Première audition - 04.05.2007 - 19h20
Being a British citizen and not understanding the Portuguese language, in spoken or written form, the undersigned was accompanied by a sworn translator: Filipa M.C.S. The interview begins at 7.20pm on May 4th 2007.
Since last Saturday, April 28th 2007, she has been on holiday in Portugal at the Ocean Club tourist complex in Praia da Luz, accompanied by her husband Matthew Oldfield. They travelled from London to Faro airport with their daughter ******, aged 19 months. This trip was organised for a group of nine adults and eight children. Her husband and her daughter are part of the group:
The couple, Russell O'Brien and Jane Michelle Tanner, with their daughters, **** aged three and a half and **** aged 19 months.
David and Fiona Payne with their daughters *** aged three years and ***** aged 12 months.
Gerald (Gerry) McCann and Kate MCann with their twins, Sean and Amelie, aged 26 months and Madeleine aged 4 years.
Since last Saturday, April 28th 2007, she has been on holiday in Portugal at the Ocean Club tourist complex in Praia da Luz, accompanied by her husband Matthew Oldfield. They travelled from London to Faro airport with their daughter ******, aged 19 months. This trip was organised for a group of nine adults and eight children. Her husband and her daughter are part of the group:
The couple, Russell O'Brien and Jane Michelle Tanner, with their daughters, **** aged three and a half and **** aged 19 months.
David and Fiona Payne with their daughters *** aged three years and ***** aged 12 months.
Gerald (Gerry) McCann and Kate MCann with their twins, Sean and Amelie, aged 26 months and Madeleine aged 4 years.
Also in their group is Diane Webster, Fiona Payne's mother.
The holiday was organised because the men in the group are all doctors, in addition to [as are] Fiona Payne and Kate McCann who worked together for a long time. These shared holidays are usually organised for the whole group, although for the last holiday, last September, Gerry McCann and Kate McCann did not go to Greece with the group.
The interviewee has known the couple, Gerry and Kate, since 2003. Her husband, Matthew, knew them from before. On arrival at the airport, they were transported in a, "Mark Warner," company bus. There were other people on the bus apart from the group. They were put up at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz.
The couples had their own, individual apartments, at the same complex, with their respective children. Since their arrival until yesterday evening, when Madeleine disappeared, the days have all been the same.
After breakfast, taken between 8 and 9 am in the Millennium restaurant, she takes her daughter to the Kids Club, about 10 minutes walk from the apartment. The other couples do exactly the same thing, with the exception of Gerry and Kate McCann who have breakfast in their apartment. The interviewee's daughter goes to a room at the Kids Club which is close to the, "TAPAS," restaurant. Madeleine goes to another room, situated near the club's reception, because she is older.
After dropping her daughter off, the interviewee had a tennis lesson between 11 and 12 o'clock. Then she went back to the Kids Club to pick up her daughter, ******, for lunch, between 12h15/12h30. She made ******'s lunch and then they went to Russell O'Brien or David Payne's apartment, where they all ate together. Only Gerry and Kate McCann had lunch in their apartment with the twins and Madeleine. The interviewee has the impression that the McCann family had one lunch together on the beach.
All members of the group did their shopping at the only supermarket near the complex, the "Batista." she not being concerned however about it. There are several till-points, more or less five. Twice she went to shop having always been attended at the till by ladies. She never saw any suspicious attention, or ever had suspicions about anybody she came across, either in their independent activities or in the group with their children.
Her relationship with the couple, Gerry and Kate, is one of good friendship and they meet up occasionally at celebrations, weddings and birthdays.
Concerning Madeleine, she is a happy child, good natured and full of energy. She considers it impossible that a stranger could take her without her shouting or crying. She is a smart child who knows right from wrong.
They had the habit of going to eat every evening at the,"TAPAS," restaurant which is about 50 metres from the apartments as the crow flies but 65 or 70 metres round the building to the back entrance. Yesterday, at around 8.45pm, like every evening, they joined the rest of the group to eat at the," tapas," restaurant. Her husband Matthew, went to look for David Payne and Fiona Payne. At around 9pm, the couple arrived followed by Matthew two or three minutes later.
He had been to check the children's bedrooms, his own apartment where his daughter was sleeping but also that of the twins and Madeleine. He listened at both closed shutters and didn't hear any noise. He also checked to see if there was any noise in Russell O'Brien and Jane Tanner's apartment. He said that he hadn't heard any noise.
