14 - MAI 01 - BBC, ITV, Sky News

                                                       Interviews du 1er mai 2014





 
1) ITV - Lorraine Kelly

It will be seven years on Saturday since Madeline McCann disappeared from her parents’ holiday apartment in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz. Kate and Gerry McCann are so convinced that Madeleine is still alive, that they continue to step up their efforts to find their daughter. Today, they exclusively speak to Lorraine about Scotland Yard's fresh leads. If you have any information about the case you think may help police, please call 0845 838 4699 Visit findmadeleine.com to find out more
 

Transcrit par Nigel Moore 
 
Lorraine Kelly : Now, this Saturday will mark seven years since Madeleine McCann went missing while on holiday on a family holiday in Portugal. From that moment, her parents, Kate and Gerry, have campaigned tirelessly for their daughters safe return.
First, let's remind ourselves of their story [archive video sequence]

LK : [voice over] This is the final photograph of Madeleine [poolside photo].
Hours later she disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Portugal, while her parents and their friends ate at a nearby restaurant.
Her mum and dad began a desperate search for Madeleine with appeals across Europe and a visit to the Pope in Rome.
Three months later they were faced with yet more turmoil when they were named as 'official suspects'.
There were dozens of reported sightings of Madeleine but a year after her disappearance the Portuguese Inquiry was officially shelved.
Kate and Gerry were eventually cleared of any involvement, in July 2008.
Employing private investigators and raising money through charity events, their search for Madeleine has never stopped.
In 2011, they appealed directly to Prime Minister David Cameron and within 24 hours he announced funding for a police investigative review team.
In the last six months the investigation has taken a positive turn.
Last month, new evidence came to light prompting over 500 calls from the public. A potential suspect, seen wearing a burgundy top, has been linked to the investigation.[end of archive video sequence]

LK : Well, Ka... Gerry and Kate McCann join me now. Thank you, for... for coming in. I can't believe that it's seven years, errm... what... what's the latest? What do we know... what's the latest in the investigation?
Gerald MC : Well, I think, errr... the progress, errr... with the Met investigative review has been, errr... really quite impressive and, errm... you know, one of the things we were asking for, was for all the information to be reviewed. We've had updates on Crimewatch, and fresh appeals, and literally, errm... senior detectives told us that hundreds of people have come forward, and what they've identified now is that there has been a... a whole series of crimes against young children - British families, errr... in the Algarve - errr... by people breaking into apartments and, errr... you know, they're potentially linked, errm... and that's really important information, obviously. So we'd... we'd really like to thank all those people who came forward. We know that for the families that that can be really difficult, errr... for children who have been traumatised and many of these cases are going back years, so we'd really like to thank them, but it's really building up a picture...  

LK : Yeah
GMC : ...of what was going on in and around Praia da Luz, errm... in... immediately preceding and after Madeleine being taken, so we're really encouraged by it.  

LK : But we're seven years on, you know...  

GMC : Mmm...  

LK : We're seven years on and you're talking about people coming forward, errm...  

GMC : Yeah. 

LK : ...in very, very tough circumstances, and that's hard for you; to imagine that anything like that might have happened to your wee girl. That's.. that's the thing, it's kind of... it's a difficult one, isn't it?  

GMC : Yeah, I mean obviously, you know, Lorraine, that when Madeleine was first taken that was the... the only thing we could think about; and that was the hardest, by far. Errm... but there are different scenarios and we've seen, errr... a whole load of cases of children been recovered after long time, errr... been abducted and held, and obviously Madeleine was very young, so, errm...
Kate MC : Of course, we don't know that any of these cases are linked to each other, or to Madeleine, but I think it's common sense really that you... something like that stands out, it needs to be investigated.  

GMC : I think, I mean, for me the key thing is - even though it's seven years on - there is lots and lots of things that still need investigated and lines of inquiry that need followed and, I suppose, while we know that there's lines of inquiry that haven't been bottomed out, then we just want to get on with it and get it done and, you know, it doesn't matter so much how long it takes, we've just got to get it done.  
LK : Where do you two get your strength though, to... to keep going? Because it is remarkable.  

GMC : I... I get mine from Kate, obviously.  

LK : Do you get it from one another?
KMC : I think from each other, from our children, from our family and friends, you know...  

GMC : And the support. We've had unbelievable support; errm... not just those who are close to us but public support's been amazing.  

