Première partie ici.
Dans l'enquête criminelle, le premier arguido fut Robert M. Bien qu'il ait été mis officieusement hors de cause lorsque les chiens britanniques ne réagirent ni dans sa maison, ni dans son jardin, ni dans ses voitures, il ne pouvait pas être affranchi de son statut d'arguido avant la clôture de l'enquête. Il n'est dès lors pas étonnant qu'une partie de l'ordonnance de classement soit un rappel de faits le concernant.
RB n'a été vu près du G5A, la nuit de la disparition, que par 3 membres du groupe TP.
Aucun gendarme ne l'a identifié (bien que les TP3 aient dit l'avoir vu parler avec la GNR) et les gens qui le connaissaient et se trouvaient dans les parages ne l'ont pas vu. Le procureur semble parler du lendemain (les journalistes) où, oui, RM a été très présent (sa mère a même organisé un stand pour recueillir des infos).
Où l'on mesure l'influence des médias... Il y avait, dans la fièvre des premiers jours, un besoin accru d'interprètes.
Ils ne l'ont pas vu "dans" l'OC, mais près de l'immeuble G5, qui ne fait pas partie de l'OC.
RM s'est réfugié dans cette quinta probablement pour échapper aux journalistes.
Le procureur oublie de dire que le chien détecte, en l'absence de cadavre, un endroit où le cadavre a séjourné pendant un certain temps (minutes), compte tenu du IPM (intervalle post-mortem).
Ce chien n'est pas un pisteur, mais un sniffer.
La salle de séjour n'a pas d'accès direct à la rue.
Cette chienne n'est un pisteur, mais un sniffer.
Le visionnement de ces vidéos, dont le contenu est très impressionnant, est essentiel pour comprendre, mieux que par les mots, l'action des chiens et leurs signalements.
Martin Grime, le maître-chien lui-même [20], mentionne dans son rapport que
la réaction du chien bien qu'elle ne puisse constituer une preuve susceptible d'être présentée devant une cour de justice, peut contribuer à la collecte de renseignements dans les enquêtes criminelles majeures ;et le scientifique Dr John Lowe [21] selon lequel le FSS ne dispose d'aucun étayage scientifique quant à l'utilisation des chiens comme moyen de collecter des résidus biologiques et que normalement on se fie à la parole du maître-chien qui assure que les chiens sont plus sensibles que toute technique chimique ou autre technique habituellement utilisée par des experts en scènes de crime.
Le PGR suggère que la PJ n'a pas inventé que les analyses pouvaient mettre en cause les MC et justifie plus loin que si l'enquête avance dans le sens de prouver ou infirmer l'implication d'un témoin l'entité qui dirige l'enquête ne peut différer sa mise en examen.
From: "Prior Stuart"
To: "Task Portugal"
Sent: 04 September 2007 10:14
Subject: FW: Op Task - confidentiel
From: Lowe, Mr J R
Sent: 03 September 2007 15:01
To: Stuart Prior
Subject: Op Task - confidentiel
Stuart,
Tout d'abord, voici les trois derniers résultats que vous attendez.
Un résultat ADN incomplet a été obtenu à partir du matériel cellulaire (coton-tige 3a). L'échantillon contient très peu d'informations et exhibe de faibles indications d’ADN provenant de plus d'une personne. Cependant, tous les composants d'ADN confirmés dans ce résultat correspondent aux composants du profil génétique de Madeleine McCann. Le profilage d’ADN par LCN est très délicat, il n'est pas possible d’attribuer ce profil génétique à un fluide corporel particulier.
Aucun élément de preuve n'étaie l’idée que l’ADN de Madeleine McCann est présent dans l'échantillon 3B.
Un résultat complexe d'ADN par LCN, qui semble provenir d'au moins trois personnes, a été obtenu à partir de matériaux cellulaires récupérés dans le coffre du véhicule - section 286 C 2007 CRL10 (2) zone 2. Dans le profil génétique de Madeleine McCann, il y a 20 composants représentés aux19 loci du diagramme. Sur l'une des zones de l'ADN nous observons, comme il est normal, que Madeleine a hérité du même composant d'ADN de ses deux parents ; cela apparait donc comme 1 locus plutôt que 2 ; 19, par conséquent, plutôt que 20. De ces 19 composants, 15 sont présents dans le résultat concernant l'échantillon ; il y a 37 composants au total, parce qu'il y a au moins 3 contributeurs ; mais il pourrait y en avoir jusqu'à cinq. À mon avis ce résultat est donc trop complexe pour que l'on puisse conclure de manière significative.
Pourquoi?...
Eh bien, examinons la question posée :
«Existe-t-il de l’ADN provenant de Madeleine sur l'échantillon ?»
Il serait très simple de dire "oui" simplement en raison du nombre de composants dans le résultat, composants qui se trouvent également l'échantillon de référence (MMC).
