1. Audition (1) de Matthew MO - 04.05.2007 (11.30)
The interview is made in the presence of inspector Patricia
D. As with previous statements, the interviewee having no command of
the Portuguese language, an interpreter was requested. It is Angela F.M. and as
with all previous statements, the interview was read over and its
contents explained. After having shown his agreement with his
statements, the interviewee confirmed and signed as accurate, the
deed that followed, conjointly with the, "sworn,"
interpreter. This was normal procedure since the start of the
interviews.
In signing, the
interpreter commits herself legally concerning the accuracy of her
translation.
On the subject, the
interviewee says:
It is of his own free will and of his own accord that he adds his statements in the context of the present proceedings. That he has been on holiday in Portugal since April 28th 2007 and that he is staying at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz. That he expects to return to England on Saturday May 5th 2007. That he has known Madeleine's parents for around five years. That the little girl will be 4 years old next Saturday. That he was spending his holiday with Madeleine and her parents. That they had come as a group and that this group is composed of 9 adults and eight children. The adults are Diane, David and Fiona (children: ***** and ***) Russell and Jane (children **** and ****) Rachael (daughter ******) respectively the wife and the daughter of the interviewee, Gerry and Kate (children: Amelie, Sean - twins aged two - and Madeleine).
The idea of spending the holiday in Portugal came from the couple David and Fiona and that it is they who reserved the accommodation. That this reservation was made 4 or 5 months ago. That since they arrived in Portugal, until last night, the days were all the same. In the morning, the group woke between 6.30 and 8am and that they all went on foot to the, "Millennium," around 10 minutes from the complex. That only Madeleine's parents, Madeleine and the twins had breakfast in their apartment due to the fact that they have three very small children.
After breakfast, the children were left at the mini-clubs of the complex. Madeleine and **** go to the mini-club for their age and the other children go to another club for younger children. At lunchtime, the habit was to meet up in one of the apartments occupied by the group to have lunch there with the children. In the afternoon, the children have a sleep in their respective apartments under the supervision of an adult. The other adults do sporting activities within the complex. After their afternoon sleep, the children return to the mini-club.
Around 4.45pm, the children eat at the "Tapas," restaurant inside the tourist complex. After eating, the children went to play in a playground in the complex, supervised by adults. At around 8pm, the children went to sleep and at around 8.30pm, the adults went to dinner at the "Tapas" restaurant. While they were eating, the children were sleeping in their respective apartments without the constant supervision of an adult. The interviewee adds that, as the restaurant is around 1 minute from the apartments, randomly, an adult would be going frequently to check on the children in the apartments.
As part of the mini-club activities, Madeleine will have gone to the beach, together with OC employees, he not knowing how many times that had occurred. The rest of the activities were in the interior of the tourist complex.
The apartment occupied by the parents of Madeleine and their children was immediately before [next to] his.
MO a connu les MC il y a environ 5 ans.
L'idée de PDL est venue des WP.
Depuis leur arrivée "les jours ont tous été les mêmes".
Il faut environ 10 minutes pour arriver à pied au Millenium où ils petit-déjeunent tous, sauf les MC à cause de leurs 3 enfants.
Il dit que "l'habitude est de déjeuner tous ensemble dans un des apparts avec les enfants". Chez les WP, sans les MC, et le 3 mai chez les RB sans les WP.
Il dit que l'habitude est que, "après la sieste, les enfants retournent à la crèche". Ce n'est pas vrai. LiT ?
Il dit que "les enfants mangent au restaurant Tapas vers 4:45" et ensuite jouent sur le terrain de jeux sous la surveillance des adultes.
Il dit que les enfants sont mis au lit vers 8h, que les adultes partent dîner vers 8:30 et qu'il n'y a pas de surveillance constante des enfants par un adulte.
Il dit que le restaurant est à 1 minute des appartements.
Il dit qu'aléatoirement et fréquemment un adulte va voir si les enfants dorment bien. Ce n'est pas vrai, chaque parent ne surveille que ses propres enfants.
How the evening
progressed.
The interviewee says that the day yesterday was identical to the previous ones and that, as on all other nights, at around 8.45pm, he and his wife left their daughter asleep in the apartment and went to the "Tapas" restaurant.
The couple Kate and Gerry, Madeleine's parents were already at the restaurant. That they had arrived at the restaurant five minutes before them. The rest of the adults arrived at the restaurant around five minutes after the interviewee and his wife. That the last to arrive at the restaurant was the couple David and Fiona. That the latter arrived at the restaurant at around 9pm.