After placing their orders, at around 9.15pm, Gerry McCann went to check, only his apartment. He was held up for nearly 10 minutes because, he said, he had been chatting with Jes about tennis. Today there was a tournament which they both had to compete in. During Gerry's absence, the waiters started to bring the food. Before Gerry arrived Jane Michelle Tanner also left [absented herself] having gone to see her apartment. A little later Jane arrived.
Between the starters and the main course
pas logique puisqu'ils apportent alors que GMC n'est pas là,
at around 9.30pm, her husband Matthew Oldfield and Russell O'Brien both went to check on the children. Kate was also planning to go and see the children, but they (elle essaie de diluer la responsabilité de Matt, ce "they" n'existe que dans cette déposition) told her it was no trouble, that they would go and check. Kate, therefore, stayed at the restaurant. Four or five minutes later the interviewee's husband came back after having checked his apartment. He also checked the one where Madeleine was. He entered the apartment by the sliding door/window at the rear (the couple Gerry and Kate McCann left that access unlocked during dinner). The said patio door gives access to the apartment's lounge where two doors open into the respective bedrooms.
Her husband went into the main room and "peeped" into one of the bedrooms where the couple's three children were sleeping. He didn't switch any lights on. He could see the twins in their beds. The bedroom door was half-open. It was only later that he realised this was strange.
Pourquoi ? Selon le rog, parce qu'eux, ils fermaient la porte de la chambre !!!
At the time, he gave no importance to the fact.
Encore un qui trouve un truc bizarre auquel il n'attache pas d'importance.
The interviewee's husband came back to the restaurant and said that everything was fine, that he hadn't heard any noise. He also said that Russell O'Brien was staying with his daughter, ****, who was crying.
They had the main course and Jane went off to replace Russell so that he could come and eat. The interviewee does not know exactly when Russell arrived.
At around 10pm, Kate McCann went on her own to check her children. She came back to the restaurant in tears and told us that Madeleine had disappeared. We all got up then and went with her to see. They were all outside some having gone to the apartment to check if in fact Madeleine had disappeared, it having been confirmed. The twins carried on sleeping. They didn't move.
Mais Rachael n'est pas entrée, just hearsay.
The interviewee has nothing else to add. After reading with the interpreter, who explains to her, she goes on and signs.
The interviewee remembers Kate having said that one of the windows facing to the front of the apartment was found open with the shutter raised. The couple had never opened the shutters during their stay.
Kate n'a pas pu dire "une des fenêtres" puisqu'il n'y en avait qu'une. Rachael répète probablement l'on-dit de son mari.
Ligne de temps
The interviewee has known the couple, Gerry and Kate, since 2003. Her husband, Matthew, knew them from before. On arrival at the airport, they were transported in a, "Mark Warner," company bus. There were other people on the bus apart from the group. They were put up at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz.
The couples had their own, individual apartments, at the same complex, with their respective children. Since their arrival until yesterday evening, when Madeleine disappeared, the days have all been the same.
After breakfast, taken between 8 and 9 am in the Millennium restaurant, she takes her daughter to the Kids Club, about 10 minutes walk from the apartment. The other couples do exactly the same thing, with the exception of Gerry and Kate McCann who have breakfast in their apartment. The interviewee's daughter goes to a room at the Kids Club which is close to the, "TAPAS," restaurant. Madeleine goes to another room, situated near the club's reception, because she is older.
After dropping her daughter off, the interviewee had a tennis lesson between 11 and 12 o'clock. Then she went back to the Kids Club to pick up her daughter, ******, for lunch, between 12h15/12h30. She made ******'s lunch and then they went to Russell O'Brien or David Payne's apartment, where they all ate together. Only Gerry and Kate McCann had lunch in their apartment with the twins and Madeleine. The interviewee has the impression that the McCann family had one lunch together on the beach.
All members of the group did their shopping at the only supermarket near the complex, the "Batista." she not being concerned however about it. There are several till-points, more or less five. Twice she went to shop having always been attended at the till by ladies. She never saw any suspicious attention, or ever had suspicions about anybody she came across, either in their independent activities or in the group with their children.
Her relationship with the couple, Gerry and Kate, is one of good friendship and they meet up occasionally at celebrations, weddings and birthdays.
Concerning Madeleine, she is a happy child, good natured and full of energy. She considers it impossible that a stranger could take her without her shouting or crying. She is a smart child who knows right from wrong.