Ce que nous devons prendre en considération, en tant que scientifiques, c’est si le résultat est authentique et légitime; Madeleine a-t-elle largué de l'ADN dans le coffre de la voiture ou son profil correspond-il simplement par hasard au résultat ? Les composants individuels du profil de Madeleine ne sont pas uniques au monde, c'est la combinaison spécifique de 19 composants qui rend son profil unique par rapport à tous les autres. Des éléments du profil de Madeleine sont également présents dans les profils de nombreux scientifiques ici à Birmingham, moi, inclus. Il est important de souligner que 50 % du profil de Madeline est partagé avec chaque parent. Il n'est pas possible, dans un mélange de plus de deux personnes, de déterminer ou d’évaluer quels composants spécifiques d'ADN font la paire les uns avec les autres. Autrement dit on ne peut répartir les composants entre 3 profils génétiques individuels.
Par conséquent, on ne peut répondre à la question : la correspondance est-elle authentique ou est-ce une correspondance aléatoire ?
Il en va de même pour tout résultat qualifié de trop complexe pour conclusion/interprétation significative.
À quelles questions ne serons-nous jamais capables de répondre avec le profilage ADN par LCN?
Quand l'ADN a été déposé ?
Comment l'ADN a été déposé ?
De quel fluide corporel l'ADN provient-il ?
Un crime a-t-il été commis ?
Ceci, en même temps que tous les autres résultats, sera formalisé dans un rapport final.
N'hésitez pas à me contacter si vous avez besoin d’ obtenir de plus amples informations.
Cordialement
John
Comme le juge du tribunal de police de Lisbonne le souligne judicieusement dans la sentence du 06.10.1990 :
L'autorité qui dirige l'enquête n'est pas libre de retarder le moment où un témoin passe à l'état d'arguido (…) si sont exécutées des procédures destinées à prouver son imputation, qui l’affectent personnellement (…) Recueil de Jurisprudence, 1990, vol. IV. p.323 et suivants.
à la co-détermination ou au respect de la décision finale de la procédure. Les dits droits supposent de la cohérence et de l’efficacité, selon le nouveau code, juste après le passage à témoin assisté et par conséquent au cours de l'enquête et de l’ instruction. Professeur Jorge de Figueiredo Dias,"sobre os sujeitos processuais aucun novo Código de Processo pénal in Jornadas de Processo pénal, CEJ, Livraria Almedina, 1988, p 28.
19] Cf. disques numériques contenus à l'annexe III
p. 45
1. Quand il est nécessaire de déterminer si un fait pourrait s'être produit d'une certaine manière, il est acceptable de procéder à sa reconstitution. Celle-ci consiste à reproduire, aussi fidèlement que possible, les conditions dans lesquelles il est affirmé ou supposé que le fait s'est produit et à répéter la manière dont cela s'est réalisé.afin de dûment clarifier, sur les lieux mêmes des faits, quelques très importants détails, parmi lesquels :
2. L'arrêté qui ordonne la reconstitution du fait doit contenir une indication succincte de l'objectif, du jour, de l'heure et du local où auront lieu les diligences et de la manière dont elles se réaliseront, éventuellement en recourant à des moyens audio-visuels. Le même arrêté peut désigner l'expert pour l'exécution d'opérations déterminées.
3. La publicité de le reconstitution doit, dans la mesure du possible, être évitée.
Là encore, le procureur ne tient pas compte de la première (et unique, hormis l'audition rogatoire) déposition de David P, dans laquelle il ne dit pas avoir vu Madeleine vers 18h45.
Le PGR conclut que le rejet de la reconstitution s'est opéré surtout au détriment des MC, qui sont les grands perdants car ils n'ont pas eu la possibilité de prouver leur non-implication. La seconde perdante, ensuite, est l'enquête, entravée par des points restés obscurs.
F – Analyse des communications - pp. 4638-4639
On trouvera en annexe les diagrammes quotidiens, par usager, concernant les communications cellulaires, un schéma des intervalles sans communication pour les téléphones cellulaires du couple MC entre le 4 et le 13 mai et des cartes des localités où les antennes ont été activés, ainsi que le rapport d’analyse des communications enregistrées par les antennes, desservant Praia da Luz, des trois prestataires de téléphonie mobile, communications faites par les 9 membres du groupe TP, entre le 2 et le 4 mai (les appels du seul réseau fixe ne sont pas envisagés, car, n'utilisant pas le système GSM des communications mobiles, ils n’activent pas les antennes ("B.T.S.").
Curieux unique et laconique commentaire alors que les rogs des TP7 ne sont pas dans le dossier...sans explication.
G – Appréciation et cadre juridique - pp. 4639-4649
Le PGR ne dit rien du retard à alerter les services de police et de l'inadéquation de l'appel à la GNR si les volets étaient ouverts. Ce retard, qui n'est pas imputable à la police, a eu pour effet d'augmenter le massacre de la scène du crime.
Les rondes ne se sont pas passées ainsi, selon les témoignages. Russell OB a bien essayé de dire qu'il avait fait une ronde chez les O, le dimanche 29, mais ce soir-là, justement, Matthew se sentait mal et n'était pas allé dîner... Gerald MC a essayé de dire que David P avait fait une ronde chez lui, mercredi 2, mais David a déclaré que, ayant un baby monitor, il n'était jamais sorti de table. Matthew a effectivement assuré qu'il avait écouté aux trois fenêtres du rez-de-chaussée, le 3 mai à 21h et qu'il était entré chez les MC à 21h30, mais Kate MC, à laquelle il venait de se substituer à charge de revanche, n'avait pas offert d'entrer chez les O ou d'écouter à leur fenêtre.
