Dave, Jane, Russ, Rachael, Matt, Dianne and Jes Wilkins, to whom Gerry chatted in the street that night just after his last glimpse of Madeleine. They weren’t interested in using actors or stand-ins. So either everyone agreed or the reconstruction wouldn’t go ahead.
Our understanding was that as arguidos, Gerry and I were obliged to attend. The other witnesses received reasonably friendly emails from the PJ, via the British police, inviting them to take part. They were a bit baffled and replied requesting more details about the purpose of this belated re-enactment. It seemed it would not be filmed, or at any rate, not for information-gathering through public broadcast. Our friends had watched, with increasing horror, what had happened to us. If they were suspicious that the PJ might be trying to use them to somehow strengthen a flimsy case against us, or even to implicate one of them, it would be understandable. There were worries, too, about the likelihood of a media furore blowing up around the whole thing, especially as the proposed dates had already been leaked to the newspapers. The biggest concern, though, for all the witnesses approached, was how a reenactment of the kind the PJ were proposing could actually help to find Madeleine. This question remained unanswered.
At that point the tone of the correspondence grew more brusque and what had seemed to be a request began to sound more like a summons. Some people decided they wanted to take legal advice before agreeing to anything. In the end there was no quorum and the plan was abandoned.
There are two special people who have not been mentioned by name in these pages, but whose support and companionship have been unfailing. One is our lovely Portuguese friend from Luz. She has helped us in countless ways, including with this book, since we first met her on 11 August 2007: the hundredth day since Madeleine was taken from us. I will not name her as I’d hate to draw unnecessary intrusion into her life but I want to pay tribute here to her kindness and courage. It will never be forgotten. Beijinhos, a minha amiga.
And Emma Loach. Emma is one of the most selfless people I have ever come across and her input on so many levels has been invaluable. She played a significant role in our campaign for a child rescue alert system across Europe and in 2009 worked with us to produce a filmed reconstruction of the events surrounding Madeleine’s abduction. She has also responded willingly to my many queries and requests for an opinion on my writing.
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
[For comparison only]
Guest- Guest
Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
Cazz09, I'm delighted to see you online.
I noticed you gave this post of mine the thumbs down, that doesn't matter in itself but I'd like to know .... do you disagree that Gerry and Kate McCann fled Portugal when faced with a possible court appearance as arguidos?
If so, why do you think they left in such a hurry, having previously vowed and declared they would never leave without Madeleine?
I'm not trying to trap you, just interested to understand your view on the subject.
It's important we iron out all the creases amongst ourselves
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
This fact, together with the absence of any sign of Madeleine in the vicinity of Praia da Luz, increased the chances that she had been removed from the area and in many ways gave us more hope that she was alive.
It was only through having the police files that we learned of several key sightings of a suspicious individual or individuals near our apartment in the days and hours around Madeleine’s abduction. As chilling as some of the accounts were to read, I appreciated that knowing about them gave us the opportunity, at last, to develop these leads.
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
[For point of interest only]
Mmmm interesting choice of words.
It was only through having the police files that we learned of several key sightings of a suspicious individual or individuals near our apartment in the days and hours around Madeleine’s abduction. As chilling as some of the accounts were to read, I appreciated that knowing about them gave us the opportunity, at last, to develop these leads.
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
[For point of interest only]
As chilling as some of the accounts were to read, I appreciated that knowing about them gave us the opportunity, at last, to develop these leads.
Mmmm interesting choice of words.
Guest- Guest
Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
A CALL TO ACTION
Please write to the Home Secretary and Prime Minister, urging the British and Portuguese authorities to commission a joint, independent and comprehensive review of Madeleine’s case.
Link deleted
Verdi
Please write to the Home Secretary and Prime Minister, urging the British and Portuguese authorities to commission a joint, independent and comprehensive review of Madeleine’s case.
Link deleted
Verdi
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
Is this your post Verdi, My laptop says not secure, privacy risk.
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
yes, I got the same.
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
crusader wrote:Is this your post Verdi, My laptop says not secure, privacy risk.
Where/how does it say this?
Your security software? CMOMM? The particular thread? Your browser?