They had the habit of going to eat every evening at the,"TAPAS," restaurant which is about 50 metres from the apartments as the crow flies but 65 or 70 metres round the building to the back entrance. Yesterday, at around 8.45pm, like every evening, they joined the rest of the group to eat at the," tapas," restaurant. Her husband Matthew, went to look for David Payne and Fiona Payne. At around 9pm, the couple arrived followed by Matthew two or three minutes later.
He had been to check the children's bedrooms, his own apartment where his daughter was sleeping but also that of the twins and Madeleine. He listened at both closed shutters and didn't hear any noise. He also checked to see if there was any noise in Russell O'Brien and Jane Tanner's apartment. He said that he hadn't heard any noise.
After placing their orders, at around 9.15pm, Gerry McCann went to check, only his apartment. He was held up for nearly 10 minutes because, he said, he had been chatting with Jes about tennis. Today there was a tournament which they both had to compete in. During Gerry's absence, the waiters started to bring the food. Before Gerry arrived Jane Michelle Tanner also left [absented herself] having gone to see her apartment. A little later Jane arrived.
Between the starters and the main course
pas logique puisqu'ils apportent alors que GMC n'est pas là,
at around 9.30pm, her husband Matthew Oldfield and Russell O'Brien both went to check on the children. Kate was also planning to go and see the children, but they (elle essaie de diluer la responsabilité de Matt, ce "they" n'existe que dans cette déposition) told her it was no trouble, that they would go and check. Kate, therefore, stayed at the restaurant. Four or five minutes later the interviewee's husband came back after having checked his apartment. He also checked the one where Madeleine was. He entered the apartment by the sliding door/window at the rear (the couple Gerry and Kate McCann left that access unlocked during dinner). The said patio door gives access to the apartment's lounge where two doors open into the respective bedrooms.
Her husband went into the main room and "peeped" into one of the bedrooms where the couple's three children were sleeping. He didn't switch any lights on. He could see the twins in their beds. The bedroom door was half-open. It was only later that he realised this was strange.
Pourquoi ? Selon le rog, parce qu'eux, ils fermaient la porte de la chambre !!!
At the time, he gave no importance to the fact.
Encore un qui trouve un truc bizarre auquel il n'attache pas d'importance.
The interviewee's husband came back to the restaurant and said that everything was fine, that he hadn't heard any noise. He also said that Russell O'Brien was staying with his daughter, ****, who was crying.
They had the main course and Jane went off to replace Russell so that he could come and eat. The interviewee does not know exactly when Russell arrived.
At around 10pm, Kate McCann went on her own to check her children. She came back to the restaurant in tears and told us that Madeleine had disappeared. We all got up then and went with her to see. They were all outside some having gone to the apartment to check if in fact Madeleine had disappeared, it having been confirmed. The twins carried on sleeping. They didn't move.
Mais Rachael n'est pas entrée, just hearsay.
The interviewee has nothing else to add. After reading with the interpreter, who explains to her, she goes on and signs.
The interviewee remembers Kate having said that one of the windows facing to the front of the apartment was found open with the shutter raised. The couple had never opened the shutters during their stay.
Kate n'a pas pu dire "une des fenêtres" puisqu'il n'y en avait qu'une. Rachael répète probablement l'on-dit de son mari.
----
She confirmed the truth of the statements made to the Police
Department on 04/05/2007 and is ready to provide any additional
clarifications.
-----
She stayed in apartment "5B", which is located immediately
next to the apartment of the MC family. That on 03/05/2007, Thursday,
she rose between 06h30 and 07:00, along with her husband Matthew and
their daughter G* of 19 months.
-----
At 07h50, they went to the restaurant "Millennium", on
foot, arriving by 08.00 to have breakfast. She stated that they had
been the first of the group to arrive, and, later, came David and
Fiona, and two children, then Russell with his children. Jane did not
come because that morning she did not feel well. They took the usual
route, alone, having left the apartment by the main door, which was
locked, turned right, just after that a left, reaching the main road
that led to the said restaurant. They took breakfast together at the
same table, including the children.
-----
When the breakfast was over, by 09h00, the deponent took her daughter
to "nursery" next to the "tapas", while her
husband Matthew was with Russell to take his daughter E* to "nursery"
at the main reception. The witness says she returned to her
apartment, did some cleaning and changed clothes as she had scheduled
a tennis lesson for llh00. At 09h45 she left the apartment and went
to the swimming pool area where she read a book and talked with Kate
until 11h10, the time at which she went to the tennis courts since
the lesson was delayed slightly. At that time her husband Matthew
arrived also to play tennis until about 12.10 pm.