Around 9.05pm, the interviewee went to the area of the apartments. Notably to the area near the windows of all the children's bedrooms. That he did not hear any noise. That he considered that all the children were sleeping. That all the children's bedroom windows were closed, notably the windows that gave access to the bedroom occupied by Madeleine."
That after this check, he returned to the restaurant, saying that all the children were asleep. However, Gerry, Madeleine's father, went to the area of the apartments to check for himself if the children were asleep. That Gerry would have entered into his apartment and that he checked to make sure that Madeleine and the twins were sleeping in their bedroom, where it was quite dark. The bedroom door was left ajar. That five minutes later, Gerry came back to the group in the restaurant.
Il dit que
le jeudi 3 mai était pareil à tous les autres, lui et sa femme sont partis de chez eux vers 8:45.
Les MC étaient déjà au restaurant. Ils étaient arrivés 5 minutes plus tôt comment le sait-il ? Les autres sont arrivés 5 minutes après. Les derniers étaient les WP qui "sont arrivés vers 9h".
"Vers 9h05" il est allé "près des fenêtres des chambres des enfants", du côté nord de l'immeuble, "n'a entendu aucun bruit" et "a considéré que tous les enfants dormaient". "Toutes les fenêtres des chambres de enfants étaient fermées". Il ne dit pas ici qu'il est revenu en arrière pour houspiller les WP, en retard.
Ensuite il est retourné au restaurant et a dit que "tous les enfants dormaient".
Toutefois Gerald MC "était parti s'en assurer par lui-même. Il était entré dans l'appartement, les enfants dormaient dans leur chambre où il faisait très sombre, il avait laissé la porte entrebâilléee et était revenu cinq minutes plus tard. Questionné, MO dit que Gerald n'aura pas entendu que lui, MO, venait de faire une ronde
In answer to a question
from the inspector, the interviewee says that
Gerry will have gone to check at that time because he will not have heard the witness say that he had been there.
During the meal, it was usual that every 15 minutes (as on all some of the adults went to the apartments to check if the children were sleeping. That normally this checking was done inside the apartments (Visual checking), but that, to be honest, sometimes this checking was only done from the outside, near the bedroom windows (Auditory checking)
As normal, dinner began at 9.30pm.
At around 9.25pm, the interviewee went into his apartment and Madeleine's apartment to check on the children. He states that the door of the bedroom that was occupied by Madeleine and the twins, was open and that there was enough light in the bedroom for him to see the twins in their cots. That he couldn't see the bed occupied by Madeleine, but as it was all quiet, he deduced that she was sleeping. That the light was not from an artificial source inside the apartment, but perhaps something coming from outside through the bedroom window. That it seemed to him that the shutters of the Master' bedroom window were open without knowing if the window was also open.
Il dit que
L'habitude était, pendant le repas, d'aller toutes les 15' voir si les enfants dormaient et que normalement cette ronde se faisait à l'intérieur des appartements mais que parfois on le faisait de l'extérieur, près des fenêtres des chambres. Les rondes de Matthew prouvent que "tous les quarts d'heure" n'est pas la vérité.
Le dîner commençait normalement à 21h30. Plus ou moins l'heure d'arrivée du plat principal.
À 21h25 il est allé faire une ronde dans son appartement et dans celui de Madeleine. La porte de la chambre des enfants était ouverte et il y avait assez de lumière dans la chambre pour voir les jumeaux dans leurs lits pliants. Il ne pouvait pas voir le lit occupé par Madeleine mais, comme tout était calme, il a déduit qu'elle dormait.
La source de lumière n'était pas artificielle et provenait peut-être de l'extérieur (filtrant) à travers la fenêtre de la chambre. Il lui a semblé que le volet de la chambre des parents était ouvert, mais ignore si la fenêtre l'était aussi.
Il vient de dire que Gerald avait laissé la porte de la chambre entrebâillée, il la trouve ouverte et considère qu'il n'y a rien à signaler... Il vient de dire que, selon Gerald, il faisait très sombre dans la chambre, il y a suffisamment de lumière dans la chambre pour voir (de loin) les jumeaux, mais il considère qu'il n'y a rien à signaler. KMC, une demi-heure plus tard et dans ses narrations post-ligne de temps, ne distinguera pas Madeleine à cause de l'obscurité, alors que le volet est ouvert ! Ces témoignages n'ont donc ni queue ni tête.
