Citation

"Grâce à la liberté dans les communications, des groupes d’hommes de même nature pourront se réunir et fonder des communautés. Les nations seront dépassées" - Friedrich Nietzsche (Fragments posthumes XIII-883)

Compilation ligne temps/témoignages


JW position timeline created in English

by all the group and presented to the PJ on 10th May they were north of the side gate. That suggests Gerald was returning from the direction of the front door, as he originally told the police. 2115: JT leaves table, and sees GM talking with fellow resident ("Jez" Wilkins) outside the patio gate of 5A. The two were standing just up the hill from the gate towards Rua A. da Silva Road. She did not speak to GM as she passed.


Ce témoignage collectif suggère que GMC ne venait pas de sortir du patio, il semble plus vraisemblable qu'il descendait la rue FGM, venant du parking et étant sorti par la porte comme dans sa première déposition. JW remontait la rue à sa droite, venant ??? du parking situé en face de l'entrée du Tapas. Il allait devoir traverser pour rentrer chez lui et dit l'avoir fait quand il vit GMC. La distance entre l'allée longeant les patios et le T en haut de la rue FGM est d'environ 33m. JW l'évalue à 20, pour définir l'endroit où ils ont bavardé, il parle de 5m au nord de l'allée et à 10/15m au sud du T. Ils se trouvaient donc à un tiers ou à la moitié de la distance de 33m, à 11m ou à 16m au nord de l'allée, ce qui les place au nord de la grille du patio, comme l'indique la timeline collective.



Le point fondamental, qui n'a malheurement pas été investigué, en tout cas à temps, est l'heure de l'alerte.

Dire que l'alerte a été lancée à 22h est un ordre d'idée. Personne n'a regardé sa montre, tout le monde ou presque a repris ce 22h. Six témoins indépendants (dont les serveurs) la situent avant 22h, six protagonistes la situent à 22h, mais les premières lignes de temps la situent plus tôt. Dans son rog Fiona WP la place entre 21h45 et 22h et Matthew MO à 21h50. Gerald MC, défaillance de mémoire ou non, la remet par deux fois à plus tard (la 2è à un précis 22h03, ce qui fait une différence de presque un quart d'heure entre Mattew MO et lui). 
Le premier média à avoir été informé, par Rachael qui était amie de la femme d'un journaliste, fut la BBC, de sorte que l'information diffusée par BBC Radio 4 dans le programme Today (8h30/9h) est de première main :
Vers 22h45, sa mère, Kate McCann, a découvert que sa fille n'était pas là.
Voilà mise à mal la croyance de la PJ et donc de SY que Gerald MC était à table au tapas à 22 heures : personne n'y était, sauf  Dianne W qui, intriguée, n'allait pas tarder à partir.
OG a étudié forensiquement la time line des TP9 et découvert, entre 20h30 et 22h plusieurs "fenêtres" où l'enlèvement aurait pu avoir lieu. Ont-ils examiné la question de l'heure de l'alerte et réinterrogé les témoins selon lesquels l'alerte avait été lancée avant 22h ? Ont-ils découvert d'autres témoins, hormis les protagonistes, de l'alerte à 22h ?
Étrangement les témoignages indépendants n'ont pas été pris en compte pour tenter de cerner l'heure à laquelle KMC a lancé l'alerte.

Le dîner du 3 mai

Les McCann et leurs compagnons de voyage ont convenu dans leur ligne de temps que l'alarme avait été déclenchée vers 22 heures. Les témoignages de quelques uns d'entre eux, pourtant, ainsi que des témoignages indépendants indiquent qu'elle a eu lieu plus tôt.


Selon le chef des cuisines qu'il n'y avait personne à la table à 21h40 lorsqu'il a quitté la zone des tapas. Cependant, il y avait des objets sur la table, ce qui signifie que Dianne était déjà allée à l'appartement (elle est revenue plus tard chercher ces objets).



Le réceptionniste a déclaré qu'il avait été prévenu au téléphone par un employé de tapas entre 21h30 et 22h00.



Barend Jan Jacob Weijdom a entendu parler de la disparition à 21h30 ou 21h40.



Selon Ricardo Oliveira, le serveur chargé de la table du groupe ce soir-là, un des invités avait disparu lorsqu'il avait servi le plat principal à 21h20 et qu'il était revenu à 21h45. Quelques minutes après 21h45, il n'y avait personne à la table (6 mai). Interrogé de nouveau en septembre il s'est souvenu avoir vu Dianne à table, seule. Cependant, il dit aussi qu'il a pris les commandes quand ils ont tous été assis à 20h45. Selon lui le plat principal serait servi 30 minutes après la commande et il leur faudrait 15 minutes pour le manger. Son temps de 21h20 semble donc correct. Russell était absent et n'est rentré qu'à 21h45.

"Quand on le lui demande, il dit que le 3 mai, on lui a demandé de garder au chaud le plat d'un des convives pendant quelques minutes, c'était environ 15 minutes avant son retour, vers 21 h 45
Il ne se souvient pas avoir vu les parents de Madeleine quitter la table, mais il est possible que quelqu'un ait pu quitter la table sans que le témoin l'ait remarqué.