-----
After class, they collected [took up] their daughter and went to the
apartment of David WP and Fiona, where thay had lunch all together.
At 13h45, the three returned to their apartment, where they put down
her daughter who slept for about two hours. The deponent went to play
tennis with Jane until 15.00, while her husband Matthew went to the
balcony of Russell to talk, or vice versa, she doesn't know exactly,
their apartment being located to the side of his and there is only
one other apartment between the two.
-----
After the game of tennis, the witness returned home to rest, her
husband and Russell having gone to the beach of Luz to sail. At about
15:45, her daughter having woken up, she took her to the beach of Luz
in the company of Diane, Jane, Fiona and their respective children,
where they found Matthew, Russell and David. At 17h30 the children
dined in one of restaurants by the beach, [she] not having detected
any abnormal or strange situation.
-----
By 18:30, the women and children returned from the beach in the
direction of the "OC" with a view to seeing their husbands
play tennis, who had returned from the beach about five minutes
before.Elle n'a pas de notion bien juste du temps. Prior to going to
the apartment she was with the children in the playground area, next
to the "tapas", until about 19.00.
-----
Then she went to the apartment where she gave her daughter a bath,
Matthew returning at 19.15. The washed and dressed and put their
daughter to bed by 19:45. The deponent and her husband took a bath,
dressed and went to the restaurant "TAPAS" around 20h40.
They left by the main door, which they locked, arriving at the
"TAPAS" about two minutes later. She emphasized that the
back door was closed and properly locked.
-----
When she arrived at the restaurant there was Kate, Gerald and Jane
who were talking to another couple who were not part of the group.
Russell had not yet arrived because he was singing the daughter to
sleep, according to what she was told by Jane.
-----
The deponent states that she sat more or less facing the back of the
apartment and Matthew, on the side of the table, you her left. She
does not know if, from that position, he could the the back door of
the apartment where Madeleine was, it being that, in her case, she
could only see the top end/edge.
-----
Then Russell arrived and after another 10 minutes, when it would be
around 20h55, the WP family - David, Fiona and Diane - arrived. About
a minute before the WP arrived, her husband Matthew got up from the
table and said he was going to go, taking the opportunity [of the
WP's tardiness?] "to listen" to the children. She states
that, according to what they [the Paynes] told her, Matthew passed
them on his way out. Rachael a l'air de déposer seulement pour
boucher les trous !!! After about 4 minutes, Matthew returned to the
table when they ordered the food, and said he had "listened"
to his daughter and to the Russell and MC children, outside the front
by putting his head [ear] against the shutters of the windows of
their respective bedrooms and that everything was calm with the
children. Both ate fish and salad, the deponent drank white wine and
Matthew [drank] red wine, she thought that, at the time, one glass
each.
-----
By 21.05, Gerald went to see his children, and about 10 minutes later
Jane left before GMC had returned. A few minutes after Jane left
Gerald arrived and said he had been talking to "Jez" about
tennis, [she] not recalling if he said anything about the children.
During this time she affirmed that no one else left the table. Two or
three minutes after the arrival of Gerald, Jane arrived, [she] again
not recalling whether [Jane] made any comment about her children.
-----
At 21h20 they began to dine, and, at 21.30, her husband Matthew said
that he would go to see to his daughter, G*. Juste au milieu de son
plat principal ! The witness offered to go in his place, but he did
not accept. Rachael n'y allait jamais, elle avait trop peur des
ombres des faux poivriers ! Elle est la seule à déclarer qu'elle a
offert d'y aller. Russell also stood up mais lui n'avait pas son
assiette ! saying that he would also go to see his children. Jane
vient de revenir !!! When they were both standing, Kate said the
same, namely, that she would also go to see her children. En résumé,
juste au moment où ils attaquent leur plat principal, 4 TP ont
l'irrésistible besoin d'aller voir les mômes !! At that point,
presumably, she cannot be sure, if her husband Matthew or Russell
volunteered to go to see Kate's children, and she told them that they
would have to enter by the back door, which was unlocked. Elle est la
seule à dire que Kate a dit. Quid de la clef ? Pourquoi auraient-ils
DU entrer par derrière ? Russell and Matthew left at the same time.