Jeronimo S, comme barman, n'allait que rarement sur l'esplanade couverte où étaient les tables, le Tapas étant avant tout un bar. Il est étonnant que le procureur ne rapporte pas les témoignages des deux employés de table, constamment entre l'esplanade et la cuisine.
L'OC avait contracté Najoua Chekaya, prof. de gymnastique aérobique, pour un quiz au Tapas deux fois par semaine (le mardi et le dimanche).
Quid du son ? On sait que l'acuité de l'ouïe est décuplée dans la nuit. Jeronimo S a très bien entendu un cri terrible, alors qu'il s'apprêtait à quitter le bar.
Enfin est resté sans explication plausible le fait que, malgré l'agitation et le bruit, les jumeaux ont continué à dormir, comme cela a été mentionné par le gendarme José R, membre de la première patrouille arrivée à l'appartement : Les enfants, en décubitus ventral, ne se sont pas réveillés une seule fois et n'ont même pas bougé lors des recherches et par la suite. Néanmoins, une équipe du LPC, le 4 mai 2007, a cherché en vain et éliminé la présence de tout produit qui pourrait avoir été administré à l'enfant disparue afin de la maintenir en état d'inconscience, sans découvrir non plus de traces de sang.[28].
Quiconque place la vie d'une autre personne en danger
a) en l’exposant dans un endroit où elle est soumise à une situation contre laquelle elle ne peut pas se défendre d’elle-même.
b) en l’abandonnant sans défense, chaque fois que l'agent avait le devoir de le protéger, veiller sur elle ou pour l’aider.
Tout cela est très juste, mais il suppose un enlèvement qui n'est étayé par rien.
Deux remarques, toutefois : selon son père Madeleine, un matin, profita de la difficulté qu'il avait à fermer la porte à clef, avait couru au bout du corridor, malgré les appels. Madeleine s'étonna un matin, d'avoir pleuré sans que ses parents n'apparaissent. D'où l'on peut conclure que normalement des pleurs alertaient les parents. L'esprit logique n'a pas d'âge et il est possible, si l'histoire est vraie, que MMC ait déduit que ses parents n'étaient pas là. Rien n'indique qu'elle ne soit pas du reste allée voir dans la chambre, comme elle avait eu l'habitude de la faire quand elle se réveillait ou était dérangée par les bruits des jumeaux.
Inattention (manque de soin) dans la surveillance et la protection est un oxymore !
Mais est surtout curieux l'emploi du terme "expier", à forte connotation morale. À supposer que l'on admette que la victime primaire est Madeleine, ses parents ne sont que victimes secondaires. S'ils "expient" durement leur "inattention" (et on a le sentiment que la punition est plus sévère que la faute, puisque le procureur lui-même commence par acquitter les parents et ne lâche qu'à la fin l'idée de manque de soin), quid de Madeleine dans tout ça ?
Le style tortueux reflète le caractère laborieux des arguments.. Si les parents avaient été dans l'appartement quand Madeleine en est sortie, couraient-ils le risque d'être impliqués ? Rien n'interdit de penser, puisqu'aucune trace d'effraction a été relevée, qu'ils auraient pu être en train de dormir dans leur chambre quand un ravisseur ou un bandit est entré ou quand Madeleine, pourquoi pas ?, est sortie par somnanbulisme.
Les arguments sont faibles. La rumeur d'alerte des médias avant la police n'était qu'une rumeur... En revanche le fait curieux que les parents, bien qu'ils aient compris immédiatement que leur fille avait été enlevée, n'aient pas appelé les secours sur leurs téléphones cellulaires est carrément occulté. A fortiori si l'on sait qu'ils se sont abondamment répandus en plaintes sur le long temps de latence de la police portugaise. Quant aux chiens, le procureur ne discrimine pas. Eddie a réagi à une odeur sans support matériel palpable et analysable et donc impossible à corroborer forensiquement. En l'absence de cadavre, le chien Eddie ne fournit qu'un renseignement. En revanche, s'il y a du sang, même en quantité infinitésimale, Keela indique précisément où il se trouve. Malheureusement les prélèvements étaient en trop mauvais état pour identifier un individu. Il reste que le chien Eddie, amené dans 6 autres habitations, dont 2 occupées par les MC après la disparition, n'a réagi que dans l'appartement G5A, autrement dit là où l'enfant disparue avait été vue pour la dernière fois.
Ce dernier argument, sorte de raisonnement par l'absurde qui place l'affaire sur le terrain de la pure spéculation, met singulièrement en doute la volonté du procureur de découvrir le fin mot de l'affaire.
Si la reconstitution avait eu lieu, l'enquête se serait attaquée avec des bases tangibles aux nombreuses discrépances. Soit elle parvenait à les résoudre et l'ombre planant sur les MC disparaissait à jamais, soit elle confirmait les non-plausibilités énoncées par le procureur et l'ombre planant sur les MC était condamnée à demeurer toujours.
Quel drôle de "mais".. "Il n'a pas été possible d'obtenir le moindre élément probant.... mais nous ne disposons pas du moindre fondement assez solide et rigoureux pour pouvoir affirmer".
Les événements de la vie ne se régulent pas selon des schémas romanesques stéréotypés, bien souvent leur dénouement est plutôt le fruit du hasard ou est conditionné par des facteurs accidentels et imprévisibles et, de ce fait, difficilement pénétrables.