Quelques minutes après 21h45 le témoin a regardé la table et a constaté qu'il n'y avait personne. Un de ses collègues lui a dit que tous les invités avaient quitté la table à la hâte. En tout cas, il se souvient avoir entendu des cris venant de la direction de l'appartement des parents de Madeleine. "



La déclaration ci-dessus suggère que Russell était absent à 21h20, ce qui rend absurde le signalement de Jane à 21h15/20 alors qu'elle était en route pour une ronde. Si Jane a vu quelque chose, c'était probablement plus tôt ou plus tard, par exemple à 21h40 lorsqu'elle est partie remplacer Russell auprès de l'enfant malade afin qu'il puisse dîner. Russell et Matt ne seraient pas non plus partis pour une ronde à 21h30.


Miguel Salcedos Coelho a appris la nouvelle à 22 heures. Comme il était dans la chambre froide, donc on ne l'a informé que lorsqu'il est sorti.

"Le 3 mai, vers 22h05, Jacqueline Williams travaillait au" Mini Club "à l'heure du" dîner "avec ses collègues Charlotte et Amy, lorsqu'une personne féminine est arrivée, dont elle ignore le nom, mais qu'elle était la mère de un enfant (appartenant à Toddlers 2), un invité qui séjournait à l'hôtel et qui est parti à la fin de la semaine, lui a dit qu'une fille appelée "Maddie" avait disparu et que ses parents avaient besoin d'aide pour la chercher.



Selon Charlotte Pennington, à la crèche de nuit avec Amy Tierney et Jackie Williams, une femme venue chercher son enfant vers 22h15 leur a dit qu'un enfant était porté disparu. Amy a alors appelé Lindsay qui a confirmé. Selon Jackie, elles ont été informées à 10h05. Bien que les deux femmes disent que Lyndsay Johnson a confirmé la disparition d’un enfant, Lyndsay a déclaré que Amy l’avait informée à 22h20. Amy ne mentionne pas avoir téléphoné à qui que ce soit et ne donne pas non plus le temps d'apprendre la disparition. Sa déclaration porte principalement sur le fait de voir la fenêtre ouverte et les volets, ce qui est très douteux puisque Gerry les a fermés.

Si les nannies ont été informées entre 22h05 et 22h15, l'informatrice l'avait appris vers 22h/22h10, en supposant qu'elle se soit rendue immédiatement à la crèche. Malheureusement, nous ne savons pas qui était cette femme ni où elle se trouvait lorsqu'elle a entendu parler de la disparition. Elle aurait pu être à proximité ou dans un restaurant du village. Elle pouvait être en route vers la crèche.

Quoi qu'il en soit, il est difficile de croire la déposition de GMC selon laquelle Kate est partie faire sa ronde à 22 h 03, en étant revenue dix minutes plus tard (alors qu'elle a déclaré d'être restée moins d'une minute dans l'appartement).


Maria Jose dos Santos Rosa, qui travaille au Millenium, a déclaré qu'un touriste anglais venu au Millenium vers 22 heures, avait parlé de la disparition.



Plusieurs employés de Millenium ont déclaré que les MC y prenaient leur petit-déjeuner tous les jours. Une employée était chargé de vérifier que les clients avaient droit à un petit-déjeuner gratuit dans le cadre de leur forfait vacances. Elle aurait vérifié quand ils arrivaient pour le petit-déjeuner. Pourquoi les McCann et leurs amis nieraient-ils avoir déjeuné là-bas?

On s'attendrait à ce que quiconque ayant procédé à un "examen forensique" de la chronologie, comme le dit DCI Redwood, veuille savoir pourquoi il y avait de si grandes disparités entre les témoignages. Les employés travaillaient et les neuf tapas dînaient et buvaient. Il n'y a aucune raison de croire que les T9 avaient plus conscience de l'heure que les employés. C'est une négligence de la PJ de s'être fiée aux lignes de temps du groupe sans tenir compte des témoignages indépendants.

 
La PJ suspectait la ligne de temps mais n'a rassemblé aucune preuve pour la contester. Tous les témoins non impliqués qui ont donné une heure plus tôt que les autres auraient dû être interrogés à nouveau.

Le chef qui a donné 21h20 aurait dû faire vérifier ses mouvements avec d'autres témoins; à quelle heure a-t-il vraiment quitté les tapas? Où est-il allé alors? Qui l'a vu?

La mère qui a signalé la disparition aux nourrices aurait dû être interrogée, de même que tous ceux qui ont dîné au Tapas.

La personne qui aurait signalé la disparition à 22 heures au Millenium aurait dû être retrouvée. S'ils avaient éclairé ces détails, ils n'auraient peut-être pas besoin d'une reconstruction. Cependant, trop de temps s'était écoulé, ils n'avaient aucune raison de continuer et ils voulaient juste se débarrasser de l'affaire.



Il est facile de dire rétrospectivement ce que la PJ aurait dû faire, mais il était beaucoup plus difficile pour elle sur le moment de se concentrer sur les questions cruciales. Je les défends en principe parce que je suis sûr qu'ils ont fait de leur mieux dans une situation très difficile.



John Hill ne l'a appris qu'à 22h28. Lyndsay, responsable des services de garde d’enfants, l’a informé. Amy a été informée par une femme sans nom entre 22h05 et 22h15.