About five minutes later, Matthew returned saying that the children
were all well, and that Russell had stayed in the bedroom as one of
his daughters was crying.
-----
By 21h40/21h45, when they were at dinner, Jane said that she was
going to replace Russell so that he could eat, since she had already
eaten. About five minutes later Russell returned to the table saying
that his daughter Evie was sick and had vomited, [he] starting to
dine afterwards.
-----
About 21h55/22h00 Kate got up from the table and went alone to her
apartment in order to see her children. Five to ten minutes later,
she returned to the table, crying, visibly shaken, saying that Madeleine
had disappeared. Immediately, all of the group, except Diane, stood
up heading for the apartments, and the witness went to see if her
daughter was well. Soon after, the men of the group started to do a
search around the apartments in an attempt to find the child, at
which time Kate said that the window blinds of Madeleine's bedroom
were open and, as such, she had been taken by someone.
-----
The deponent states that she did not enter the bedroom of Madeleine,
thinking that Matthew her husband also had not done. Then, they
extended the search to more distant areas, and her husband headed to
the main reception to see if he could find Madeleine there, since her
"nursery" was there, that also being the place he contacted
the local police authorities. he didn't !!!
-----
They continued the search with the help of more people, which
resulted in nothing. Further that, about 10 minutes after Kate raised
the alarm about the disappearance, the deponent was with Jane in the
apartment of the latter. While talking, the Jane told her that when
she came to see their children and passed Gerald talking to "Jez",
she saw a man with a child, supported in the arms, which would not be
a baby and could have been more or less the age of Madeleine. Also
she said that when she saw the man, it seemed strange because he was
walking very fast and had a child wearing pyjamas, without any other
piece of clothing. That she questioned her [about it], Jane said to
the deponent that at the time she had said nothing because she knew
nothing of the disappearance of Madeleine and she had not seen the
face of the child. Asked, says that, initially Jane focused more on
the description of the man and, only a few days later, did she make
reference to the clothes that the child would have worn, which would
be pyjamas, not recalling if [when] she made a comprehensive
description of clothing, especially at the color or design.
-----
Questioned, she said that on Thursday, 03/05/2007, there was no body
sitting at the table, strange to the group, and she does not know
anyone with the name "Irwin."
-----
She added that it was David WP who organized this trip, and the
apartment where she was already intended at the time she made the
check in, there not having been any choice.
-----
She does not have any suspicion in relation to the facts under
investigation, stressing that in the holiday period preceding the day
of the disappearance she did not find anything abnormal or strange.
-----
Concerning the monitoring of the children every half hour, it was
inspired by the system that "Mark Warner" has and that it
is known as "baby listening" and she had used this service
in 2006 when they stayed at a holiday resort in Greece.
-----
Questioned, said that no part of the group rented, or was carried in
a vehicle, so movement was always made on foot, they only travelled
by bus on the day of arrival, on the route between the Faro airport
and the "OC."
-----
She got to know the family MC at the marriage of David and Fiona, in
Italy in 2003, at which time Madeleine was already 4 months old. She
does not know of any enemies.
-----
She has no knowledge, in addition to their group, of other friends of
the family of Madeleine, who may have been in Portugal during the
period in which occurred the facts.
-----
That, in the the photographs she took during this holiday, there are
recorded only the various members of the group. Questioned, she
states that during the holiday period she went to lunch at the
apartment of David and Fiona, and that Madeleine entered the
apartment of the deponent at some time.
-----
Questioned, she said that on the day they arrived, her husband
Matthew felt sick with diarrhea and vomiting, a situation that lasted
until Sunday morning. Furthermore, on Wednesday, in the early
morning, she also felt sick with the same symptoms.
Le
matin du 3 mai, les MO furent les premiers à arriver au restaurant
Millennium où les TP7 et leurs enfants prenaient tous les jours leur
petit-déjeuner. Il était 8h et ils étaient debout depuis plus
d'une heure. Cette marche de 10 minutes faisait que les MC
petit-déjeunaient chez eux. Les WP arrivèrent un peu plus tard,
puis Russell avec ses filles mais sans Jane qui ne se sentait pas bien.
Tous, enfants inclus, prirent leur petit-déjeuner assis à la même
table. Une heure plus tard Rachael mena sa fille à la nursery de l'enceinte "Tapas", tandis que Matthew et Russell conduisaient la fille
aînée de ce dernier au kids club de la réception principale. En
attendant la leçon de tennis partagée avec Matthew, à 11h, Rachael s'assit
près de la piscine avec un livre. Kate MC arriva et elles bavardèrent.