Partie B intégrale
III – Concrete Analysis
Returning to the facts, the process files originated in the report drawn up by the PJ on folio 2, telling of the disappearance of a three year old British girl. The event was communicated by the GNR to the PJ at 00.10 on the 4th May 2007.According to the GNR, the disappearance would have occurred at about 22.40 (it was later checked that the detection and subsequent alarm effectively happened between 22.00 and 22.10) on 3rd May 2007, in one of the apartments of the Ocean Club resort, situated in Praia da Luz – Lagos, where the British family, composed of a couple and three young children were staying.
The apartment is comprised of two bedrooms, a kitchen, living room and bathroom with easy access to public roads, whether from the front or the back, where there is a small balcony and sliding doorsand, at the time of the disappearance, the children were alone in the apartment. However, during dinner, the couple went to the apartment twice, during one of these visits, the mother Kate, discovered that her oldest daughter was not there and alerted the other members of the group to this fact.In order to gather information, the following day a mobile GNR post was placed in front of the apartment block, with the aim of receiving, dealing and channelling the collection of informationrelated to the disappearance, all of them investigated by this police force in a methodical and detailed manner, some included in the inquiry and others organised in annexes in order to be able to visualise what had been done.
In addition to this information gathered at the mobile post, hundreds of other pieces of information from the public and the authorities were received via email or telephone and were dealt with in the same manner. During this night and the following dawn, intensive searches were made by PJ officers, GNR soldiers with sniffer dogs and by members of the public organised in groups, as well as by the parents, groups of friends and employees of the resort.
At 02.00 in the morning following the disappearance two sniffer dogs arrived in Praia da Luz and continued searching until the morning, covering the entire perimeter of the Ocean Club resort, urban area, waste ground and the closest homes, all the possible sites where the girl might be having been searched, the search later being extended to the beach area, the PJ duty officer also requested the GNR to issue an order for all officers who were on patrol to be alert and identify cars and persons that were circulating at that time.
At 08.00 the GNR Search and Rescue sniffer dog team came into action, searches were begun from the resort in the direction of the beach, covering a 2 km area; in Praia da Luz 300m radius searches were made as well searches of abandoned houses, wells and waste land, the radius subsequently being expanded to 600m including the verges of the EN 125 motorway.
Subsequently an attempt was made to reconstruct the route taken by Madeleine by giving the dogs a blanket/towel used by her, but the results were not significant, given that the dogs are more trained for use in rural areas rather than urban or populated areas, the existence of more odours in the air making it impossible for the tracker dog to identify/locate the “target smell”.
Searches were also carried out in two camping parks in Espiche and in Praia da Luz to inspect the bungalows whose occupants had left on the day of the disappearance; the searches were extended to line searches with the help of Portimao GNR soldiers over a larger area, searches having been made of all the vehicles parked in the Praia da Luz car parks. Subsequently, the searches were extended to the villages of Barao de S. Joao, Burgau, Bensafrim and Salema.
A few days later 6 members of the Algarve canine team also participated in the searches.On the following day, SNBPC helicopter searches were made, covering the entire area between the coast line and the EN 125, in sweeps, from N/S direction to try to find the girl, under the hypothetical possibility that she could have left the resort on foot, got lost and could be walking in the area.
The searches continued during the following days, over a 15 km radius, from Praia da Luz, specifically between the 4th and 10th May 2007, being carried out, amongst others, by GNR searchers and dogs, local people, GNR officers as well as personnel from BT, the Municipal Civil Protection Services, PSP, Lagos voluntary firemen and the Portuguese Red Cross.The Maritime Police also collaborated actively in the searches, on the 4th May covering the coastline between Burgau and Porto de Mos, on the 5th May the coastline between Meia Praia and Praia da Luz, on 6th May between the west quay of Praia do Alvor and Sagres, on 7th May between Lagos and Burgau, on 8th May between Meia Praia and Zavial and on 9th May again the west quay of Praia do Alvor and Sagres.
On the 8th and 9th May 2007 the Maritime Police all the vessels moored in the Portimao marina with crews on board, this was a total of 31 vessels, also in the Rio Marina in Mexilhoeira da Carregacao and in the Albufeira Marina. Security camera images were also viewed from the Portimao Norte da Marina bay.
As the Lagos Marina does not have a security camera system, information was requested about the state and movements of various vessels in the Marina (report on folios 3867/3885 Vol XV) and in order to find out if Madeleine had been seen, various Marina users were contacted (Joaquim Rio, from the Pescamar vessel, Bruce Cook from the Shearwater yacht and others), as well as fishermen, Marina employees and tourists who stated that they had not seen any indications that anyone had any information that could lead to the discovery of her whereabouts.
In spite of the dimension of the operations, the titanic efforts, time and means applied, including those of various security forces, the localisation of the child resulted to be fruitless.
The British media was alerted to the disappearance, allegedly at about 02.00 on the morning of 4th May the BBC being informed, Sky news having opened its 07.00 news report on the 4th May with news of this case. Between 04.30 and 05.30 a phone call was made to the PJ by a British media channel requesting confirmation of the disappearance.