Lyndsay elle-même a appris à 22h20 par sa collègue Amy T. que Madeleine McCann avait disparu. Charlotte Pennington, vers 22 h 15, travaillait à la crèche de nuit avec ses collègues, Jackie et Amy, lorsqu'une inconnue est venue les voir, indiquant qu'elle était une touriste hébergée dans le complexe et leur demandant si elles avaient entendu parler de la disparition d'un enfant, dont elle a appelé le nom "Maggie" ou "Maddy";

Amy a contacté par téléphone sa superviseur, Lyndsay, qui l'a informée que Madeleine avait effectivement disparu;

Jackie pense également qu'Amy a interrogé Lyndsay, ne l'informait pas. Vers 22 h 05, elle travaillait au Mini Club quand une femme est arrivée et lui a dit qu'une fille appelée "Maddie" avait disparu et que ses parents avaient besoin d'aide pour la chercher.

Pendant ce temps, sa collègue a tenté de savoir ce qu'il en était et a confirmé qu'un enfant du nom de Madeleine McCann avait disparu et qu'ils étaient sur le point de commencer la "procédure relative à la disparition d'un enfant".

 
A logistical nightmare.
Le 5 mai, 6 équipes composées d'officiers de la PJ et de membres de l'équipe de maintenance de l'Ocean Club ont visité 443 résidences de l'Ocean Club. On a demandé aux gens s’ils avaient des informations et si c’était le cas, ils ont été emmenés pour un interrogatoire formel.

Mme Fenn et les Moyes ont dû soit être sortis, soit avoir dit qu'ils n'avaient aucune information. S'ils manquaient, un appartement était confié à la police [606] où ils auraient pu se rendre et signaler quelque chose d'intéressant pour l'enquête. Derek Flack, qui séjournait dans les appartements Mirage, s'est rendu sur place pour rendre compte de ce qu'il a vu.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/EXTERNAL.htm

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/DEREK_FLACK.htm


Entre 20h30 et 21h, Gerry, Kate, Jane, Matthew et Rachael, Russell, les Paynes et Jeremy Wikins sont passés rua FGM.

Matthew, Gerry, Jez, Jane et les Moyes sont passés dans cette rue de 21h à 21h30.

Le chef des cuisines est passé de la cuisine centrale au Tapas en voiture, tout comme un préposé à l'entretien et sa petite amie. Les Carpenter se trouvaient à l'entrée du tapas. Crecheman devait être dans les environs.

De 21h30 à 22h00, Matthew, Russell [deux fois] et Jane sont passés dans la rue.

Sur le parking se trouvent deux blocs où les gens pouvaient être assis sur des balcons tels que Balu et Naylor. Un couple a quitté en voiture le Bloc 6 à 22 heures.

Les autres tapas devaient être présents et il aurait pu y avoir des gens venant du restaurant Millenium.

Étonnamment, les seules personnes qui se sont vues étaient Matthew et les Paynes [après qu'on le leur ait rappelé]. Jane a vu Gerry, Jez et Crecheman, mais personne ne semble l'avoir vue.



21:15/21:30 : L'OC guest Scarpenter et sa femme quittent le Tapas et rentrent chez eux. La femme se souvient vaguement le lendemain d'avoir entendu quelqu'un appeler "Madeleine, Madeleine" après avoir traversé la rue GM et avant d'entrer dans leur appartement. Divers témoins situent l'alerte avant 21:30, manifestement ils n'ont pas de montre.

Entre 21.30 and 22:00 le serveur Salcedas demande à DW si "ils l'ont laissée seule" et celle-ci répond qu'ils sont allés voir où était la petite fille. Là-dessus Salcedas voit GMC courir vers la piscine et le terrain de jeux. Salcedas lui propose d'alerter les gens du Millenium et GMC accepte et repart en courant. Sauf que ce n'est pas GMC, c'est probablement David P.

22h : MS déclare avoir quitté un appartement du G6 à 21:58 (son amie vérifie l'heure à sa demande) avec son compagnon et être montée dans leur voiture garée dans le parking privé du bloc (en face de la face latérale du G5). Il y a du vent et il fait sombre (la lune pourtant va se lever dans quelques minutes). Ils prennent à gauche dans Agostinho da Silva et passent donc le long du G5. Elle ne voit aucun mouvement, ni gens ni voitures, une petite auto garée dans la rue GM. Elle voit de la lumière chez Mrs Fenn.

Entre 21:30 et 22:00 le réceptionniste de l'OC, HL, a été contacté par un membre du personnel du restaurant Tapas qui lui a dit que la fille de clients qui dînaient avait disparu. Il a immédiatement contacté la GNR de Lagos. Ce n'est pas vrai. Peu après GMC et John Hill sont arrivés à la réception et il a appelé la GNR à nouveau. Le premier a eu lieu à 22h42 et il a été effectué à l'instigation de John Hill (GMC n'était pas là). MO est censé avoir alerté le premier le réceptionniste vers 22h10, puis il est parti au Millenium. 

Après 22:00 RB et sa femme, assis sur leur véranda, entendent des bruits en bas et découvrent ensuite qu'un enfant a disparu. Gerald was seen and spoken to by NB and RB They heard him calling for Madeleine when they were sitting on NB's balcony, not far from the McCann's apartment. They both went down to talk to Gerald and helped in the search.

Entre 22:00 and 22:30 waiter JB was in the kitchen, and was alerted, by a colleague, to the fact that a guest entered the restaurant screaming and at this point, the entire group left in a panic; his colleague proceeded to tell him that the (screaming) individual indicated that a child had gone missing.
22h15/20 : Gerald MC est de retour au 5A. Où est-il allé ?