Après la leçon les MO allèrent chercher leur fille et s'en furent
déjeuner chez les TB, une rupture dans la routine qui était de déjeuner les WP. Les WP ne déjeunèrent pas chez les TB. Puis les MO revinrent chez eux un peu avant 14h
mettre leur fille au lit pour une sieste. Rachael et Jane jouèrent ensemble
au tennis jusqu'à 15h tandis que Matthew et Russell bavardaient sur une
loggia (la leur, la sienne ?). Après le tennis, RO rentra chez
elle se reposer tandis que Matthew, Russell et David partaient à la plage pour
faire de la voile. Un peu avant 16h sa fille se réveilla et Rachael
partit à la plage avec Diane W, Jane, Fiona et les enfants. À 17h30 les
enfants eurent leur goûter dans un des restaurants de la plage. À
18h30 femmes et enfants étaient partis de la plage vers l'OC dans
l'intention de voir jouer leurs maris, partis un quart d'heure avant
elles. Vers 19h Rachael rentra chez elle et donna un bain à sa
fille, Matthew revint un quart d'heure plus tard. Ils mirent leur
fille au lit un peu avant 20h, prirent un bain et vers 20h40 s'en
furent vers le Tapas Bar. Les MC, déjà là, bavardaient avec un
couple qui ne faisait pas partie du groupe. Jane TB qui arriva ensuite
raconta que Russell chantait pour endormir sa fille. Rachael prit place à
table, elle avait l'arrière de l'immeuble en face d'elle. Matthew était sur le
côté, à sa gauche. Rachael ne voyait que le haut de la porte-fenêtre
de son appartement. Vers 20h45 Russell se joignit au groupe, il ne
manquait que les WP et DW, toujours en retard partout. Les WP
arrivèrent à 20h55. Une minute plus tôt Matthew était sorti de table,
il allait les houspiller.
Rachael MO est la seule à avoir été entendue trois fois par la PJ.
She confirms the
integrity of her previous statements.
When asked, she said this
was the first time she had been in Portugal. She travelled with her
husband Matthew, her daughter G***e, aged 19 months. In addition to
these, the group was made up of the McCann family (with three
children the eldest being Madeleine) the Payne family (two children),
Dianne Webster, Fiona Paynes mother and Russell and his partner Jane
Tanner, who also have two children.
The group was composed of
nine adults and eight children.
They arrived in Portugal
on Saturday 28th April, arriving at the OC in the middle of the
afternoon. They flew from Gatwick to Faro. The Payne, McCann families
and Diane Webster arrived an hour later by a separate flight (East
Midlands ? Faro).
On that evening they all
went for dinner at the Millennium restaurant.
On the morning of the
29th, Sunday, they all went to play tennis except for Matthew because
he was ill (vomiting and diarrhoea) and ROB. The children went to the
Club. They all lunched in David and Fionas' apartment. The McCanns
lunched in their apartment and then went to meet the others. In the
afternoon the children slept (except the McCann children) and
afterwards they went to the recreation area. At 17.00 the children
went for dinner. Immediately afterwards, the witness, her husband and
daughter went to walk on the beach. She thinks that the McCanns
remained at the recreation area near to the pool and tennis courts,
as did the others. At about 20.30 when the children has been bathed
and were asleep, they all went for dinner at the Tapas Restaurant,
near to the pool.
The only beach they
members of the group went to was the beach in P da L.
On the 29th, 30th, April,
1st, 2nd and 3rd May they always dined at the Tapas restaurant.
On Monday they were told
that there was no room for all of them in the restaurant, but they
obtained a special favour from a waiter and all dined together. In
order to obtain this favour they said that the children were asleep
and that they could not move anywhere else. For this reason, from
this day onwards they would reserve a space in the restaurant (for
the adults) for the following day.
That on the five
consecutive nights they dines at the Tapas restaurant they always
followed the same routine.
They would always begin
dinner at 8.30, after the children were asleep. If one of them hadn't
fallen asleep, one member of the couple would stay until the child
had fallen asleep and as soon as that happened, would go and join the
others.
This happened to ROB on
Tuesday evening and he did not manage to have dinner, his partner
Jane Tanner brought him his dinner in his room.