The apartment has two bedrooms, a lounge, a small kitchen and a bathroom. The couple's bedroom has a window (en fait une porte-fenêtre) which is visible from the restaurant. The children's bedroom windows look out on the road outside the tourist complex. Then the interviewee went back to the restaurant.He states that the bedroom has two windows.Faux, la chambre des petits MC n'avait qu'une fenêtre, mais la chambre de Matthew en avait deux. Vers laquelle des deux supposées fenêtres a-t-il tendu son oreille ? Il est clair qu'il n'a pas fait cela, du reste c'était inutile le corridor étant une vraie caisse de résonance.
The twins occupy two cots placed in the middle of the room and Madeleine occupies a bed pushed against the wall, facing the wall which has the two windows that look out onto the outside of the complex.Il y avait un autre lit dans cette chambre, sous la fenêtre. Matthew, s'il voyait les jumeaux, ne pouvait pas ne pas voir ce lit, qui était défait (KMC y avait dormi la nuit d'avant) et vide... et Matthew ne savait pas quel était le lit occupé par MMC.
That the door through which he entered the apartment was closed but not locked. That he doesn't know if it is usual for Madeleine's parents to leave the door closed but not locked because that door is visible from the restaurant.Le haut de la porte (selon la femme de MO, entre autres témoignages)
At around 10pm, Kate, Madeleine's mother, went to her apartment to check on her children. She came back totally shocked, shouting, saying that Madeleine was no longer in her bedroom. At that time all the adults were in the restaurant.Faux, Jane n'était pas là, elle veillait sur sa fille, malade.
Then, the whole group went to Madeleine's bedroom and checked that the twins were sleeping OK.Cela est démenti par Rachael qui s'est d'abord précipitée dans son appartement avec Matthew.
That there was no sign of a burglary in the apartment. Only one window in the childrens' bedroom was open.Il semble insister sur l'existence de deux fenêtres dans la chambre des enfants.
The window was open and the respective shutter [external blinds].
During the holiday, and notably during the day yesterday and during dinner, nothing appeared unusual to the interviewee. That there wasn't the slightest change in the behaviour of any of the group, notably in that of Kate or Gerry and their respective children.
Question: And outside the
group?
No, there was nothing unusual and he knows of nothing special happening. That the tourist complex was quiet and that nothing unusual happened there. That during the day the children were under the supervision of the respective mini-club staff. That Madeleine is the daughter of both Gerry and Kate. That he doesn't know if Madeleine was suffering from any illness or if she was taking medication. That Madeleine is very lively, obedient, communicative and extrovert. Madeleine's parents are both very friendly, communicative, happy and sensible. That the couple have an excellent relationship with their children, not making any difference in the treatment of each. That the three children were very much wanted by the couple, all three being the result of, "In Vitro," fertilisation.
The interviewee thinks
that
it is a kidnapping with the intention to demand a ransom from the parents, because these are people who are very comfortable financially.
non datée, mais confiée entre le 4 et le 10 mai à l'officier de liaison britannique qui la remettra à la PJ -
21:20 JT then returns to the
restaurant, by which time GM had also returned. The entire party then
begins eating their starters which have arrived.
21:25 After starters, MO and RJO go back to the apartments via the car park
entrance to check all flats. They go first to 5D where RJO's daughter
Evie is heard crying. RJO enters flat, whilst MO checks inside 5B,
and then returns to 5D.
21:30 RJO remains in 5D as daughter has vomited. MO goes to check on 5A via
the patio gate entrance. The outside gate is probably shut, but the
child gate on the stairs up to the patio is possibly open. The
patio door is closed but unlocked.
MO enters flat, hears a sound in the
children's bedroom that is probably one of the twins rolling over in
their cot. He does not enter the bedroom but can see through a now
quite open door (greater than 45 degrees) into the room.
He sees the two twins in their cot, but
does not check Madeleine formally as no sounds and twins asleep. He
recalls the room did seem lighter than expected, perhaps suggesting
the shutter had been raised or the curtains opened?
21:35 Cinq minutes, ça semble long pour ne même pas regarder à
l'intérieur ! MO returns to restaurant table, by which time
main courses are arriving or being eaten. MO tells JT that Evie
unwell.
3. Audition (2) de Matthew MO - 10.05.2007 (16h)
On remarquera que, contrairement à la première audition, où les témoins sont invités à dire ce qu'ils jugent important de faire savoir, ce second entretien est parfois un interrogatoire compte tenu des nombreuses questions posées à MMO.