About 22:15 Owner of "Duque de Holanda" Bar JW

About 22:17 Hotel manager EK received a call from LJ

Environ 22:20 Le tennis coach DS a connaissance de la disparition.


22:28 Manager John Hill gets a phone call from L.J., head of the child care service, who told him about a female child staying at the resort who had disappeared. This phone call was made to his mobile phone at about 22:28 on 03 May 2007. About 5 minutes later J.H. presented himself at the resort. Upon arriving at the scene he saw about 100 people, employees, guests and residents searching the grounds, the beach and adjoining areas calling out the child's name.

Head of Maintenance JB was informed about 22.30 by phone by the OC administrator,

22:25 Le manager GC arrive au Tapas. 

Juste après 22:30  Pamela F, qui habite au-dessus du 5A et vient d'éteindre la TV après le journal, entend des cris féminins hystériques et répétés, "nous l'avons laissée tombée". En se penchant par dessus la balustrade de sa terrasse, elle demande à GMC ce qui se passe et s'entend répondre qu'une petite fille a été enlevée. Elle trouvera étrange que GMC n'ait pas dit que c'était sa fille et n'ait pas mentionné d'autres explications pour la disparition. Elle propose son téléphone pour contacter les autorités, mais GMC répond que cela a été fait (or la réception de l'OC n'avait pas encore contacté la GNR) et il semble que GMC ait renvoyé Matthew MO à la réception principale.
Selon Rachael, elle et GMC cherchent dans les étages de l'immeuble.


22:41 John Hill est à la réception principale et demande que l'on appelle la GNR de Lagos. Premier appel répercuté sur une voiture patrouillant près de Odixere. Second appel 11 minutes plus tard 
22:52 Second appel. On sait, détail important, que la voiture de la patrouille alertée était à Valverde lorsqu'elle apprend que le poste de Lagos a reçu le second appel. Valverde est tout près de PDL (4 minutes en voiture ?), ce qui permet d'estimer que la patrouille est arrivée à la réception principale vers 23h. Après un moment passé à la réception principale avec GMC (il y a deux appels de GMC à KMC à 23h14 et 23h17), ils doivent arriver au 5A vers 23h20.
John Hill va au 5A et emmène GMC et Matthew MO à la réception principale attendre la GNR.


23:05 : arrivée de la GNR à PDL. GMC et Matthew MO sont là. SB aussi.

23:20 : arrivée des sus mentionnés au G5A

23:30 : une fois terminée la recherche dans l'appartement, l'un des gendarmes (JR) va inspecter les environs, l'autre (NC) reste sur les lieux et reçoit la visite de JT. Celle-ci parle du porteur de pyjama, c'est SB qui traduit.

23.30/23.40 Une équipe CID part de Portimão vers PDL

23:40 : GMC appelle son frère John (idée d'enlèvement paedophile)
id... : GMC appelle sa soeur Trish Cameron (id)
23:52 : GMC appelle Brian et Janet Kennedy
00:00 : KMC appelle les Healy, mais c'est GMC qui parle
00:05 : GMC appelle les Kennedy
00:06 : GMC appelle Trish Cameron
00:07 : GMC appelle les Kennedy
00:13 : GMC appelle Trish Cameron
00: 14 : GMC appelle les Healy
00:21 : GMC appelle Trish Cameron
00:23 : GMC calls …. (3.55 minutes)
0:27 : Trish Cameron appelle GMC Gerry (son mari a alerté l'ambassade de GB au Portugal)
00:29 : Angela Morado at UK Consulate appelle GMC
00:30/01:00 : rédaction des deux timelines par ROB
00:36 : KMC calls … (31 seconds)
00:38 : … calls GMC
00:40/50 : officier PJ VM arrive. Ordre aux gens de vider les lieux et d'emmener les jumeaux ailleurs. Inspection avec reportage photo par spécialiste J.B (resté jusqu'à 4h) qui constate qu'on circule comme dans un moulin
00:45 : Brian and Janet Kennedy call GMC
00:47 : … calls KMC
00:47 : Angela Morado at UK Consulate calls GMC
01:00 : MO et John Hill frappent à la porte de JW
01:02 : … calls Kate (2.23 minutes)
01:16 : GMC calls A. M. UK Consulate
01.29 : Phil McCann appelle son frère
01:30 : KMC appelle Father PS
01.43 : … calls GMC
02:00/30 : PJ MQ décide d'alerter l'aéroport et la police de Faro et aussi la GNR de Lagos pour que les patrouilles soient attentives aux voitures
02:30 : le gendarme JR s'en va
02:38 : Lynda et Mark appellent KMC
02.53 : KMC appelle Michelle and Jon
03:00 : les MC demandent un prêtre à Gendarme NC
03.06 : KMC appelleMichelle and Jon
03.07 : KMC appelle Jon Corner
03.08 : KMC appelle Michelle and Jon
03.23 : Jon Corner appelle KMC