On Wednesday evening the
witness did not go for dinner because she was feeling ill and spent
the day in the apartment.
On Thursday evening, for
the same reason, Russell went to dinner ten minutes late.
The ritual during dinner
was always the same. The Payne family used a walkie talkie to check
whether their children woke up. For this reason they never left the
table and were calm. This couple when they left, would always lock
the windows and doors, in spite of their apartment being on the first
floor.
The witness and her
husband who were staying on the ground floor (5B) in a space of 20 -
30 minutes would leave the restaurant and go to the apartment,
entering by the front door and checking on G***e. They always locked
the door and closed the windows.
The TB couple did
exactly the same as the witness. They locked the door and closed the
windows.
The McCanns who were
staying in 5A on the ground floor left the patio doors closed but not
locked so that every 30 minutes during dinner, one of them would
check to see how the children were.
Each couple checked on
their own children.
She never noticed
anything strange during dinner or when checking on the children.
On 3rd May, the day of
Madeleines disappearance they all (except for the McCanns who stayed
in their apartment) has breakfast at the Millennium at 08.00.
Afterwards the witness
took G***e to the Club. Madeleine and the twins also went to the Club
that morning, as well as the other children in the group.
Matthew and Russell went to
the beach. The Payne couple were also at the beach. The witness,
after leaving G***e at the club went to the apartment to get ready
for tennis. Also present at the tennis courts between 9.10 and 10.10
were Kate McCann, Dianne Webster and Jane Tanner. The witnesse's
tennis session was at 11 with Matthew after he returned from the
beach. Gerry's tennis session was at 10.00.
After tennis, as usual
they went to pick up the children and all had lunch in David and
Fionas apartment apart from the McCann family.
After lunch the children
went to sleep. She was not with the McCanns that afternoon until
dinner time. She does not know what they did or where they were
during that time.
They spent most of the
time on the beach that afternoon. They saw Kate running on the beach
but she did not stop and they did not speak.
All the children, except
the McCann children dined at a beach restaurant at 17.30. After the
children?s dinner, the men went to play tennis and the women and
children watched, once again except for the McCann family (Gerry was
playing tennis but she did not see Kate or the children).
Afterwards they went to
bathe the children and put them to bed.
When they arrived at the
restaurant at 20.45 the McCann couple was already there. They were talking to a
couple they knew from tennis, whose name she cannot remember. Jane
was also there but she was not talking to them. The Payne family and
Dianne arrived just after 21.00. Matthew bumped into them as he had
gone to the apartment, but he did not enter, he just listened outside
to see if there was any noise. He did the same at the Tanner and
McCann apartments.
The window shutters of
the McCann's apartments were closed. The patio door that they used to
enter the apartment also had its shutter closed. In order to enter
they had to raise the shutter.
Cette absurdité n'a qu'une explication : Rachael n'a jamais fait la moindre ronde et répète ce qu'elle a entendu dire par son mari sans comprendre.
At about 21.00 they were
all seated at the restaurant. At 21.05 Gerry went to check on his
children and returned minutes later. Jane also went to check on her
children before Gerald's return.
Gerry said that he was
chatting to a tennis friend called Jez about the tennis tournament
that would take place the following day.
When Jane returned they
began to eat dinner.
At about 21.30 Matthew
and Russell went to check on their children at the same time. They
offered to check on the McCann children. After checking his children
Matthew went to see the McCann children. In order to do so he entered
via the patio doors. According to what her husband told her the
bedroom door was ajar. He did not enter the room and therefore cannot
say whether Madeleine was in the room or not. All he could confirm
was that nobody was crying and the twins were there. Russell was not
with him as he had stayed in his apartment because one of his
children was crying.
Matthew returned to the
table and said that all was calm, except for Russell's daughter,
which is why Russell stayed with her.
In the meantime they
began dinner (until they were eating their starters)
Plus haut elle déclare qu'ils ont commencé à dîner quand Jane est revenue.
and
after eating Jane went to Russell to see if he wanted to have dinner.
It was about 21.45.
While Russell was having
dinner, Kate went to see the children. Minutes later at about 22.00
she returned to the restaurant in complete panic, saying that
Madeleine had disappeared.
During that day and
evening the witness had not seen anything strange.
She just says that at
about 21.15 when Gerry was talking to Jez, Jane saw a man carrying a
child in pyjamas, bare foot crossing road between blocks 5 and 6.