In respect of the McCanns
(Gerald and Kate), the deponent clarifies that
he has known them only for about four years, since the wedding of David and Fiona Payne which took place in the summer of 2003 in Italy. However, he relates knowing that the MCs already knew the other couples for some years and they had been on holiday previously with them, together with the WPs. He relates that, due to his friendship with the other two couples he had been on holiday in Greece for a week, and they had expected the trip to Portugal to have been similar to that week.
Asked, he clarifies that
the similarity between this and the previous occasion was that all couples were accompanied by their offspring.
Because it was asked, he relates that the MCs had not participated in the above trip to Greece alleging to not know if, at that time, they were asked to join the group of excursionists. Consequently, he clarifies to never have been on any trip with the MCs except for this one to Portugal. Regarding the present trip, and as far as he knows, the MCs participated at the invitation of the WPs. He clarifies that DP personally took charge of the organisation [of this trip], in a similar manner to what he thinks happened in relation to the above mentioned trip to Greece the previous year. In this way, it will have been this last individual [DP] who chose Portugal as the tourist destination, adding that, considering the expected climatic conditions and the time period of the holiday, Mark Warner would be the only operator available to them with a final destination of Praia da Luz. At that time DP will have contacted the tourist operator Mark Warner with the intention to purchase tourist packages and to reserve the respective journeys.
Prompted he relates that David will have personally assumed payment of the costs of the packets of the other families, each of which amounts would be repaid to him afterwards. In this way he relates they arrived in Portugal on 28 May adding that all would have lodging reserved in the Ocean Club Garden until 5 May - the date on which they would have returned to England.Prompted about the motives which contributed to choose the operator Mark Warner he explains that it is usual for this operator to work with tourist complexes that possess some requisites demanded by his family and the others who make up the group, namely: sports activities with instructors (especially tennis and water sports), childrens' activities, and restaurants within the resort enclosure in a way that they can be accessed without the need for any kind of transportation. For the rest, he relates that the couples would give preference to resorts that have 'baby listening' services available.
Pressed to define 'baby listening' service he clarifies that that service can be summed up as a watching, by doing 'rounds' of the outside of an apartment in the course of which someone checks for noise coming from the location where children are sleeping and, if noise is heard, to alert the respective parents of that situation.Furthermore, he wishes to make clear that while making the aforementioned reservations the operator had told them that a 'baby listening' service was not in place in the Ocean Club Garden.
Ce n'est pas ce que dit Fiona (qui découvre par hasard en feuilletant un prospectus).
That fact had made some of the couples - and himself in particular - reluctant to come to Portugal because all the families have minor children. As far as he [MO] is concerned, he wishes at this time to add that, in conversation with DP on a date he does not recall with certainty but likely to have been on 7 or 8 May, he [DP] confided in him that, at that time, KMC had been particularly reluctant about coming to Portugal because she had had a bad feeling [presentiment] about the children of the group and the non-existence of the 'baby sitting' service.
Nevertheless, he relates that, they had discussed this problem resolving to make the trip since the operator had assured them accommodation sufficiently close together that, collectively, they had managed to assure the checking and supervision of their respective progeny. Consequently, David had taken charge of negotiations with the operator to have all lodgings as close to each other as possible.
Nonetheless, and because he was asked, he adds that on leaving England they did not know the exact apartments which they had been allotted.
Nevertheless, he relates that DP had asked the operator that they be provided with lodgings in close proximity to each other because, as a group, they intended to perform that kind of checking collectively over the children of each family.
Nonetheless he admits that they were only informed of their respective apartments on arrival in Portugal.About the inherent conditions of the travel plan subscribed to by the couples, he clarifies that
they had acquired 'half-board' packets - i.e., inclusive of flight, transfers, lodging, breakfast and dinner. In that sense he relates that all members of the group would eat meals in OC restaurants as follows: breakfast would be at the Millenium, situated slightly away from the residential block where they were lodged (close to the main street, the Lagos road, about 10 minutes on foot), while dinner would be at the Tapas restaurant, situated next to the swimming pools of their residential block. The sole exception to this rule would be by the MCs who would eat breakfast in their apartment, he considering that that was done due to the fact that they had three small children and the distance between [their flat] and the Millenium.
Nevertheless he wished to point out that, on the night of 28 May the group had dined at Millenium as the Tapas was closed. Aside from this he relates that on all other days they dined always at Tapas. With respect to lunch, he relates that the couples usually ate it as a group in one of the four apartments, adding that the WP's apartment was commonly used due to its larger size.