KMC : And that's ongoing, you know, which, as you say, seven years down the line, is quite incredible.  

LK : Because when you think about it, this time seven years ago you were on holiday; it was a normal family holiday, and is it tough to remember a time before Madeleine was taken. Is it... is it difficult to... to remember those days, you know, when... when things were so very different?  

KMC : Well, even last week, you know, just say for example, 27th of April, I was thinking: 'This time seven years ago, you know, everything was as great as it could ever be'. You know, it's...  

GMC : I think for us, it... our life is defined by pre and post the abduction, errm... unfortunately. Errm... leading up to Portugal, having had three very young children and had a, you know, tough two or three years just full on and working etcetera, and we were just coming through that and we were, you know, I wouldn't saw we were... but life seemed good, really good, errm... and it's different now because Sean and Amelie are nine, errm... they are really good kids, really happy and they bring us tremendous amount of joy, errm... so it is very much 'we were a family of five and now we're functioning as family of four'.  

KMC : I think the hard thing though, maybe people think: 'Well it's seven years down the line, I guess you...' and we have adapted but still weeks and months rolling by is still incredibly significant for us, so whether Madeleine had been found, you know, after a week, after six months, you know, whether it's, you know, seven years and one week, that is better than ten years, or whatever. So, it's really significant. So, for us we want the progress that's been made by the Met to continue, I guess, on the ground in Portugal and, you know, I guess, in truth, we'd like them to work as a... you know, together, as a... LK : Yes, that would have been good if that had happened from the start.  

KMC : You know, we want to... ideally a joint investigation team, so the work can be streamlined, bueroc... bureaucracy is reduced and, errr... progress can be made much quicker because time rolling on for us is still painful and living in a... a limbo of not knowing is horrible, for all our family.  
LK : Because she's still very, very much part of your life, she's very much part of the twins lives...  

KMC : Mmm.  
LK : You know, they... presumably they talk about their big sister and you, you know, you'll talk about her, you...  

GMC : Yeah, absolutely.  
LK : ...you keep her there as... as part of your family.  

GMC : Yeah, no, completely. Errm... errr... I think it does get harder as time goes on but, very much so. You know, they're surrounded by photographs, they know that we're here today - the usual - they know that the police are investigating, errm... so we keep them as... as informed as we can.  
LK : And also, you two do an awful lot of work as well. A lot of running, a lot of running, and a lot of fundraising for Missing People and that... does that help you in some way? Is that a positive thing for you to do?  

KMC : Well, it is, I mean, I'm sure everybody can understand whenever something terrible happens you want to believe that some good can come out of it, and I believe obviously since Madeleine was taken, you know, the... the charities work, errm... and all other families who have missing children; there has been some benefit because of the publicity and the awareness, and if we can help in some way with that, that has to be some good that's come out of it.  

GMC : Yeah, you've got to, I think, try and channel it. We've obviously had a huge amount of publicity around Madeleine and trying to channel that into effective change and obviously there's the revamped Child Rescue Alert, which Kate's been involved with promoting, errm... and other things obviously throughout Europe and trying to get a more, errr... homogenous response, errr... to child abduction across the European Union, particularly when the... we've got open borders. It's really important that there's cooperation between police forces and it's a bit like coming back to what we're trying to facilitate at the minute between the Met and the Portuguese police, that normally you only get cooperation for very serious crimes; drug trafficking, things but child abduction is a serious crime and, errr...  

LK : Absolutely.  

GMC : And we really want that... those types of strategies that would be used to counter terrorism and drug trafficking etcetera, are put if for human trafficking and... and other crimes against children.  
LK : Do you think there'll ever be a time where you'll just think to yourself: 'You know what, we've done enough, we can't do it anymore' and... and give up? Do you think that would ever happen?  

KMC : Well, no, and I don't think any parents would really because if we haven't found Madeleine, or we haven't found what's happened, then we haven't done enough. There's still work to be done. I mean, obviously, our work load has been reduced, or changed, you know, hugely since the, errr... the Met came on board and that's certainly made our lives a lot easier and great progress has been made to date.  

LK : It's good. Thank you both.