According to Jane she did
not see the face of the man carrying the child.
She could only tell what
she saw.
When asked what the
relation between the group was she says that all the men and Fiona
are doctors and a friendship had built up between them because at one
stage or another, they had worked together. In spite of not living in
the same town they would meet up.
Fiona and David Payne are
the closest to the McCann family.
It is the second time
that they have been on holiday with these friends. In September 2006,
they went for a week to the island of Zakynthos in Greece. However,
neither the McCann family nor Diane Webster went.
When asked she says that
all the couples have been together for various years (between 8 and
12 years). They all have stable relationships. She does not know
whether any female or male members of the group have had any other
relationships between them, other than the current.She does not have any
knowledge of whether any members has a parallel relationship with any
other members of the group.
When asked, she says that
there is no friction or conflict between those that make up the group
as they are in total harmony as regards the kind of holidays they
take, they all have good jobs and identical levels of living as well
as having the children in common, whom they all have to look after
and they try as hard as possible to do everything together.
She says that in terms of
harmony and friendship the group is very close.
When asked about the
characteristics of the other couples, she says that they are all
persons of normal considered behaviour, and has nothing to point out.
She says that the first
time she saw the suspect Robert Murat was on the night of 3rd May
shortly after they had discovered Madeleine was missing. She saw him
for the first time at about 23.30 in the covered area between
apartments 5B and D. She thought it very strange as he seemed to be
there watching, trying to be the next person to talk to the couples
from the group.
That immediately, when
the police arrived, he introduced himself to elements of the group,
namely Russell, accompanied by the GNR, translating all the initial
contacts between the group and the police.
When asked, she says that
she does not know whether he entered the McCanns apartment with the
police.
As regards the other
people searching for the girl outside the apartment he tried to
contact them directly, saying that he had a daughter of the same age
as Madeleine, offering to translate whatever was necessary.
She thought this
individual's behaviour was very strange, given the intensity of his
presence. In addition, all the people they contacted that night
belonged to the MW resort and he stayed there, in the middle of them,
without anyone knowing where he had come from. Because of her
profession (personnel recruitment, interviews) she thinks she knows a
bit about human behaviour, thinking it rather strange that he
introduced himself in such an insistent manner.
She saw that this
individual was with the police in the area for some minutes before
she lost sight of him. She does not know whether he managed to enter
the McCann?s apartment.
She thinks that after
this night she only saw him again on Sunday, 6th May in the morning,
in the PdL church during mass.
She saw him again on 11th
May when he was translating some statements at the PJ in Portimão.
She thinks he spoke again and wanted to draw close to her companions
with great intensity, wanting to talk about his life, saying that he
was carrying out work in a house in the UK, that he had a daughter of
the same age as Madeleine, that she was phoning him a lot to ask how
he was (which she though strange given the girl?s young age), always
showing a familiarity that was out of the ordinary.
She always had the
impression that this individual had strange behaviour and that he
wanted to impose his presence, trying to take part in everything that
was related to Madeleine's disappearance.
She did not see him
again, except for yesterday, when he was shown on various television
channels as a suspect in the abduction of Madeleine. She then felt
her suspicions about this individual would be confirmed, feeling bad
for not having expressed them earlier to others and to the police.
Reads, ratifies, signs
Première déposition (04.05.2007)
Deuxième déposition
(10.05.2007)
20.45 : arrivée au Tapas. 20h40
20:40 : au Tapas puis arrivée Jane
20:45 : arrivée Russell
Around 21h : arrivée des WP
quelques minutes après départ Matt pour check all 3 21h55
21:02 : retour Mat 21h02
21h05 : départ de GMC pour voir ses enfants 21H05
Les plats commencent à être apportés (entrées?)
?? : Départ JT 21h15
21:20 : début du dîner (entrées?)
09:22 ? 2 or 3 minutes later : retour
Jane
09:25 : retour de GMC 21h18
Before Gerry arrived Jane Michelle
Tanner also left [absented herself] having gone to see her apartment.
A little later Jane arrived.
21:30 : Matt part faire ronde
09:34/35 : Retour de Matt 21h35
?? : Jane a fini de dîner et par
remplacer Russell
09:40/45 : Jane part
09:45/09:50 : retour Russell
Around 10pm, Kate McCann 21h55/22h
22/22h05/22h10 : alarme de KMC
22:h0/122h5/22h20 : Jane raconte à
Rachael le ravisseur