Pas plus grand que celui des MC. Ce que ne dit pas Matthew, c'est que les MC ne déjeunaient pas avec les autres (Dianne W préparait les sandwichs des WP, des TB et des MO). Seulement le dimanche 29, ils étaient allés avec leurs assiettes de sandwichs déjeuner chez les WP.
Prompted about the dinner
reservations/bookings at Tapas, he relates that
the first time thay made a reservation was on Sunday, not knowing who had made it. Asked if it could have been ROB the deponent admitted that that was possible, reiterating to not know for sure who had made it. Relating to the other days, he clarifies that on Monday morning his wife undertook such reservation, adding still that it would have been for all the remaining days except for Friday, 4 May, as there was to have been a Tennis Club dinner that night. He clarifies that the above reservation was made for nine people for 20h30.
Prompted to identify the apartment in which the four couples had been lodged, the deponent said that
the MCs were in apartment 5A; he, his wife and daughter in 5B; the O'Brien's in 5D; and the WPs in 5H. While the above all related to residential Block G5, he says that the first three are situated on the ground floor, the last being on the first floor; he adds that the MC flat was at the extreme left when accessing the block from the main entrance, and immediately adjacent to his flat; the TB was in front of the main entrance behind the stairway used to go to the upper floors, and, lastly, the WP flat was immediately above that of the TB.
Asked about criteria for the distribution of couples between the flats as described in the preceding paragraph, he relates that
Mark Warner had taken charge of the allotment of couples and flats. For this reason, he does not know the nature of that criteria, all the more since, similar to the others, he only found out which flat he had been allotted when he arrived at the resort - the time at which they were each given the keys to their corresponding flats, one key per couple (that being a metal key, not an access card).
Nevertheless, he relates to have known that, in his particular case, he would have been allotted 5B because it is the smallest flat (with only one bedroom) as he had only one small child.Pertaining to the routine undertaken by the four couples during the period before the disappearance of MMC, he relates that,
generally, they all dedicated themselves to sporting pastimes. In his particular case, he gave priority to water sports (such as sailing) and, then, tennis. As for the rest, they also did various sports, pointing out that the MCs never did any water sports. By the way, he relates that, on a date he does not recall for sure but on one day in the past week during which it rained in PdL (thinking it was 2 May, the day before the disappearance) he went on a 40-minute run on the streets around the resort together with KMC.Asked about any time he was away from PdL he responded in the negative, stating that, the same as all others in the group, he had not done so because he had no means of transport to facilitate any such movement. Consequently, and the question asked, he relates that none of the couples possessed a hired motor car.Of the rest, he denied the possibility of any of them to have driven periodically any motor car that might have been provided to them by a third party, given that none of them had any friends or acquaintances residing or holidaying in the vicinity.
Prompted to outline what
had happened on 3 May, the deponent the following:
- He woke up about 06h30/07h00 going to take breakfast at Millennium at 08h00 with his wife and daughter. He does not recall who [else] was with them. He knows that the MCs and their children did not breakfast there because they always did that in their apartment.Regarding the other group members he cannot remember who was in the Millennium that morning. He is sure that he was not accompanied by the whole group given that they were not always accompanied by the same people during this meal - thinking that only DP or ROB would have been there with their respective children.Adding that as each day passed there were fewer group members who went there for breakfast, opting to have it in their apartments, due to the distance of the restaurant from their residences.After breakfast he walked to the beach, arriving about 09h30 to go sailing. He knows that on that morning the WPs were also there, not recalling if he went there with either of those individuals or if they were already there when he arrived. He was sailing until about 11h00 due to which he was late for the tennis class he had booked for that time, together with his wife.About 12h10 he went with his wife to pick up his daughter from kids club.Subsequently the three of them went to the WP apartment for lunch. He clarifies that he lunched there with the WP, their children and mother-in-law, and with ROB and JT. He does not recall if the MCs were there.
Les MC n'étaient jamais là ! Selon d'autres témoignages le déjeuner convivial a eu lieu chez les TB ce jour-là.