2) BBC - Fiona Bruce

Transcription de Bren

Presenter : Seven years ago while on holiday with her family, three-year-old Madeleine McCann disappeared from an apartment in Praia da Luz in the Algarve. Today on the eve of the anniversary her parents gave an emotional interview to the BBC’s Fiona Bruce. They spoke of their frustration that the Portuguese Police have not agreed to a joint investigation with Scotland Yard. They also talked of their sadness as their daughter’s birthday approaches, a milestone that doesn’t get any easier for them.

Kate MC : To us it makes sense that the two police forces should work together. I mean to have a more streamlined approach, to avoid duplication and basically to progress the investigation at a faster pace. I’m not sure myself and I haven’t been given a reason as to why a joint investigation team has been knocked back.

Gerald MC : The concern that we have and I think that the Metropolitan Police also have is that at the minute there’s almost a parallel investigation going on which just doesn’t make sense.

Fiona Bruce : Would you ever go back? I mean I remember going to Praia da Luz along with so much of the media around the time when Madeleine was first taken.

KMC : I mean I do go back. I mean I haven’t been since last April but I do go back for personal reasons.

FB : And I guess for you it’s a chance to be close to her. Is that how it feels ?

KMC : It is. It’s obviously the last place we were with Madeleine and I’ll still walk those streets and I guess try and look for answers, or you know, so… That helps me, most of the time (short laugh).

FB : It’s the seventh anniversary on Saturday. How will you mark that?

KMC : Well usually it’s very quietly. We usually have a small gathering in the village which we’ve done for the last so many years. Erm, we’ve always said it’s actually Madeleine’s birthday which follows soon after really which is a more difficult day.

FB : And she would have been eleven.
KMC : Eleven, yeah!

FB : I mean how do you mark that? How do you mark that for a child who’s not there?

GMC : It’s hard. It’s really hard. It’s not ???… She’s not there. You should be celebrating. It’s by far the toughest day of our year I think. Every year.

FB : And you find it just as hard every year?

KMC : Oh yeah, definitely. You know and you think, eleven and, you know, she’s due to start secondary school in September which is just, you know… It’s a long time.

FB : What’s your best hope of where Madeleine is now because you’ve always maintained she could be alive?

FB : I suppose the scenario, and it’s not been ruled out, is that Madeleine was taken by someone who wanted a child and that she has been loved and cared for. That’s I think the best scenario but, of course, there are many others.

FB : It’s a long shot, but if Madeleine is alive, if she could hear you, what would you say to her?

KMC : We love you Madeleine. We miss you every day as we did that very first day and we’re waiting for you. We’re never going to give up. We’ll do whatever we can to find you.

3) Sky News - Alex Rossi 

Transcrit par Nigel Moore

AR : I mean, there's always the possibility, isn't there, with every anniversary that comes and goes, that actually you may simply never find out what happened to Madeleine.
Kate MC : I mean, I think that's worst case scenario, to be honest. To be left in the situation of not knowing, particularly when you know that there are lines of inquiry that need to be pursued.
Gerald MC : Yeah.
KMC : She's either alive or she isn't and we... we can't change that. I mean, obviously our hope is that she's alive and well and being looked after and whatever scenario that she's in, if we can find her and bring her home, we can make things right. But regardless of the outcome, we need to know. We all need to know. Sean and Amelie need to know. Errm...
GMC : And the crime needs solved, you know. Ultimately, there is someone out there, or people out there, who have stolen a child and it may be linked to other crimes, it may not, but, errm... you know, public need protected as well.

AR : And, of course, there are, errm... Madeleine's, errr... brothers and sister as well. I mean, each anniversary comes and goes. They are growing up; they're nine now.
KMC : That's right.

AR : This is very difficult for them too?
KMC : Well, they've kind of grown up obviously, errr... for most of their life without Madeleine being present. I mean, they know exactly that she's been taken, they know why we're still doing what we're doing, they know why we're here today. And my hope is that they are not going to have to carry on this job of trying to find their sister. You know, that's why we want an end to this as soon as possible.

AR : The coverage of Madeleine's disappearance has been massive and you are, errm... also highlighting the new child alert system as well. How... how will that work? How will that help other families not have to go through what you're going through?
KMC : Well, this is a really exciting step forward. The Child Rescue Alert is based on the Amber Alert in the USA, which has been highly successful; they've managed to save 685 abducted children since it... since it first started. Experts will say, you know, time is the enemy. The sooner you start a search for a child, it goes without saying, the greater your chances of finding them.