Jusqu'à 04:55 une série de SMS sont envoyés à et par GMC et KMC
04.36… calls KMC (17.27 minutes)
04.30/05.30PJ MQ reçoit appel de Sky News
06:02 jusqu'à 07:06les SMS reprennent vers ou de KMC (sa mère, Jon Corner)
06.05 : KMC appelle Amanda
07:00le gendarme PN voit les MC dans la rue
07.09John McCann appelle son frère
07.15 : Gerry calls Angela Morado UK Consulate
07.23 :… calls Gerry
07.41 : Jill R. appelle Kate
Jusqu'à 08:08 : nombreux SMS de et à KMC (dont sa mère)
08.11 : Jill R. appelle calls Kate (1.56 minutes)
08.21 : idem
Jusqu'à 08:31 : nombreux SMS de et à KMC dont Michelle
08.31 : Jill R. appelle KMC
Jusqu'à 08:34 : SMS dont Jon
08.35 : GMC appelle Angela Morado, UK vice-consul
Jusqu'à 08:45 : messages de KMC
08.50 : GMC appelle Angela Morado, UK consulat
Jusqu'à 08:57 : SMS KMC
08.57 : Jill appelle KMC
09.01. … calls Gerry
09.04.… calls Gerry
09.05. ... calls Gerry
Jusqu'à 09:10 : SMS KMC
09.12. Geteesha appelle KMC
09.14 UK consulate in Portugal appelle GMC
Jusqu'à 09:30 : SMS à et de KMC et GMC
09.33 : Michelle & Jon appellent KMC
09.45 : Fiona & Richard appellent KMC
09.45Social worker Y. M. s'avance vers le couple MC qui est avec David WP
Jusqu'à 10:00 maints SMS KMC
10:00 Arrivée du consul britannique de Portimao



About 22:55/23:00 manager EK went to the McCann's apartment to obtain the girl's description and of the clothes she was wearing when she disappeared. When she arrived at the apartment, there was a lady on the terrace, whom she now knows to be Kate McCann, accompanied by Fiona Payne.

Head of Maintenance JB arrived at about 23:00

Accountant JN notes that on May 03, 2007, (Thursday), at around 23:00, noticed "much movement and traffic that was out of the ordinary" outside (vehicles and individuals passing by frequently) for that time of night.

About 0:00, Ocean Club guest GMK approached the McCann's apartment from the bushes at the rear of the apartment. He was searching the gardens. He did not know it was the McCann's apartment. He saw GMC standing alone in the doorway at the rear of the apartment talking on his mobile telephone. GMC was looking out over the swimming pool and did not see Mr McKenzie. Mr McCann was absolutely distraught telling the person receiving the call that he feared "she (Madeleine McCann) had been taken by paedophiles". He does not know who the person receiving the calls was but presumes it to be a family member:  
I worked my way around the area, eventually coming around the back of the tennis courts and up towards what I now know to be the McCann's apartment a couple of hours later. I was looking in the little gardens on the poolside of that block, I was in the end garden when I heard a male voice, he sounded distraught his voice cracking with emotion. I looked to see who I now know to be Gerry McCann stood above me on the balcony/patio about 3 metres away speaking on a mobile phone. I cannot recall his exact words but I got the impression that he was speaking to perhaps a family member or someone he was very close to due to the nature of his conversation. He said something along the lines of there being Paedophile gangs in Portugal and that they had abducted Madeleine. I was so shocked by this, having originally thought that she had just wandered off.


About 23.00 Silvia B arrived... close to the elements of the GNR she found that behind her was Gerry, Madeleine's father, accompanied by another man whose identity she doesn't remember. Then Gerry kneeled down, hit the floor with both hands, positioning himself as if he were a praying Arab, and screamed twice of anger, what he said being impossible to understand. Gerry gave the GNR Commander several photographs of the missing person. These were postcard-type photographs

23:00/23:05 - A GNR patrol arrives at Ocean Club (two men); When they arrived they saw the girl's father, a friend whom GNR Officer NC describes as tall and blond (MO?), an Ocean Club employee and a translator who was also an Ocean Club employee, named S.B.. He found it notable that when they were still at the main reception, the father kneeled down, laying his head on the ground and crying, at the same time as making an expression which GNR Officer NC did not understand.


Around 23:15 After hearing about the circumstances of the disappearance (from the father with the help of translation) at a determined moment GNR Officer JR thinks it was the father who told the translator that it was an abduction, at least this is how it was translated. When he entered, apart from the mother, there were three individuals, one female and two males, whom he cannot identify.

After the search, GNR Officer JR noticed a situation that seemed unusual to him, when at a determined moment, the girl's parents kneeled down on the floor of their bedroom and placed their heads on the bed, crying. He did not notice any comments or expression from them, just crying. He says that at the main reception the father also knelt down, placing his head on the floor and crying. He did not hear the father say anything.

After the search of the interior, GNR Officer JR went to check the area around the apartments and the Tapas Bar, while GNR Officer NC remained next the apartment, just outside it. At that moment a female individual, he does not know whether she was a member of the group of friends, who was in the neighbouring apartment, said that she saw an individual carrying a child, running, and that because of the pyjamas she was wearing it could have been Madeleine. It was in these circumstances that abduction began to be talked about. He made a report about this situation and sent it to the police. This sighting did not seem to him to be very credible, because when he asked her about the physical characteristics of the individual, she said it was very dark, however she saw the pyjamas clearly.