Later, sometime between 13h30 and 14h00, he and his family went to their apartment to put their daughter down for a sleep, remaining there until about 14h15/14h30 - the time at which he decided to go to find ROB, he also having returned to his own flat, to call him for them both to go sailing.After their sport (sometime between 15h30 and 15h45) they both went to the beach where they met up with the rest of the group, including children, staying there until about 17h00. He clarifies that the MCs and their children were not at the beach.Leaving the beach they went to the beach restaurant where they fed the children while the adults limited themselves to a few drinks.About 18h00 he, ROB and DP went to a social men's tennis match, held in the above resort area, where they remained until about 19h00. He clarifies that when they arrived at that meeting GMC was already there, with KMC and her children watching the match, the rest of the women and children joining them [KMC and children] later.
Matthew MO est le seul à avoir vu KMC et ses enfants assister au match. Remarquer qu'il ne mentionne pas que David WP se soit écarté du groupe.
At 19h00 he, ROB and DP had finished the match, having then gone to their respective apartments in which they found other members of the group.
Quid de GMC ? Qui est censé être parti à 19h, tandis que les autres continuer à jouer.
The deponent said he stayed in his apartment until 19h45 at which time, together with his wife, he went to the Tapas restaurant where the MCs were already and, from what was said afterwards, Jane. Later, about 20h50, Russell arrived.The deponent added that the WPs and DW were still not present - and as he could see their apartment lights burning - he resolved to go to them, clarifying that he did not reach that apartment as those people were already on their way to the restaurant. He clarifies [further] that he met them near the living quarters, at the corner next to the main door of the MC apartment.Benefiting from meeting them next to the residences, he adds that, on his own initiative, he made a 'listening check' at the bedroom window of MMC and the twins at 21h05. That he limited himself to approach the bedroom window on the outside of the apartment to check if the children were crying or awake.
C'est bien la preuve qu'il n'était pas nécessaire de coller son oreille au volet. Pourquoi diable Matthew serait-il entré ? Quel avantage cela avait ?
He adds to have not heard any noise nor perceived anything out of the ordinary. He went on to do the same check at the bedroom windows of his daughter and Russell's daughters.About 5/10 seconds after the checking he returned to the restaurant seeing that all other group members were already there. They proceeded to order dinner [immediately] after which GMC went to his apartment to check his children.Asked if, at that instant, Jane TB also went to her flat, he says he does not recall, adding that had that happened, they would have gone together.On the other hand, he cannot be precise [about] which of the two returned first.
Nevertheless, he wishes to add that he has no idea about anyone having possibly mentioned the possibility of both having been together.Asked why GMC had gone to the apartment at that time if the deponent had been there a few minutes before, he relates thatGMC might not have heard him say that all was well, adding further that he had not personally checked the children at that time.Asked if there was some agreement about checking all the children of the group he says that it was common practice for one member of each couple to stand up each 15 minutes with the objective to go to check their own child(ren).
Pourquoi n'est-il pas (ou Rachael) allé voir les enfant à 21h45 alors ?
Some minutes later, at 21h25, the deponent went to his apartment to do a further check, he having done that together with Russell who intended to do the same with his two girls.At that time he offered [made himself available] to perform a check of MMC's bedroom.
Il ne dit pas qu'il compte entrer. GMC n'est-il pas revenu moins de 10' plus tôt ?
Questioned about his motives for such a check, going against the prevailing/established procedure, or - why would two people have gone to check the three apartments (in this case the witness and Russell going to check their own apartments and that of the MCs), the deponent explained that both [men] had suggested that KMC remained in the restaurant [they] assuming the responsibility of verifying the children.Russell ne raconte pas la même histoire.Nonetheless, and the question asked, he relates not being able to state exactly if the suggestion was made by himself or by Russell, adding not being able to clarify why it was done, but, in the case of it having been he [MO] to make such a suggestion it would have been due to, having spent days on holiday together, [there already being] a very close friendship with the couple [allowing him] to enter their apartment.
Maintenant il annonce qu'il va entrer ! Une amitié peut-être naissante, mais pas "très étroite" avec des gens qu'il n'a vus qu'une fois, 4 ans auparavant, et qu'il ne voit pas dans la journée, lui faisant de la voile, eux jouant au tennis.
That, on that occasion, Russell and he went to their own residences, to check on their own children. After leaving his apartment he went to that of ROB who opted to stay there to calm his daughter who was crying, that done with the deponent went alone to the MC apartment. He clarifies that ROB's daughter was ill, with vomiting.To this end, he took the quickest route between ROB's apartment and the side garden gate entrance to the rear patio of the MC residence, to which he gained access through the glass sliding door into the apartment lounge. The door was closed but not locked as KMC had said it would be.