As shown by the inquiries made to Rachel Mampilly by means of the Letter of Request, it was she who at 02.00 telephoned the wife of a friend who was a BBC correspondent to say that Madeleine had disappeared and asking if there was any way of this appearing in the news.
The media was mobilised in an unprecedented way, accompanying all the police work step by step, conjecturing and elaborating scenarios, some true and others of a fantasising nature.
It should be mentioned in passing that this case illustrates in an exuberant and paradigmatic way, the long known risks and disadvantages that arise from “trial by newspapers”, which are not “fair trials”, the “verdicts” of which lead, at times, to distort directly or indirectly, the course of the investigation and have an effect of detracting attention and even assume, in certain sectors, aspects of a global media orgy and anticipated blame of the those involved in the case as arguidos, with disrespect for the persons’ dignity, including that of the missing girl herself.
As Professor Jorge de Figueiredo Dias commented in “Penal Process Law!, Volume 1, Coimbra Editora, 1974 p.227 and following “This represents a violation of the most basic principles in our penal law, by substituting the legal trial by court, the due process of law, by an absolutely illegal and unconstitutional trial by newspaper. And it is a sociologically proven fact that the excess of publicity of the penal process can even contribute to the creation of an informal system of “penal justice without judgement” where it is clear, irreparable damage is done to the presumption of innocence of the arguido and their fundamental guarantees.”
Within the factual context we could be facing an abduction situation, although all possibilities have always been open, as they continue to be. This abduction hypothesis was investigated exhaustively, all information leading to this and other possibilities having been examined fully. No ransom request was made, nor were there any sufficiently consistent indications to substantiate this supposed abduction.
Within the scope of the inquiries made along this line of investigation, two situations were clarified, with the collaboration of the Spanish and Dutch authorities, leading to the arrest of three individuals, whom had tried to extort money from the family, in exchange for false information about the girl, based on fraudulent artifice. This information, previously mentioned on folio 3 of thisdispatch, can be found in the two Letters of Request joined to the files.The PJ proceeded to interview 112 employees of the Ocean Club resort and Mark Warner company, specifically 15 Child care workers and 2 tennis instructors, as well as 28 informal interviews with employees from this company (fls 848 and 856) whose accounts did not report anything of relevance.Inquiries were made in 443 homes in Praia da Luz, in those that were occupied their respective occupants were identified and questioned about any information they might have related to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann or to any strange situation or attitude noticed during the days preceding the event, in the case of being affirmative, witness statements were taken, in order to be formally investigated (fls 198), although no useful result was obtained.Witnesses were heard who told of incidents involving children, that could not be connected to Madeleine McCann, in particular a Polish couple, on holiday in Portugal, seen to be taking photos of a child with a clear resemblance to the British girl, but again nothing relevant was found in relation to these suspicions (fls 213 to 216).
Photo fit pictures were drawn up, according to the indications of witnesses, who reported situations they described as being strange, specifically of individuals were seen in the proximity of the apartment during the day, but no link to Madeleine could be established.
Images from service stations along the main Algarve roads were visualised, with a negative result. Photos from images recorded at the Lagos A22 service station were shown to the parents, Gerald and Kate, but were not found to be useful (fls 129/133).Later that night, a request was made to Silvia Baptista, the Maintenance Director, to provide a list of the guests staying at the resort and those who left on 03-05-2007 as well as the identity of the employees of the crèches where the children played during the day.Fls 12 to 23 contain a photographic report of the site where the events took place, compiled on that night as well as a sketch of the apartment.
On the morning of the 4th, already amongst strong media coverage, the questioning of the whole group was begun (fls 34- 83), questionings that would be repeated later.Fls 86 – 118 contain a report relating to the identity of the nannies (Catriona Baker and Stacey Portz) and the resort employees, as the two nannies were those responsible for the children of the McCann couple they were also questioned informally, nothing unusual was reported by them, however they questioned formally later on.
During the following days, with the participation of more than 100 PJ investigators, the enormous amount of diverse news about the disappearance was explored, numerous inquiries being carried out.With the multiplication of supposed sightings and locations, Apenso V was opened to systemise the reports indicating the alleged presence of the girl in various locations around the world as well as the hundreds of inquiries made to confirm them. This annex is composed of 14 volumes.The disappearance of the British girl, under the circumstances mentioned previously, implied the involvement of the most diverse entities, especially the intervention of the PJ, which was joined by other police authorities. In parallel, this disappearance drew the unprecedented attention of the national and international media, with particular emphasis in the UK during the following days intheir peak hour news bulletins, with live reporting from Praia da Luz, as well as programmes specially dedicated to the issue.Meanwhile, the girl’s parents dedicated themselves to making the most diverse contacts and appeals, divulging images of Madeleine, whilst the British authorities opened a permanent and specialised contact line in order to gather information regarding the disappearance, in addition to information from Interpol and other police partners.This activity (divulgation), as well as the informative aspects coming from the media, aimed to obtain, within the shortest possible period of time, information that would help the investigation in two ways: finding Madeleine alive and the compilation of material concerning the concrete circumstances of her disappearance.