SB translated the deposition from one of the ladies that belonged to the group of English people, namely one that she indicates as being a brunette. This lady told the GNR officers, and S.B. translated, that she had seen a man crossing the road, possibly carrying a child. S.B. found that situation strange because she was convinced that when she saw this man, the lady was positioned in a spot that has no viewing angle to the location where she had seen the man. She doesn't know exactly where the lady was positioned when she saw the man passing by, but she knows that she indicated that she saw him passing on the street that lies in front of the window to the bedroom where Madeleine was, walking into the direction of the street that leads to the Baptista supermarket (clairement GM).

Peut-être que Sylvia est étonnée parce que JT a dit être dans GM et il est vrai que, là, on ne peut pas voir quelqu'un dans Agostinho da Silva qui se dirige vers GM.

S.B. also realised that from the very first moment on, both Gerry and the rest of the group members insisted in stating that Madeleine had been abducted, all of them using the word "abducted" instead of "missing", and they all showed great interest in informing the press about the situation.

S.B. further recalls that she entered the room where Madeleine had been sleeping. She now remembers that the door was closed. The inside of the room was dark. The shutters were down, and light entered only through its holes. The windows were closed and the curtains slightly open. Gerry, who accompanied S.B. during this visit, with the GNR officers also present, said that it had been him who had closed the window because the babies were still sleeping inside, which S.B. could verify as true. Gerry mentioned that when he noticed that Madeleine was missing, he had found the window and shutters open, and the curtains fluttering.

S.B. recalls that the cots that were used by the babies were placed in the middle of the room and aligned, and therefore she found it strange that someone could have taken Madeleine from the bed where she was sleeping up to the window, because there was no space to get through. S.B. opened the bedroom's wardrobe to check if eventually Madeleine was hiding inside.

Gerry and the other group members that were there in a frenzy, going in and out and speaking on their mobile phones. She noticed that none of the group members, including the child's mother and father, were busy looking for her. The mother was sitting on the master bedroom's bed, the father accompanied S.B. and the GNR officers and the other group members walked in and out and spoke on the phone, apparently concerned about informing the press about the event.

23:30/23:40 A CID team leaves from Portimão to Praia da Luz.

John McCann stated on MSNBC that at 'twenty to twelve' 23:40 Gerry calls his brother John: he just said, "I don't know what to think. I think some paedophile or some other swine has taken Madeleine".

23:40 Gerry calls Trish Cameron (11.13 minutes) He said: 'Madeleine is abducted, she's been abducted'. ' said Mrs. Cameron. 'The door was lying open, the window in the bedroom and the shutters had been jimmied open'. "They think someone must have come in the window and gone out of the front door with Madeleine." (Timesonline, 6 May 2007)

He seemed frustrated with the slowness of the searches in Portugal, with the fact that the borders had not been closed, and with the fact that sniffer dogs were not being used. Patricia and I contacted the British Embassy to try and help in this regard."

At about 00:00, A.T. was at her desk at the Tapas bar, inside the resort, when at a certain time, one of the friends of the McCann couple, Russell, asked for a USB memory stick reader, in order to print photographs of Madeleine.She went to her room and returned to the Tapas with the printer where she printed out 20 to 30 photographs of the girl, using her own paper, in 10x15 format mentioned previously.

Between 00:00 and 00:30, the police arrived, entered by the main door and went to the kitchen with Gerry. Hotel manager E.L.K. went to the bedroom where Kate and Mrs Payne were. Kate was still upset, crying and calling Madeleine's name, shouting "where is she?" She also banged on the headboard. At that moment Hotel manager E.L.K. went to check on the twins in their room and they were ok. She remembers being in the main bedroom with Kate, Mrs Payne, Gerry, Russell and David who were sitting on the bed and she sat on the floor. At that moment David suggested that the press should be contacted. Russell disagreed, saying they should keep calm and let the police take care of the situation.

About 00:40/00:50 PJ Officer V.M.M. arrived on the scene  with JB (police technique et scientifique.

A request was made to the Ocean Club services director for the family to be re-located and accordingly the babies were taken out of the room, so that the site could be searched.

After the site had been isolated, he proceeded to make an inspection, together with the inspection and photographic report carried out by J.B..

He was shown the room the child had disappeared from, having noticed that people also entered and left that room without any care in the sense of preserving traces. Inside this room there were two children, babies, sleeping in two cots placed in the middle of the room.

It was requested that the babies were moved, which was done accordingly, the witness having subsequently put his gloves on to begin the on-site inspection.

At that moment one of the GNR officers told the witness that they had already searched for the girl in the wardrobes and other places in the apartment without having taken any care as to leaving their own traces or for destroying or adulterating any traces that might be of interest to the investigation. The witness states that, at a given moment, the father of the missing girl led him to understand that he had already contacted the Sky News TV station and informed them of the situation.

As much the father as the girl's mother looked quite worried with the situation and he can even confirm that the mother was very agitated and out of control, crying a lot and shouting in an uncontrolled manner, saying in English "They have taken her". He remembers that he remained on the scene until about 04:00.

Between 00:30 and 01.00: Two timelines written by Russell O'Brien on the covers ripped off Madeleine's stickerbook are provided to the GNR officers.

Between 00:30 and 01:00 Kate calls her parents: "I had a phone call from Kate asking me to contact Father P.S. He's a friend of Kate and Gerry's. Paul married Kate and Gerry and baptised Madeleine and she needed to speak to him".

