Madeleine McCann

cnocbui wrote: »

You are being ridiculous. The abduction scenario is the one least likely to involve evidence being left - the death scenario is far more complicated and involved and far more likely to result in an evidence trail, yet you call the lack of progress on the easy option suspicious while ignoring the lack of progress on the death scenario, which ought to seem far harder to explain to anyone with an open mind.

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

The only evidence that I have seen to-date is the unwillingness of the McCanns to cooperate and work with the Police from the start which considering the circumstances is extremely, I don't dismiss the reaction of the dogs not evidence in its own regard but an indication.
People can dismiss the Portuguese authorities and I understand a little due to some of the carry on but the fact that a force like Scotland Yard can't find evidence of abduction either but this is ignored. Anyway I'm just labouring that point.

Eileen Zealous Storefront wrote: »

And he recanted that didn't he. Posters have already debunked this only a few pages back on why Smith more than likely was incorrect so I won't be dragging up old ground like you made me do a couple of posts ago. If you are incapable of retaining information that you have read only a short while ago might I suggest you seek medical help as that is not normal.

Martin Smith told the police he "was 60-80% sure the man he saw carrying the child that night was Gerry McCann. His wife Mary felt the same way.

Irish officers found him credible. A local garda who interviewed him on behalf of the Portuguese authorities described him as a genuine, decent man who did not want to court the press or seek publicity.

But while Martin’s evidence seemed compelling, independent and without motivation, much to his frustration, it was not given the attention it seemed to deserve.

Almost a year after he made his initial statement to police, he was approached by private detectives working for the McCanns and asked to make e-fits (electronic facial identification images), of the man he had seen the night Madeleine disappeared.

The McCanns say they gave these pictures to the police at the time but chose not to publicise them. Instead they remained focused on another sighting by their friend Jane Tanner, one of the so-called Tapas Seven group of friends who had been on holiday with the couple and who dined with them the evening Madeleine disappeared.

But then the story of the Smith sighting took another bizarre twist as allegations emerged in the media that the family had retracted their statements. The public were being told that this potentially critical development was just another red herring.

The BBC even went as far as to make this claim. In a ‘Panorama’ programme broadcast in May 2017 to mark the tenth anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance, presenter Richard Bilton told viewers that the Smiths had changed their mind about seeing Gerry McCann and now believed they had seen someone else.

In recent weeks, I have spoken to Martin Smith at his home in Drogheda. He told me he continues to stand by everything he said to police in 2007. At no point did he withdraw his statement or change his mind about the sighting.

He is frustrated by media claims that he now says he was mistaken; and remains “60-80 per cent” convinced that the man he saw that night was Gerry McCann.

After the BBC programme was broadcast, Martin contacted ‘Panorama’ and informed them of their inaccuracy. But the broadcaster failed to correct the record despite its public service remit.

Last month, I asked the BBC why they had wrongly suggested the Smith sighting had been withdrawn and if they were willing to correct their error at this late stage.

I received a reply acknowledging that they had indeed broadcast an inaccuracy. They agreed to update the ‘Panorama’ programme on their iPlayer to reflect the correction. They say the mistake was made in good faith but they have failed to explain how they came to make such a fundamental error and why they did not check if their story about the Smiths was correct before they aired the programme.

Former Scotland Yard murder detective Colin Sutton is one of a number of experienced officers who believe the Smith sighting is one of the most important pieces of evidence available to the investigation.

gozunda wrote: »

Talking of ridiculousness - unless you are going to claim to be a qualified and experienced investigator - that is a large heap of horse manure imo.

An individual (or individuals) who enters a strange apartment, in the dark, who has to open doors (and/or windows!) Move curtains, lift a sleeping child in the presence of other children, exit same carry a possibly screaming or crying child in a building swarming with residents and guests and you believe that is a scenario and " least likely to involve evidence being left" (sic). Really??? It is just as feasible that the child suffocated and or banged her head without significant external trauma, was found and the body quickly moved outside and hidden.

Open mind indeed ....

oceanman wrote: »

quickly moved outside and hidden!...so well that hundreds of police, sniffer dogs,
and the general public combing the area never found a trace of the body.....not even to this day.

dark crystal wrote: »

For the dozenth time, Gerry McCann could not have been in two places at once.

I honestly don't know how else to explain it to make it any clearer!

gozunda wrote: »

yourdeadwright wrote: »

Youd have to wonder did Mr Smith change his statement ?
That kind of huge if he didnt ,
Its all very odd

He didn't- See post above

yourdeadwright wrote: »

Why would the BBC lie ?

The BBC even went as far as to make this claim. In a ‘Panorama’ programme broadcast in May 2017 to mark the tenth anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance, presenter Richard Bilton told viewers that the Smiths had changed their mind about seeing Gerry McCann and now believed they had seen someone else.

In recent weeks, I have spoken to Martin Smith at his home in Drogheda. He told me he continues to stand by everything he said to police in 2007. At no point did he withdraw his statement or change his mind about the sighting.

He is frustrated by media claims that he now says he was mistaken; and remains “60-80 per cent” convinced that the man he saw that night was Gerry McCann.

After the BBC programme was broadcast, Martin contacted ‘Panorama’ and informed them of their inaccuracy. But the broadcaster failed to correct the record despite its public service remit.

Last month, I asked the BBC why they had wrongly suggested the Smith sighting had been withdrawn and if they were willing to correct their error at this late stage.

I received a reply acknowledging that they had indeed broadcast an inaccuracy. They agreed to update the ‘Panorama’ programme on their iPlayer to reflect the correction. They say the mistake was made in good faith but they have failed to explain how they came to make such a fundamental error and why they did not check if their story about the Smiths was correct before they aired the programme.