The public’s desire to collaborate meant that by means of the most diverse sources and varying means, focussed mainly upon communications directly sent to the police, the PJ received the most varied information.From 04-05-2007 onwards, initially with a disproportionate rhythm, the PJ was sent thousands of reports of sightings and locations covering the whole of Portugal and multiple locations abroad, from neighbouring Spain to faraway Indonesia and Singapore, the missing girl having been “recognised” in the most varied locations, in multiple situations and company, in such a way that one the same day she was supposedly sighted in locations at a distance of 4.000 km apart.Some of the information was lacking in any credibility because of the circumstances involved, the remaining information requiring systematisation and due follow-up.There is a remaining diffused “stain” of sightings and locations (some gaining media coverage, suchas those in Belgium and Morocco) that contained scarce, vague, contradictory, incompatible or incongruent elements that merited a treatment whereby, in the future, linked to more solid elements, they could be touched on and resuscitated, and which are also contained in the files.Those that due to their geography and spatial-time relevance, could be credible were duly explored and included in the main body of the files and respective annex.These include the deployment on 04-05-2007 to the Lagos GALP service station on the A22, East – west direction for the collection of information. A photograph of the missing girl was shown to all employees present, however no recognition was made; images were made available from the security cameras installed at the site, those recorded between 21.00 on 3rd May and 12.00 on 4th May were analysed. From the images, it was possible to observe the entrance of a couple accompanied by a girl with similar appearance, these photos were collected and printed for analysis.In the West – East direction service station the girl’s photo was also shown, with negative results, the same occurring at the Loulé Galp service station.Following a communication made to the Lagos PSP reporting that in Odiaxere at about 17.00 a woman was seen pushing a pram containing a girl who could apparently be Madeleine, a woman with a corresponding description was found, but when checked she was identified as Maria Isabel C., who was accompanying her niece.Subsequently and taking into consideration that within the scope of the inquiry 93/05 – 4 JAPTM, an English individual had been investigated for child abuse, it was established that the individual in question no longer resides in Portugal.Denise Beryl Ashton was interviewed, who on 3rd May reported that two men were collecting money for an orphanage, which did not seem to be true, giving the following description of them: slim complexion, about 180 cm in height, short brown straight hair. He did not have a beard, moustache, earrings or piercings, but was wearing large brown framed glasses. The second individual, who did not speak, was male, Caucasian, aged 40, a bit younger than the first, slim build, she cannot specify his height, short blond hair with dark streaks, straight and brushed forwards.Meanwhile, the PJ received a communication that on 4th May a Renault vehicle with number plate AQ-23-81 entered the Repsol service station in Vale Paraiso – Albufeira, driven by a Caucasian individual, medium build, aged about 50/60. This individual was closely accompanied by a small girl, light complexion, blond, aged about 3 or 4 years, but after consulting various data bases it was established that there was nothing relevant to report.
4611
Derek Flack appeared before the PJ, an English citizen on holiday in Praia da Luz, staying close to the resort, to report that on the 2nd or 3rd May he noticed an individual (abut 1.70 in height, aged 25/35, dark, appearing to be Portuguese, with stubble, dark short hair and wearing a yellow T-shirt) who was standing at the corner of the path looking towards the apartment from which Madeleine disappeared. He added that close to the place where the individual was standing, on the other side ofthe street, there was a white parked van in which was a person who was later identified as having arrived in Portugal almost five years ago and who lived near Praia da Luz. Since the beginning of April 2007 he had taken up residence within his van. When confronted with the fact that his presence had been noted frequently near to the Ocean Club resort, he admitted that since the disappearance of Madeleine he had gone there regularly to ask British journalists for news about thegirl’s whereabouts. He added that the reason for his preoccupation stemmed from her being a British girl and being of a “very tender age”. Recent investigation of his lifestyle shows that he had nothing to do with the disappearance.4612
Nuno Manuel Lourenco de Jesus was questioned, he stated that at Praia da Mareta in Sagres, whilst his children played in the sand about 40/50 m away, he noticed the presence of a man equipped with a small camera, taking pictures of his children in a veiled and hidden manner. He saw that the man took more photos of two boys, the sons of a couple who were beside him. He describes the “photographer” as being male, Caucasian, with a Latin look, dark brown hair covering his neck and with a pony tail on top. Aged between 35/40, medium build, about 170 – 175 cm in height. As regards the woman, he can only say that she had short hair, the man was dressed in immaculate white, the woman was shorter than the man. It was not possible to visualise the photographs. It was established that the vehicle he drove was hired on 28-04-2007 in Faro, at the airport by a Polish citizen, who was identified. It was later established that this couple did not have anything to do withthe disappearance of Madeleine.Lance Richard Purser was interviewed, he lives in the Praia da Luz area and recalls having seen, two weeks earlier, an individual aged about 35/40, slim, about 1.70, who would normally wear dark clothes, denim shirt and jeans, dark hair, straight and messy which reached his neck, however it was not long hair. He had a rustic appearance, dark skin, as if aged by the sun, and dark eyes. He says that he saw this individual more then once along the road leading to Praia da Luz, as well as close to a pharmacy in Rua Helena do Nascimento Baptista in Praia da Luz. Each time he saw him the man was alone, he did not notice any vehicles or companions. A photo fit was drawn up based upon this description.Informal questioning was made of an individual suspected of child abuse and of a guest at the Marsol Hotel, nothing of interest was found.4613
