skookum Posted May 23, 2014 #176 Share Posted May 23, 2014 For anyone in the UK interested in the case, a documentary is being aired on 3rd June on CH5 about the seedy sides of one of the detectives working for the McCann's. 'The McCann's and the Conman' http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-42673 This is about Kevin Halligen who was reported to be paid £500,000 from the Madeline fund. It was reported spent the money on expensive hotels, women and wining and dining various people. After a warrant was issued for unconnected crimes (fraud and money laundering) he was found staying in a £700 a night Oxford hotel. Clarence Mitchell spoke out during his employment saying 'they were happy with his work' Later it was said he failed to investigate any information from their own hotline. The other private detectives Metedo 3 who were being paid £50,000 a month have also faced legal action and imprisonment for other various crimes. This is all very interesting to me My interest in the case started by reading various complaints about the Find Madeline fund. It became very controversial when it was discovered it was being used to pay the McCann's mortgage. Later on a relative admitted on camera they were using it for legal expenses. The accounts are not transparent and it is not a charity but a PLC company. The fund seems to be regularly topped up with large sums won by the very much feared libel solicitors Carter Ruck. My concern is people being paid vast sums of money who are connected with money laundering. Make of that what you like. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H. Drake Posted May 31, 2014 #177 Share Posted May 31, 2014 I've never had any doubt in my mind that the McCanns were guilty as hell. Guilty of what, exactly? I can only speculate on the events of that night, but they are responsible for Madeline's "disappearance" and not some random child-snatcher, and not simply through their own gross negligence as parents. It's only human nature that your average person won't suspect them, because none of us want to believe that someone could be involved in "losing" their own child. But unfortunately, in the majority of cases, the perpetrator is usually someone connected to the victim. There is far more evidence pointing towards the McCanns being involved than anyone else. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skookum Posted June 2, 2014 #178 Share Posted June 2, 2014 (edited) Well they have started the dig http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27659905 I am still cynical as these areas were extensively searched within the days she went missing. It is a popular dog walking spot and was also searched by British Police dogs. Still it may uncover something I hope and is not just a publicity stunt. Some locals are furious as it is yet more negative press the resort is getting with many already saying they have summer rentals being cancelled over safety fears over children. Edited June 2, 2014 by skookum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regi Posted June 2, 2014 #179 Share Posted June 2, 2014 (edited) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27659905 I am still cynical as these areas were extensively searched within the days she went missing. It is a popular dog walking spot and was also searched by British Police dogs. I don't know how extensive any previous search was, but in any unsolved case whether it's a cold case or a stalled investigation, it's part of what authorities will and should do, that is, take another, closer look at what's already been done. It's precisely what I'd expect. Anyway, I sometimes wonder why reporters quote those they do. That 77 year-old man (he didn't want to be identified) thinks the search is "ridiculous" ...yes, because they already looked there back in the day... but the kicker is that he apparently expected to have actually seen someone out there digging a hole. Well, I take it he was out there everyday and didn't see anyone involved in any unusual activity, but what could or would be valuable info. is whether or not he saw anyone out there, period. Edited June 2, 2014 by regi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skookum Posted June 2, 2014 #180 Share Posted June 2, 2014 (edited) The search was very extensive, even spotters were used in aircraft piloted by volunteers at a local airfield. Specialist British dogs were also called in but lost the scent around the beach area. I think what is baffling people this is an extremely popular area for dog walkers, joggers and hikers. The ground is baked hard and would need considerable effort to dig. Talking to a few contacts they are very skeptical that this would be a 'chosen' area for a pre-planned crime. It seems that it would have been more of an impulse/panic location to dispose of a body. Of course this goes back to just how difficult it would have been to do it at night with basic digging equipment. You would have at least needed a pick axe and shovel, something that would have looked extremely suspicious to be walking around with at night. Any disturbed ground would have stuck out like a sore thumb and with the area being so popular I am sure it would have been noticed. A local person has been pictured holding this sign. Certain camps like to portray the Portuguese police as 'bungling' and that the local people did not care or help. This has made the locals extremely angry. Incidentally the timing has also raised a few eyebrows. This week they will be airing the McCann's and the Conman documentary and they received a severe blow at their libel trial. The court have ruled that because they made Madeline a ward of court they do not possess the right to pursue damages of 1/2 million pounds for her. I understand they will continue to seek damages of 250k each parent and 80k for their other children. Edited June 2, 2014 by skookum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regi Posted June 2, 2014 #181 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Well, this time, it appears searchers will use more dogs and ground penetrating radar, but Good Lord, I would think people would be pleased authorities are searching for a missing child! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skookum Posted June 2, 2014 #182 Share Posted June 2, 2014 (edited) Update I am getting is they have now erected 2 tents. Tents usually mean remains but they only started looking today. If this is all true they must have known exactly where to look. All very strange. Just to comment on your post regi. It is a small town which gets it's money from tourism. They feel it has taken 7 years to get back to anywhere near the numbers they had before this incident. Many people have gone bankrupt etc. Even British people who own Villas and apartments have found them hard to rent out and virtually impossible to sell. Everyone wants this to be solved and ideally her found alive. However people also need to live, earn money etc. A lot of them feel this just wont go away and it is by no wrong doing done by them. One of the McCann's detectives publically said he believed she was being held in one of the lawless villages in a hellish lair which were common in the area. Anyone that knows the area can tell you how ridiculous and damaging a statement like this is. It is a small, lovely seaside resort which prides itself on being safe and friendly. It isn't the wild west for goodness sake, it is popular with families and golfers and particularly more well off travelers. Hence why they themselves chose it on their friends recommendation. It should also be noted that the original investigation, if it does turn out to be a mess was not helped along by constant meddling from UK Police, politicians and press. Edited June 2, 2014 by skookum 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still Waters Posted June 5, 2014 #183 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Now they're searching drains and sewers. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27713826 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.United_Nations Posted June 5, 2014 #184 Share Posted June 5, 2014 I dont think she was buried, shes not in the rown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skookum Posted June 7, 2014 #185 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Latest is that DCI Andy Redwood who heads the case has decided to retire early. He took over from Hamish Campbell who retired early on when it started. Of course the Portuguese head detective was removed from the case and forced into retirement too. David Cameron has been reported as saying the costs are getting a problem with public opinion now and they need to find a resolution. At the last count it was 8 million pounds and 30 full time officers. If sources/leaks are to be believed this search was carried out as a 'precaution' due to the proximity to the resort. They will move on to other wasteland tomorrow and next week, the search does not seem to have taken place on any intelligence gathered. If I was a detective I would run as far away from this as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astra. Posted June 7, 2014 #186 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Finding such small bones of a child of that age, let alone all of these years later, will be trying to find a needle in hay stack. If a Malaysian passenger jet can disappear without a trace, how on earth are they going to find the tiny remains of such a little child? Do they have a suspect, that has confessed to where she is? I've been rather confused from day one in how this case was handled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still Waters Posted June 12, 2014 #187 Share Posted June 12, 2014 The parents of missing Madeleine McCann say the fact that recent searches found no trace of their daughter reinforces their belief she could still be alive.Kate and Gerry McCann said they were "very pleased" at the searches over the last 10 days in Praia da Luz, Portugal. Scotland Yard said there was still a "substantial amount of work" still to do in the investigation after three areas of land were searched. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27813554 False hopes I think but I'd love to be proved wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldorado Posted June 12, 2014 #188 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Am wondering how many missing children have this amount of effort expended on their cases. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rlyeh Posted June 12, 2014 #189 Share Posted June 12, 2014 No searches have turned up Jimmy Hoffa, maybe he is still alive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regi Posted June 12, 2014 #190 Share Posted June 12, 2014 (edited) Authorities are conducting an investigation the way an original investigation should have been conducted. I think it essentially went something like this: Original investigators had a theory and they looked for evidence to support their theory and they didn't find it and their investigation stalled. The current investigators are following an effective approach and an example of that is the recent search of that field. What I mean is, the original investigators searched that field, but when nothing was found, they concluded that there was nothing to be found, but the current investigators took their line of thinking further; nothing was found, but the child is still missing and it's possible something was over looked and so they looked again and this time more thoroughly. Edited June 12, 2014 by regi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skookum Posted June 14, 2014 #191 Share Posted June 14, 2014 My concern with this is the search finished right on the dot to when their libel trial resumes. Conveniently for them the police finding nothing re-affirms their case she is still alive so the suggestion she died in apartment is unfounded. There are some that believe that the Scotland yard investigation was used to get hold of documents the Portuguese police didn't release at the time. In some ways it sounds far fetched but given the protection they were given from the start in the form of political and British police it might be plausible. The cost of this investigation is staggering and seeing as they have found nothing very concerning exactly what information they are working on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skookum Posted June 16, 2014 #192 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Seems libel has been postponed. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27870998 I do feel sorry for them as Amaral didn't request the postponement until they arrived in Portugal. However there was a bit of irony in their statement about them having to arrange child care when they travel. Maybe if they had that night this case would not be happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still Waters Posted June 16, 2014 #193 Share Posted June 16, 2014 In today's news - A British woman on holiday near where Madeleine McCann vanished was attacked in bed by a man who told her he "killed" the missing child.Liverpool mum Clara Corrigan, 39, was stabbed 17 times during the "terrifying" assault on 28 May by an attacker in Albufeira, in the Portuguese Algarve. She said: "I woke up with him on top of me, suffocating me. Then he shouted 'I killed Madeleine McCann and I am going to kill you'. https://uk.news.yaho...67.html#DFQwmat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regi Posted June 17, 2014 #194 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Conveniently for them the police finding nothing re-affirms their case she is still alive so the suggestion she died in apartment is unfounded. That's your spin, but it's entirely groundless. You apparently implying that the parents should stop looking for their missing child and/or that they should give up hope that she could still be alive. You're using against them what is perfectly natural human behavior. However there was a bit of irony in their statement about them having to arrange child care when they travel. Maybe if they had that night this case would not be happening. No one can turn back the clock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.United_Nations Posted June 19, 2014 #195 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Why are they searching for a body but the parents think she' still alive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skookum Posted June 20, 2014 #196 Share Posted June 20, 2014 That's your spin, but it's entirely groundless. You apparently implying that the parents should stop looking for their missing child and/or that they should give up hope that she could still be alive. You're using against them what is perfectly natural human behavior. No one can turn back the clock. Not my spin, the British police were digging up Portugal on the hypothesis she died in the apartment and was removed. British Cadaver dog alerted at the time the scent of death in the apartment and the other to the presence of blood. No records shown that anyone had ever died in the apartment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regi Posted June 20, 2014 #197 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Not my spin, the British police were digging up Portugal on the hypothesis she died in the apartment and was removed. British Cadaver dog alerted at the time the scent of death in the apartment and the other to the presence of blood. No records shown that anyone had ever died in the apartment. The fact is, she's missing from that apartment and investigators will look for her in obvious locations. When the second, more thorough search of that field came up empty, then all that would indicate to investigators is that if she's dead, then that's not where her body is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.United_Nations Posted July 7, 2014 #198 Share Posted July 7, 2014 With the interviewees now been truthful and further action and no body been found, there is a growing suspicion that again the Mccans are under the spotlight. Now why do the parents saying that they believe she's alive when the authorities are looking for a body. That is why i still think it was them, a family dispute? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jilliman Posted July 7, 2014 #199 Share Posted July 7, 2014 Not my spin, the British police were digging up Portugal on the hypothesis she died in the apartment and was removed. British Cadaver dog alerted at the time the scent of death in the apartment and the other to the presence of blood. No records shown that anyone had ever died in the apartment. How long does someone have to be dead in order for the dogs to pick up the scent? I always thought if she was killed in the apartment they'd have taken her body out pretty quickly. I don't think it'd be there long enough to leave a scent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skookum Posted July 9, 2014 #200 Share Posted July 9, 2014 How long does someone have to be dead in order for the dogs to pick up the scent? I always thought if she was killed in the apartment they'd have taken her body out pretty quickly. I don't think it'd be there long enough to leave a scent. I have no idea. But don't you find it strange the Police appear to have discounted cadaver evidence picked up in the hire car but are counting on the dogs to find cadaver scent elsewhere 7 years later? If they believe they gave a false reading back then, why do they will give them a positive lead now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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