Nothing going on here ....
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
That's what I clicked on, but I stopped when I read that message.
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
That's probably the answer then *phew!*
It's only the 'official' team McCann website so it matters not - the only thing that ever changes is the update thingy, then only high days and holidays.
I'll delete the link from my previous post .
It's only the 'official' team McCann website so it matters not - the only thing that ever changes is the update thingy, then only high days and holidays.
I'll delete the link from my previous post .
Guest- Guest
Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
The site works fine for me.
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
It works when you type in find Madeleine site.
No prob anyway, I thought we had been hacked.
No prob anyway, I thought we had been hacked.
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
Most people find it hard to comprehend how innocent people can confess to crimes they haven’t committed. Gerry and I don’t. Not now. The monumental psychological duress we were under can easily lead to bad, irrational decision-making.
Thankfully, we resisted the urge to flee. When we left Portugal, it would be with the blessing of the PJ and our heads held high.
Saturday 8 September. We were on tenterhooks all day, waiting to hear whether we would be allowed to go home. Rachael had found a couple of criminal lawyers in London she was sure could help us. Michael Caplan and Angus McBride of Kingsley Napley had worked on several high-profile cases, including the Pinochet extradition proceedings and the Stevens inquiry. Gerry gave them a call. They discussed Madeleine’s case in detail, what had happened so far and how Kingsley Napley might be able to assist us.
Meanwhile, we tried to rein in family and friends from speaking any further to the press. Enough had been said and we were very conscious that we – and Madeleine – were at the mercy of the Portuguese judicial system. Being overly critical at this delicate point could, and probably would, work against us all.
Late that afternoon, we were notified by Liz Dow, the British consul in Lisbon, that Luís Neves and Guilhermino Encarnação had declared us ‘free’ to leave the country whenever we wished. Thank you, God.
On the advice of the lawyers, we decided to get out as soon as possible. We would go the next day rather than leaving it until Monday. Then it was all hands on deck to pack everything up and clear the villa. Michael volunteered to stay on for a couple of days to organize the cleaning, hand back the keys and arrange for our remaining belongings to be shipped home by a removal company.
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
[For WOW factor only]
Thankfully, we resisted the urge to flee. When we left Portugal, it would be with the blessing of the PJ and our heads held high.
Saturday 8 September. We were on tenterhooks all day, waiting to hear whether we would be allowed to go home. Rachael had found a couple of criminal lawyers in London she was sure could help us. Michael Caplan and Angus McBride of Kingsley Napley had worked on several high-profile cases, including the Pinochet extradition proceedings and the Stevens inquiry. Gerry gave them a call. They discussed Madeleine’s case in detail, what had happened so far and how Kingsley Napley might be able to assist us.
Meanwhile, we tried to rein in family and friends from speaking any further to the press. Enough had been said and we were very conscious that we – and Madeleine – were at the mercy of the Portuguese judicial system. Being overly critical at this delicate point could, and probably would, work against us all.
Late that afternoon, we were notified by Liz Dow, the British consul in Lisbon, that Luís Neves and Guilhermino Encarnação had declared us ‘free’ to leave the country whenever we wished. Thank you, God.
On the advice of the lawyers, we decided to get out as soon as possible. We would go the next day rather than leaving it until Monday. Then it was all hands on deck to pack everything up and clear the villa. Michael volunteered to stay on for a couple of days to organize the cleaning, hand back the keys and arrange for our remaining belongings to be shipped home by a removal company.
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
[For WOW factor only]
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
The twins are now old enough to read the bewk. We'll never know how they feel about it, but I pity them.
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
As my old grandmother used to say .... a still tongue makes a wise head!
A touch of bullet dodging here, what appears to be a deliberate attempt to deceive by semantics - nothing unusual there!
Ms McCann/Healy is a trained qualified medic, she would know and understand the difference between DNA and the scent of death/blood detected by specialist dogs. Here she tries to gloss over the dog's true purpose and evidence by concentrating on DNA.
Shame on you madam !
A touch of bullet dodging here, what appears to be a deliberate attempt to deceive by semantics - nothing unusual there!