On s'est demandé quelle pouvait être ce "chemin le plus rapide" entre l'appartement des TB et celui des MC , on a imaginé que ROB lui avait ouvert sa porte fenêtre et qu'il était passé par l'allée, mais rien n'indique cela. Matthew essaie de contourner l'idée que le plus court chemin aurait été d'entrer chez les MC par la porte principale avec leur clef. Personne n'a rapporté que KMC avait dit à MMO que la porte-fenêtre était ouverte. Ce que KMC a dit, selon Fiona, à la cantonnade, c'est qu'ils avaient laissé la porte ouverte pour que MMC puisse sortir à leur recherche au cas où elle se réveillerait, comme la veille.
That he did not enter the bedroom where MMC and the twins were sleeping. He recalls that the bedroom door was half open, making an angle of 50 degrees. He does not know how far away he was from the bedroom door. He recalls having the perception that the window curtains - green in colour - Ils sont bleus were drawn closed but could not determine if the window was closed or open.Les rideaux cachent la fenêtre, cela semble logique. Mais il y avait du vent, une fenêtre ouverte aurait agité les rideaux. Et puis, surtout, KMC a trouvé les rideaux ouverts... Et personne n'est venu entre Matthew et elle (si Tannerman est le ravisseur).
Concerning the external blinds he clarifies that he did not see if it was closed or open. Toujours les rideaux qui cachent le volet... He recalls having thought that in that bedroom there was more brightness than there was in his daughter's room (where the external blinds were always fully closed), adding to have had the feeling that that light was coming from the outside - making the point that both were turned in the same direction.GMC a admis que le volet n'était pas complètement baissé, laissant quelques jalousies.
Consequently, he admits the possibility of the light he was perceiving was owing to the blinds being raised, denying however that he was capable of assessing the height at which it may have been.
Il ménage la chèvre (l'enlèvement consommé) et le chou (lui-même qui aurait peut-être dû se poser une question, puisqu'il avait vu le volet clos à 21h05), reste que les rideaux tirés le décrédibilisent complètement. Il y a du vent, les rideaux ne sauraient être immobiles si la fenêtre et le volet étaient ouverts. Et puis quid de l'obscurité ? Assez clair pour que GMC ait son moment de père comblé, assez clair pour que, de loin, Matthew voie les jumeaux respirer, mais trop sombre pour que Kate distingue MMC. Et si sombre, en plein jour, que GMC allumera la lumière lors du tournage de la pseudo-reconstruction.
The question asked, he was sure that, at the time of his first being in the vicinity of MMC's bedroom, reported as 21h05 in the course of which he had approached the window of that bedroom from the outside for the purpose of an auditory check, the blinds were, in his view, fully closed.Consequently, he is convinced that at the time of the second check the blinds were more open than on the first check, given that he considers that the light inside the bedroom, undoubtedly coming from the outside, could not have been coming through it [the blinds] if they had been fully closed.Following on, convinced that everything was within normality, given that he perceived no noise to make him think otherwise, and further, due to, in his mind, having managed to glimpse the two twins inside their cots, the deponent returned to the restaurant to finish dinner.
Matthew MO ment très mal. S'il est convaincu que lors de sa soi-disant seconde ronde le volet était plus ouvert que lors de la première (extérieure), alors quelque chose d'anormal s'est produit.
Asked, he clarifies to not have seen MMC lying on the bed in the bedroom because from where he was during the check he had no sight of that bed.Quelque chose l'empêchait de s'approcher pour voir ?
The question asked, he relates that he thinks he returned to Tapas between 21h25 and 21h30, telling the others in the group that he found everything within normality in the residential block.
Tout normal ? Il oublie qu'il a dit à Jane que ROB était resté parce qu'une enfant avait vômi.
The question asked, he clarifies not having told MMC's parents the facts of having found the door half-open, estimating it about 50 degrees, and having perceived the above mentioned brightness inside [the room], he related not having done it because he didn't attach any relevance to them [the facts].
Quid de ne pas avoir vu MMC ? Il ne se promenait pas, il faisait une ronde !
Asked, he relates that, at that time, he rejoined the table of travelling friends, all except ROB who stayed in his apartment due to the indisposition his daughter.The question asked, he relates that, due to the large size of the whole group, comprising nine adults (four couple and FP's mother), the deponent and the others always occupied the same table because it was the only one that could handle so many people.Asked, he relates that, from where that table was positioned the group would have sight of the apartments they were occupying. Nevertheless, he admits that it was a tenuous sight considering the distance to the apartments (estimated as about 50 to 100 metres), and further, due to their vision being impaired by a transparent oilcloth [tarpaulin] that covered the area in which the tables were located.