Inquiries were made to locate and determine the current whereabouts and life style of individuals known to the PJ for the practice of sexual crimes, involving children or adolescents, no link to the disappearance was found.A British man with strange behaviour and raised suspicions of possibly practising acts of paedophilia and exhibitionism aged between 40 and 50 was reported. This individual would walk around with a long lens camera and appeared to have a special fixation for children. Nothing of relevance was found during the inquiries made.A bag containing a stone was collected from a cliff in Ponta da Piedade, which was probably left by a fisherman, but not of interest to the investigation.It was known that on the night of the events being investigated, between 20.15 and 20.30, in the area of the Largo do Chafariz video club a white male, tall, with a beard, aged about 30, of stocky build, whom had never been seen in Praia da Luz previously, was spotted walking around. This was found to be a German citizen who said that at the time of the events he was at home alone, he works in civil construction and had nothing to do with the facts being investigated. When his house was visited, nothing was found of interest to the case.4614
Following an anonymous phone call stating that the girl was in the house of a Dutch couple in Monte Judeu, inquiries were made at the site, the house having been located and the couple approached, who voluntarily identified themselves. Informally, the couple said that on the night of the events they had been at home, in the company of their daughters aged 14 and 16, who go to local schools. They have lived in Portugal for several years and nothing was found during the visit to their home.Fls 524 to 531 contain various information communicated to the PJ about sightings of Madeleine in different sites, which were revealed not to be true.They also contain sightings in S. Pedro da Cova, Gondomar, Senhor da Pedra in Miramar, Vila Nova de Gaia on 07-05-2007, which were found not to be true.Tasmin Milburn Silence was questioned, who began by saying that she lived in the apartment where the girl was staying when she disappeared, she said that on 30th April at about 08.00 when she was walking to the bus stop, a trip she makes on each school day, she noticed the presence of a male individual, behind Madeleine’s apartment, standing on a path leading to the apartments and apparently looking at the balcony. This happened when she was walking down the road, on the left, the man was standing in front of the balcony, the distance that separated them being the width of the road. At this moment she saw the individual more closely, as she crossed, losing sight of him afterwards. She saw him again on 2nd May. She began to walk up the road on the left hand side, seeing the individual at that moment, standing in front of the Ocean Club reception, this time looking more clearly at Madeleine’s apartment, she believes, at the two side windows of the house and part of the balcony. She directly observed the individual, from a distance corresponding to the width of the road. She describes him as: Caucasian, clear complexion, about 1.80 tall, slim build, aged 30/35, with short fair, shaven hair about 1 cm long. He had a big forehead. Nose of a normal size, sharp and pointed. Big hears but flat against his head. A moth with fine lips, a prominent chin in what she noted to be a sharp face.4615
She said that she would be able to recognise this individual in person and from photographs and make a photofit. When shown photographs of individuals with coinciding physical and criminological features to the details she had described, the result was negative.Inquiries were made that led to the identification of an English individual, with a criminal background, namely in crimes of a sexual nature, and who was the target of various inquiries without incriminatory results. Inquiries of the same kind were made with regard to other individuals, without yielding any results of interest to the investigation, as can be found in Apenso VI.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.
4616
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.
Gerald McCann was seen on 07-05-2007 at 14.26 in the centre of Lagos speaking on his mobile phone, asking that no harm should come to Maddie, when it is certain that on the 7th he activated antennas in Praia da Luz and at 14.16 he activated antennas in the centre of Praia da Luz.Based upon the report containing information, statements and photofits of a possible suspect who could be involved in the disappearance of the girl, which the British police delivered to the PJ on the basis of Gail Cooper’s description, the PJ contacted Joaquim José J. M. (Quim Zé) with the aim of locating his whereabouts, concluding that there were no physical similarities with his face nor hair.Based upon the same report, the PJ was informed that an individual named Augusto looked similar to the photofit, which was dismissed by an acquaintance of his who saw the photofit.
A.K.B. who had been reported to the police, was located and it was found that, in spite of there being some similarities, he was not the same individual as the one referred to in the photofit, as wellas taking into account that an analysis of his mobile revealed that he had not activated any antenna in Praia da Luz.A search was made of the home of M.R.A., who was suspected of crimes of a sexual nature in an ongoing investigation, but nothing relating to the disappearance of Madeleine was found. It was established that the disappearance of Madeleine was not connected in any way with the death of the small Spanish girl Mari Luz Cortés, the only common denominators being the relative geographical proximity and that they were female children of approximately the same age.
Based upon the statement made by the witness Michael Wright in the Letters of Request about the fact that “a George” had seen a couple carrying a child on 04-05-2007, it was established that the situation had already been clarified in May 2007.
Information was also clarified regarding an unknown individual with suspicious behaviour during the days preceding the disappearance, next to a phone booth close to the Golfinho restaurant, no relation being found between the numbers contained in the listings of calls made from that public phone and Madeleine’s disappearance.
Equally, it should be emphasised that the arrival of an enormous quantity of news of a fantasising nature and lacking any credibility which obliged the investigation to carry out constant and considerable efforts for their clarification, which assumed even more importance as it was known that time was pressing in the fundamental concern of finding the missing girl.