About 01:30 that morning Kate called Father P.S. in a state of great agitation. He tried to calm her as well as he could saying that Madeleine could have had a bout of sleepwalking and that she would be all right. He remembesr that Kate was worried by the fact that Madeleine was wearing short sleeved pyjamas and that she could catch a cold. He felt that only a mother could think like that and say such a thing. He could perceive the trauma that Kate was experiencing from her voice. He led with prayers and other situations in his role as priest.

Gerry phoned him on the same night and he also seemed to me to be quite traumatised and at the same time very upset and angry. His Scottish accent, which was normally very slight, became so heavy that his sentences were almost incomprehensible.

Before 02:30 (the time he left the scene) GNR Officer J.M.B.R. refers to a situation when he was searching outside, near the pool, that someone from the Ocean Club whom he cannot identify, passed him a mobile phone, as a British Consulate employee who spoke in Portuguese, wanted to talk to the authorities.

About 02:00/02:30, as the child had not been found, PJ Inspector M.J.P.d.L.Q. decided to contact SEF at Faro airport with the aim of alerting them in case anyone would board accompanied by some child, whoever she was and those accompanying her should be duly identified, however the various calls made were not attended. In the face of this situation he contacted the Faro Station from the police and told them what was going on and asked them to alert the SEF.

He also decided to alert the GNR in Lagos so that they would send out a warning so that the car and foot patrols that were out on the ground would pay attention and identify cars with people out driving at that time who were accompanied by a child (children).

02.38 Lynda and Mark call Kate (9.45 minutes)

On the morning of 4 May 2007 the mother of Kate telephoned my mother who, in turn, telephoned me. My mother told me that something terrible had happened, that somebody had taken Madeleine. I later sent a text message to Kate that same night and I spoke with her on the telephone. She was hysterical, saying only that she wanted to be able to hug Madeleine. She was worried by the fact that there were only two police officers in the place and thought that the police were not helping her with anything. She continued to speak about Madeleine, of the cold that she could feel since she was dressed only in pyjamas and continued to look at the situation from the perspective of Madeleine. She told me that Gerry was outside to find the girl and during the following day we spoke on the telephone and we frequently sent messages [to each other].

GNR Officer N.F.P.d.C. refers to a situation at about 02:00 or 03:00, that the parents asked for a priest and his colleague had tried to contact one on his mobile, but did not manage to find one.

Around 03:00, S.B. mentions that  Madeleine's parents asked for the presence of a priest on location. They didn't explain the reason why they wanted a priest, but the deponent found the fact strange as there were no indications that the little girl was dead, and that's the circumstance under which usually the presence of a priest is requested.


During the early morning in question PJ Inspector M.J.P.d.L.Q. received some telephone calls from people whom, with the exception of one, expressed themselves in Portuguese to ask whether an English girl had really disappeared in Lagos and about what was being done with relation to this and he informed them that this was true and that inquiries were being made in order to find her. One of these calls, from the person who did not express themselves in Portuguese but in English and which was received between 04:30 and 05:30, was made by someone who identified themselves as being from the Sky News TV chain and who requested the same information mentioned earlier.

Estimated time 09:45 Social worker Y.M. met the McCann couple next to the apartment from where the child had disappeared, accompanied by a third person, a male (David WP), who seemed quite familiar to her.

- This third person of the group appeared to be an intimate (friend) of the family as he was the one who, when the media arrived, began to explain what was happening and answering questions, thereby saving the couple from this upset. Afterwards, she further confirmed his closeness to the family when she saw him taking care of the couple's twins, also small children.

- She identified herself and presented her credentials and immediately began talking to the mother of the missing child as she was visibly upset with the situation.

- During the conversation the mother told her that she did not understand why a couple had abducted her daughter.

- Because she found it strange that Kate told her that her daughter had been taken by a couple, she tried to separate her from the other two individuals so that she could speak to her with more privacy, suggesting to Kate that they (Y and K) should enter the apartment. Kate aggressively rejected this idea and told her that they could speak on the street.

- The witness then asked whether anyone from the Medical Centre had been with Kate as she was very agitated and needed some support, she was told they hadn't.

- At this point, Kate told her that her daughter had disappeared 13 hours ago. It was about 10 in the morning.

- However, the third individual overheard this conversation and interrupted Ms. M. and took the McCann couple away from her.

- This same individual came shortly afterwards to tell her that the couple did not want to talk to her any further and did not require her help - an action that appeared quite strange to her.

- Meanwhile, she heard comments next to the complex reception that the British Consul was coming to the site and she decided to wait for this person in order to offer her help.

- During this time, she saw the third individual two more times. Firstly, when he was accompanying an older woman and the McCann twins, demonstrating in this way, the trust that the couple had in him by letting him take care of their two children. On the second occasion, he accompanied what appeared to her to be plain clothed police officers.


10:00, 12 hours after the disappearance, the British Consul from Portimão arrives. PJ tell him all that is going on. He is not satisfied and is heard talking on the phone saying the "PJ are doing nothing. " (GA)

Kate's phone: Showed she had made no calls from 27 April to 4 May and had received no calls from 11:22 on 2 May until 23:17 on 3 May

Gerry's phone: Showed no activity prior to 00:15 on 4 May

However, inside Kate's phone there is a record of a call received from Gerry at 23:17, 3 May. But no record of the call on Gerry's phone. It had been erased. (GA).