Ms McCann/Healy is a trained qualified medic, she would know and understand the difference between DNA and the scent of death/blood detected by specialist dogs. Here she tries to gloss over the dog's true purpose and evidence by concentrating on DNA.
Shame on you madam !
There were erroneous reports of a ‘100 per cent match’ between samples taken from the vehicle and Madeleine’s DNA. Even if this had been true (which it turned out it wasn’t), it was perfectly feasible that Madeleine’s DNA could have been in the car for entirely innocent reasons, on clothes, toys and other items that belonged to her.
Since there was no match, the most likely explanation for the presence of particular DNA sequences in the car – and certainly a far more rational one than a dead body having been there three weeks after her disappearance – was that the DNA was mine, Gerry’s, Sean’s or Amelie’s. Since Madeleine inherited her DNA from Gerry and me (as have the twins) she possesses strands common to us all. But I guess that didn’t make for quite so good a story.
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
While we were away, there was a hearing in the High Court relating to an application we had made on Madeleine’s behalf for access to all the information held by Leicestershire police relating to her case. As nobody else was now searching for her, we wanted our own investigators to have the chance to check this material for any relevant leads. Naively, I’d thought a court order would be seen by the police, who were always telling us their hands were tied, as a way of helping us without upsetting their Portuguese counterparts. If they were required by law to pass us this information, surely the PJ would need to accept that? I couldn’t have been more wrong. The UK authorities fought our application tooth and nail. I was shocked by the force of their opposition and the lengths to which they seemed prepared to go to deny us this access in these circumstances.
The British police had their reasons, of course, among them the investigative primacy they were obliged to concede to the Portuguese and the concern that being in possession of information otherwise known only to the police and the perpetrator might compromise Gerry and me, since at this point we were still arguidos. All of this the assistant chief constable for Leicestershire made clear in a statement written for the court. He had come out to Portugal shortly after Madeleine’s abduction and had seen us at our most grief-stricken, and yet he felt able to comment of Gerry and me in this statement: ‘While one or both of them may be innocent, there is no clear evidence that eliminates them from involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.’ We were completely staggered. No evidence to eliminate us? Whether or not it was his intention, that line stuck in our heads as ‘guilty until proven innocent’.
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
[For incredulous *gasp* only]
The British police had their reasons, of course, among them the investigative primacy they were obliged to concede to the Portuguese and the concern that being in possession of information otherwise known only to the police and the perpetrator might compromise Gerry and me, since at this point we were still arguidos. All of this the assistant chief constable for Leicestershire made clear in a statement written for the court. He had come out to Portugal shortly after Madeleine’s abduction and had seen us at our most grief-stricken, and yet he felt able to comment of Gerry and me in this statement: ‘While one or both of them may be innocent, there is no clear evidence that eliminates them from involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.’ We were completely staggered. No evidence to eliminate us? Whether or not it was his intention, that line stuck in our heads as ‘guilty until proven innocent’.
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
[For incredulous *gasp* only]
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
Thursday 3rd May 2007 [After 22:00h]
Everybody sprinted back to our apartment, except for Dianne, who remained in the Tapas area, and Jane, who was away from the table seeing to her kids. I remember feeling frustrated when David said, ‘Let’s just check the apartment.’ I’d done that, and I knew, I knew, that Madeleine had been abducted. I ran out into the car park, flying from end to end, yelling desperately, ‘Madeleine! Madeleine!’ It was so cold and so windy. I kept picturing her in her short-sleeved Marks and Spencer Eeyore pyjamas and feeling how chilled she would be. Bizarrely, I found myself thinking it would have been better if she’d been wearing her long-sleeved Barbie ones. Fear was shearing through my body.
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
[For the attention of Mark Williams-Thomas only]
Everybody sprinted back to our apartment, except for Dianne, who remained in the Tapas area, and Jane, who was away from the table seeing to her kids. I remember feeling frustrated when David said, ‘Let’s just check the apartment.’ I’d done that, and I knew, I knew, that Madeleine had been abducted. I ran out into the car park, flying from end to end, yelling desperately, ‘Madeleine! Madeleine!’ It was so cold and so windy. I kept picturing her in her short-sleeved Marks and Spencer Eeyore pyjamas and feeling how chilled she would be. Bizarrely, I found myself thinking it would have been better if she’d been wearing her long-sleeved Barbie ones. Fear was shearing through my body.