The result of these inquiries is contained in the files and annexes, thousands of man hours having been spent in drawing them up. The PJ also proceeded to question the parents of the missing girl and the group of friends (fls 34 and following) already referred to on fls 5 of this dispatch:
1.Gerald Patrick McCann – apartment 5 A2.Kate Marie Healy – apartment 5 A3.David Anthony Payne – apartment 5 H4.Fiona Elaine Payne – apartment 5 H5.Dianne Webster – apartment 5 H6.Russel James O’Brien – apartment 5 D7.Jane Michelle Tanner – apartment 5In summary, of the witness accounts gathered, it is important to highlight the statements made by Gerald, Jane Tanner and David Oldfield.
On 3rd May, the daily routine went as usual, the McCanns having headed for the apartment at 17.30/18.00, accompanied by their children. After this period and until 19.00 they bathed the children, fed them again with light foods, played with them a bit and put them to bed, the parents stating that at about 19.30 the three children were asleep. Gerald remained at the tennis courts until 19.00.
Afterwards the parents had some drinks, got ready for dinner, leaving at about 20.30 in the direction of the Tapas restaurant (a walk of just over one minute). Upon leaving, as usual, they left by the balcony door, which, not locked from the outside, remained pushed to, as this was the shortest routeto the restaurant and consequent return, whether to check on the children or whether for their final return.
The checking of the children by that route, was a daily practice, made, allegedly, in intervals of half an hour, which, as shown by the files and which will be taken up further on, was in truth extended to periods superior to one hour.
The McCann couple were the first to arrive at the restaurant, having entered into conversation with a couple who were not part of their group, but also British, their surname was Carpenter. As time passed, the others arrived.
At about 21.00 Matthew and Russel went to check on the children, having first listened at the window, from the outside, of Madeleine’s bedroom, located at the facade of the apartment block, on the ground floor. Upon his return, Matthew did not report anything unusual. Russel stayed in his apartment as his daughter was ill.
At 21.05, given that Matthew had not entered to check on the children, Gerald McCann went to the apartment. He left through the secondary reception, walked up the road for about twenty to thirty metres and entered via the metal gate, next to the apartment, leading to the garden/patio. He entered the apartment via the sliding doors, which, as mentioned previously, were not locked. He crossed the living room and went to the children’s bedroom, noticing that the bedroom door was wider open than usual, as ha had left it more pushed to. He presumed that Madeleine had got up due to some physiological need. He entered the bedroom and checked that all three children were sleeping calmly. He went to the WC and left via the same route.
Upon coming out of the gate, he met Jeremy Wilkins, an acquaintance of his from tennis sessions, also British, who was taking his son for a walk in his push chair and who was also on holiday at the Ocean Club. He spoke to him for a few moments, before returning to the Tapas at about 21.15.
At 21.10, given her husband’s absence, Jane Tanner went to check on the state of her daughter. She left by the reception and walked up the road that passes the entrance to the apartment block. She was not seen by Gerald McCann, nor by Jeremy Wilkins, although she did see them. Gerald had his back to her, however Wilkins was facing the place where Tanner passed.
At the precise moment when she passed the two of them, she noticed, at the top of the road, an individual walking, with a prostrate child across his arms, the child was barefoot and wearing pyjamas, walking in the opposite sense to the entrance to the apartments. She thought it was a father with his child.She only told of this situation after the disappearance had been discovered and she had associated the two, saying that it was Madeleine, as she was wearing identical pyjamas. A photofit was made, without including facial features, a description of the individual and his clothes was given to the media, in case anyone could clarify who the individual was (fls 1592) – no response was obtained.
At about 21.35, half an hour later, Kate wanted to go and check on the children, Matthew volunteered to undertake this act, as he was also going to his apartment, with the same purpose. He took the usual route and entered the McCann’s via the sliding doors, which were open/pushed to.
When he was in the middle of the living room, where there was some light, he saw the twins in their respective cots, as the door was open, however, he did not enter the children’s bedroom and therefore could not see if Madeleine was asleep in her bed.
Upon his return, he said that all was well. When questioned, he said that he thought that the children’s bedroom was lighter than could be expected if the windows were closed and lights turned off. He could not clarify the state of the window nor why there was light.
Half an hour later (22.00), according to their reports, Kate Healy went to the apartment to check on the children. She entered via the sliding doors, which she closed upon entering, and saw that the children’s bedroom door was slightly wider open than they had left it when they went to dinner.
Upon closing the bedroom door, she felt a current of air, which led her to inspect the bedroom more carefully, and she noticed that her daughter Madeleine, had disappeared. The bedroom window was wide open, the shutters were raised and the curtains were drawn open. The bed was practically untouched, her daughter’s soft toy at the head.
In a state of alert and panic, she searched the whole apartment, not managing to find the girl, which led her to go, already quite upset, to the Tapas restaurant, saying that her daughter had been taken, a clear allusion to an abduction, justified by the fact that the window was open. During this interval, the twins remained alone in the bedroom, asleep. They did not wake during the night, in spite of the number of people present and inevitable associated noise.
The PJ specialist team, which went to the site to collect evidence, excluded the existence of any product that could have been administered to the missing girl in order to maintain her in a state of unconsciousness nor the presence of blood traces.
Having been informed of the disappearance, the whole of the group went to the McCann’s apartment, accompanied by Ocean Club employees, who once again searched the apartment and adjacent area, without any results.
