Madeleine McCann: 'No limits' to probe

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Madeleine McCann: : 'No limits' to probeMadeleine McCann (Pic:PA)

Scotland Yard is putting no limits on its review of the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance, Britain's top policeman has said.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson said his force's re-examination of the case would be a "significant piece of work" that could produce recommendations about new lines of inquiry.
Critics claim the decision to bring in Met detectives to review the evidence about what happened to the little girl has undermined the force's independence and diverted resources from other crime victims
"But Sir Paul said it was "the right thing to do" and pledged that Scotland Yard would carry out a thorough appraisal of the original investigation into Madeleine's disappearance in Portugal more than four years ago
We are are not putting any limits on it at this moment in time," he said.
"We have no timescales yet because we haven't produced the scoping. It will be a significant piece of work."
No Metropolitan Police officers have travelled to Portugal so far but they are in talks with the Portuguese authorities.
Sir Paul said Scotland Yard's international reputation and expertise made it easier for his officers to "open doors" than other organisations.
"Sometimes we need to remind ourselves this is about a vulnerable missing child," he said.
"I am a professional police officer, and when you get a request to do something about a vulnerable missing child, you should take that request very seriously.
"And then you get into negotiations about, is it right that we do it? Can we bring added value to it? And if we can bring added value to it, what is the right circumstance to allow us to do it to make sure that we are making the best use of the operation resources here and giving a fair return to Londoners?"
Madeleine was nearly four when she went missing from her family's holiday flat in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on May 3, 2007 as her parents Kate and Gerry dined with friends nearby.
Portuguese detectives, helped by officers from Leicestershire Police, carried out a massive investigation into her disappearance.
But the official inquiry was formally shelved in July 2008 and since then no police force has been actively looking for the missing child.
Scotland Yard's review of the case, which will be funded by the Home Office, was launched earlier this month after a request from Home Secretary Theresa May supported by Prime Minister David Cameron.
It is being led by Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood of the Met's Homicide and Serious Crime Command.
Sir Paul said the final report would not be published.


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Thank you Rosa

Sir Paul said the final report would not be published.

candyfloss wrote:Thank you Rosa [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Sir Paul said the final report would not be published.

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Maybe a few carefully selected leaks to help Madeleines parents?

(I was not a cynical person before the McCanns entered my world)

We're back in the middle ages with closed societies and dictators.

It is easy to guess why he will not publish the final report. At least Portugal, by law, needs to open up their files at the end of the investigation, here we know what will be done.

If they had many people to prosecute, they would not release a report. I don't read this as bad news.
Ever the optimist, I know. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Stella wrote:If they had many people to prosecute, they would not release a report. I don't read this as bad news.
Ever the optimist, I know. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I believe the review is being conducted for the McCanns and the report is being written for the McCanns. To strengthen their case in any libel action and also to provide them with full visibility of the police files.

The head of the Met knows Madeleine is dead but his "off the cuff" comment about there being a "remote chance" that Madeleine may still be found alive sends out a clear signal about the way the direction the "review" will take.

Now is not the time to sit back and relax, it is the time to work even harder to get the truth out: write to your MP, the Met, the Home Secretary.

When CEOP released the "Minute For Madeleine" video there were many people saying similar things, that Jim was going to solve this crime but then a couple of months later Gerry McCann was his star-turn at a CEOP training event! And after all the hype about that video has CEOP ever given a single update about the impact of that video? No, of course not.

ETA

Sir Paul is "on-message":

Sir Paul said "Sometimes we need to remind ourselves this is about a vulnerable missing child,"

From the Find Madeleine website:
Madeleine is still missing and someone needs to be looking for her.

She is very young and vulnerable and needs our help.

what is the legal position / - a vast sum of taxpayers money is to be spent on this case yet the taxpayer is apparently not going to get a report.

Surely some sort of summary of the findings would have to be obligatory.

I am in Ireland so I don't know what the UK rules are. Do you have a FOI ACt which you could use to get information about this 'review' ?