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
[For the attention of Mark Williams-Thomas only]
Guest- Guest
Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
Later, we were told by the British police that the ground-floor location, access to roads front and side, secluded entrance and partial tree cover made our apartment a prime target for burglars and other criminals.
Never once did this occur to us when we arrived. As far as we were concerned, we were in a safe, family-oriented holiday resort.
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
Never once did this occur to us when we arrived. As far as we were concerned, we were in a safe, family-oriented holiday resort.
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
Guest- Guest
Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
Then a lady appeared on a balcony – I’m fairly certain this was about 11pm, before the police arrived – and, in a plummy voice, inquired, ‘Can someone tell me what all the noise is about?’ I explained as clearly as I was able, given the state I was in, that my little girl had been stolen from her bed, to which she casually responded, ‘Oh, I see,’ almost as if she’d just been told that a can of beans had fallen off a kitchen shelf. I remember feeling both shocked and angry at this woefully inadequate and apparently unconcerned reaction. I recollect that in our outrage, Fiona and I shouted back something rather short and to the point.
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
ABOUT THE BOOK
‘The decision to publish this book has been very difficult, and taken with heavy hearts …
My reason for writing it is simple: to give 'an' account of the truth …
Writing this memoir has entailed recording some very personal, intimate and emotional aspects of our lives. Sharing these with strangers does not come easily to me, but if I hadn’t done so I would not have felt the book gave as full a picture as it is possible for me to give. As with every action we have taken over the last four years, it ultimately boils down to whether what we are doing could help us to find Madeleine. When the answer to that question is yes, or even possibly, our family can cope with anything …
What follows is an intensely personal account, and I make no apology for that …
Nothing is more important to us than finding our little girl.’
Kate McCann, May 2011
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
[Comparison only]
‘The decision to publish this book has been very difficult, and taken with heavy hearts …
My reason for writing it is simple: to give 'an' account of the truth …
Writing this memoir has entailed recording some very personal, intimate and emotional aspects of our lives. Sharing these with strangers does not come easily to me, but if I hadn’t done so I would not have felt the book gave as full a picture as it is possible for me to give. As with every action we have taken over the last four years, it ultimately boils down to whether what we are doing could help us to find Madeleine. When the answer to that question is yes, or even possibly, our family can cope with anything …
What follows is an intensely personal account, and I make no apology for that …
Nothing is more important to us than finding our little girl.’
Kate McCann, May 2011
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
[Comparison only]
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
Several things were more important than finding Madeleine. Meeting the Pope, travelling the world, meeting Theresa May, collecting money..
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
So many people were supporting us in so many different ways, from the high-profile donations of the reward consortium to the quiet prayers and unsung practical acts of friends and strangers alike.
On the day of our first meeting with IFLG, I had gone over to the Tapas area to meet up with Paddy, the husband of Bridget, a good friend of mine in Leicester. Paddy is, as Bridget puts it, ‘a man of God’. He’s also six foot three, a big fella generally, with very dark hair and eyes – not someone you’d miss in a crowd. I was so touched that, even though we didn’t know each other all that well then, he had decided, completely off his own bat, to come out to Praia da Luz and join the search parties that were being organized locally. He’d texted me to say, ‘If you want me to call and see you while I’m there, I’ll come. Otherwise I’ll just get on with the search.’
I had asked Paddy if he had a Bible with him I could borrow. He brought me one that had been a Christmas present from him to Bridget several years earlier. That Bible is still sitting next to my bed. I must get round to returning it one day!
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
[Because it's Christmas ]
On the day of our first meeting with IFLG, I had gone over to the Tapas area to meet up with Paddy, the husband of Bridget, a good friend of mine in Leicester. Paddy is, as Bridget puts it, ‘a man of God’. He’s also six foot three, a big fella generally, with very dark hair and eyes – not someone you’d miss in a crowd. I was so touched that, even though we didn’t know each other all that well then, he had decided, completely off his own bat, to come out to Praia da Luz and join the search parties that were being organized locally. He’d texted me to say, ‘If you want me to call and see you while I’m there, I’ll come. Otherwise I’ll just get on with the search.’