Des tas de témoins indépendants ont dit qu'on ne voyait pratiquement rien et de toutes façons, qu'auraient-ils vu puisque les enfants dormaient du côté nord ?
Consequently, he admits it being possible for someone to have entered the ground-floor apartments without being detected, through [by way of] the patios that were round the back of the residential block. Nevertheless, he relates not having perceived any movements at the rear of the McCann apartment during the last of the checks that he took part in. Consequently, it had been an enormous surprise to receive the news of the disappearance of small MMC. By the way, he clarifies that that news had been communicated to all the friends who were in the Tapas by KMC subsequent to her having personally been to her flat to check that her children were well.The question asked, he relates that she had gone there alone to do that at 21:50.Noticing the disappearance KMC returned in panic to the restaurant where the deponent was in order to tell her husband, GMC.The question asked, he relates being convinced that, at the time of that communication, all the group members were in the restaurant - the reason for which he supposes that ROB had rejoined them in the meantime.
Il oublie Jane.In view of such news all group members rushed to the MC apartment which was accessed through the rear entrance, namely by the sliding glass door facing the pool.Asked, he relates that when he entered the apartment, from memory, he did not approach MMC's bedroom therefore cannot provide any details about its condition.
Ce qu'il ne dit pas, c'est qu'il n'est pas entré, Rachael ne voulait pas aller toute seule dans leur appartement.
Asked, the deponent denies that at any time he had perceived any suspicious movements undertaken by unknown individuals (or by group members) to the date of the event or in the days that preceded it.In the same way he relates never to have perceived suspicious movements undertaken by any motor vehicles in the vicinity of the resort where they were lodged.By the way, he relates never to have perceived the presence of a blue light motor vehicle in the vicinity of the Ocean Club Garden.Regarding the situation at hand, he relates to not know with absolute certainty any matters that surrounded them [the events], as well as the motivations that could have given rise to them.In the same way, he does not know for sure the possible existence of conjugal, professional or other problems that might have possibly resulted in someone undertaking the removal [taking] of that small child.The question asked, he reiterates that during the group's stay in PdL they had always dined at the Tapas, except for the first night when they did it at the Millenium.On the other hand he relates that only those adults who were part of their group met for dinner at their table.By the way, he denied that at any time did any individuals named IRWIN form part of the table, refuting equally that he had made the acquaintance of anyone so named.The question asked, he relates that he entered the MC apartment for the first [and only] time on the night of the disappearance (i.e. 3 May), and [that was] on the second check reported above, namely at 21h25. On the other hand he points out that he was on foot for all the trips he made outside the resort, similar to all other group members.The question asked he says that there had been no change in his sleep [sleeping pattern]. He does not recall bouts of insomnia nor of overly deep sleep.Questioned about other changes in his health - or of his family - he recalls that the three had had intestinal problems: he on 28 April; from memory, his wife on 30 April or 1 May, and his daughter on 7 May.
Rachael parle des diarrhées quotidiennes de leur fille...
Regarding the other group members he does not know if there were changes in their health.Prompted about relationships of friendship, or other, of the deponent or other group members, with persons resident in Portugal, the witness says he knows no-one in this country and thinks the same applies to the other holidaying friends.Also he would not know other holiday makers. He thinks that the same applies to the rest of the group members.Asked about the drinking of alcoholic beverages by the group members the deponent admits that all the member did (including himself), admitting further that they did in quantities unusually high [for them] in virtue of them fully enjoying the holidays.Nevertheless he relates that despite what is reported in the preceding paragraph they did not lose any of their cognitive faculties, adding, by way of example, that they could possibly consume about six bottles of wine.The question asked, he relates that this was his second time in Portugal, the first occurred in 1999 when he spent a single night in Lisbon. With respect to the other group members, he knows only that JT had been here previously on various occasions, he thinks for professional reasons, adding further that she had also visited together with ROB.Prompted to reveal any other things that might possibly help in understanding the events under investigation, the deponent was unable to do so, alleging a total lack of knowledge about other circumstances which might possibly have surrounded it, beyond those already reported above.The question asked, he relates that during his stay he used the same mobile phone that he used in England.The question asked, he relates that he used the number since 2002.Prompted to define what he understands by 'auditory check', he clarified that
it was a check in which he does not establish visual contact with the children - limiting himself to check for noises that could indicate some problems with them.