I had asked Paddy if he had a Bible with him I could borrow. He brought me one that had been a Christmas present from him to Bridget several years earlier. That Bible is still sitting next to my bed. I must get round to returning it one day!
madeleine by KATE MCCANN
[Because it's Christmas ]
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
Saturday, 12 May 2007. Madeleine’s fourth birthday. Until it was upon us, we hadn’t been able to think about it: we simply couldn’t countenance the idea that by the time it arrived she wouldn’t be back with us to mark it. Not being with her today, loving her, pleasing her, enjoying her delight, was unbearable. We should have been at home, where we’d arranged a joint party in Leicester for Madeleine and two of her classmates at nursery, her best friend Sofia, who had been born on the same day, and a little boy called Sam whose birthday was within a few days of theirs. They had been going to have their first disco. I’d bought a couple of girl-band CDs a few weeks earlier and we’d been having singalongs in the car to warm up for it. The memory of Madeleine, sitting in the back seat, singing her heart out along with the Pussycat Dolls still makes me laugh. And cry.
John Hill had arranged for us all – Gerry, Sean, Amelie and myself, Trish and Sandy, and Fiona, David, Dianne, Jane, Russell, Matt and Rachael and their kids – to spend the day at a private villa. (Nicky left that weekend, and Michael had popped home for a couple of days.) We didn’t know what to do, really. We couldn’t let the occasion go unmarked and we wanted to celebrate Madeleine on her birthday whether she was with us or not, but nothing we did felt right. It was good to be away from the Ocean Club and the media circus, and the kids enjoyed themselves, playing in and around the pool with floats and toys. But Madeleine’s absence hung heavily over everyone else.
The Mark Warner staff had brought over stacks of food for us. The men organized a barbecue and there was wine and beer. We ate mostly in silence, concentrating on the kids. I couldn’t eat much, and alcohol was completely off my agenda. Fiona recalls that Gerry and I were completely shut down that day, barely able to talk, and although our friends tried to remain cheerful and behave normally to get us through it, they all felt awkward about being at this lovely villa, in the sunshine, in these circumstances. There was no cake. Gerry did attempt a toast but he was visibly upset and couldn’t manage much more than ‘I can’t even say happy birthday to my daughter . . .’ before choking up. The physical loss was more intense than ever. I ached for Madeleine.
[Because it's an interesting opener]
John Hill had arranged for us all – Gerry, Sean, Amelie and myself, Trish and Sandy, and Fiona, David, Dianne, Jane, Russell, Matt and Rachael and their kids – to spend the day at a private villa. (Nicky left that weekend, and Michael had popped home for a couple of days.) We didn’t know what to do, really. We couldn’t let the occasion go unmarked and we wanted to celebrate Madeleine on her birthday whether she was with us or not, but nothing we did felt right. It was good to be away from the Ocean Club and the media circus, and the kids enjoyed themselves, playing in and around the pool with floats and toys. But Madeleine’s absence hung heavily over everyone else.
The Mark Warner staff had brought over stacks of food for us. The men organized a barbecue and there was wine and beer. We ate mostly in silence, concentrating on the kids. I couldn’t eat much, and alcohol was completely off my agenda. Fiona recalls that Gerry and I were completely shut down that day, barely able to talk, and although our friends tried to remain cheerful and behave normally to get us through it, they all felt awkward about being at this lovely villa, in the sunshine, in these circumstances. There was no cake. Gerry did attempt a toast but he was visibly upset and couldn’t manage much more than ‘I can’t even say happy birthday to my daughter . . .’ before choking up. The physical loss was more intense than ever. I ached for Madeleine.
[Because it's an interesting opener]
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Re: Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine' - What's in the book?
Oh bless, look at him, choking up..
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» Another new Madeleine book
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The Complete Mystery of Madeleine McCann™ :: Books on the Madeleine McCann case :: Kate McCann's book, Prosecution Exhibit 1: 'madeleine'
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