Telephone calls, 03/04 May 2007



Russell O'Brien
Gerry, he was on the phone to, errm... a member of his family, errm... curled up, really, on the floor just outside the sliding patio door, just sobbing uncontrollably and in between sobs just saying 'They've...', you know, 'Someone's taken her' or 'Somebody's blo*dy got her', you know, 'She's gone' and absolutely, errm... you know, you know, for such a strong man to see him on the floor, broken, he was... he was incapable of even standing up, he was just lying on the floor and just repeating himself, there was so little he could, you know, there was just nothing else in there. Statement to the Leicestershire Police, April 2008 
Fiona Payne
And Kate's ringing, Gerry's ringing anybody under the sun, family, they just don't, they honestly just didn’t know what to do. So there was a lot of... Gerry's in and out, I mean, they were just sobbing, going between sobbing and then feeling helpless and then ringing people and this frantic activity.
(..)Gerry kicked in to his sort of you know, action mode, which, errr... he was ringing people; who do we need to ring; the British Embassy, I think he was trying to get hold of the British Embassy and just get somebody, errm... who was English speaking, who might be able to help, errm... say early, I know he phoned his sister, he was phoning relatives, just telling anybody, you know, you've got to help us, what can you do, can you think of anything?


(..)There were lots of... lots of phone calls going on with Kate and Gerry, errm... of which, yeah, I, I heard snippets and bits. They phoned the family, I know Gerry phoned his sister, Trish, and he was just sobbing and hysterical on the phone. Statement to the Leicestershire Police, April 2008





Patricia Cameron
Mr McCann told the girl's aunt, Trish Cameron, from Dumbarton near Glasgow, that at about 22:00 that night they had found the door open, with the bedroom window and shutters jemmied open. BBC News 5/5/07. L'alarme lancée vers 22h vient nettement de GMC.
The phone went last night and it was my brother Gerry, distraught on the phone, breaking his heart. He said, 'Madeleine’s been abducted, she's been abducted'. They kept going back to check the kids every half-hour. On the last visit, at 10 pm, Mrs McCann went into the apartment, then ran out, screaming. Mrs Cameron said: "The door was lying open, the window in the bedroom and the shutters had been jemmied open. Nothing had been touched in the apartment, no valuables taken, no passports. They think someone must have come in the window and gone out the door with her. It looks as if somebody has either been watching, or they've targeted her. Daily Express, 5/5/07

Mrs Cameron spoke to her brother again at 10am yesterday. It was frustrating for him then because between 5am and 7am the police seemed to do nothing, they were standing about. Guardian 5/5/07

Kate came screaming back to the group crying, 'They've taken her, they've taken her'. Gerry was crying and roaring like a bull.They were all sound asleep, windows shut, shutters shut.  
Kate went back at 10pm to check, the front door was lying open, the window had been tampered with, the shutters had been jammied open, and Madeleine was missing. Timesonline 6/5/07
Trish Cameron recalled that she received a call later that night from her younger brother who told her 'I went back to check the children at nine o'clock. They were all sound asleep, windows shut, shutters shut.' When Mrs McCann went to the two apartment a little under an hour later: The shutters had been jemmied open. They think someone must have come in the window and gone out of the front door with Madeleine. Mail on Sunday 6/5/07


They had put the kids to bed at 7pm and checked on them every half an hour as they had dinner nearby with the rest of the party. Gerry said the window was open, the shutters broken and the door, which had been locked, hanging open. Kate came screaming back to the group crying, 'They've taken her, they've taken her'. Gerry was crying and roaring like a bull. Obviously someone has been watching them, watching the children, seeing where they stayed and seeing they were left alone. It just doesn't bear thinking about. Trish Cameron, Telegraph 7/5/07


Brian Healy

Gerry told me when they went back the shutters to the room were broken, they were jemmied up and she was gone, said Mr Healy. She'd been taken from the chalet. The door was open.


He denied suggestions that the couple had simply left their three children alone while they ate in a restaurant.


It is not right to say that they just left them, said Mr Healy. They could see the chalet from where they were sitting in the restaurant, they were a hundred yards away. They went back every half hour to check on the children. When they returned at the end of their meal she was gone. My daughter can hardly speak. She is distraught, she is crying and in shock. Guardian 5/5/07





Sandy Cameron


On the night of Thursday, May 3, 2007, Patricia received a telephone call from Gerry informing us of the disappearance of Madeleine. Gerry manifested all those emotions one expects from a father who has lost a child in the circumstances. He was distraught and spoke at the same time he cried. He seemed frustrated with the slowness of the searches in Portugal, with the fact that the borders had not been closed, and with the fact that sniffer dogs were not being used. Patricia and I contacted the British Embassy to try and help in this regard. Statement to the Leicestershire Police, April 2008

John McCann


The-- the whole-- the whole night was hellish. You know? I've got crying for help from my brother and I'm stuck couple of thousand miles away from him. I can't do anything concrete. And then eventually he just said, 'I don't know what to think. I think some pedophile or some other swine has taken Madeleine.' MSNBC 2/3/08
Susan Healy


'Gerry rang me and said how desperate the situation was. He said it was a disaster. And at first I thought there had been a car accident. And then he said no, and when he told me that Madeleine had been abducted from her bed in the hotel, I just said 'No'. He said 'I'm serious, Sue'. He said everyone in the complex was searching for Madeleine. He was really, really upset. And shortly after that, I had a phone call from Kate asking me to contact Fr Paul Seddon. He's a friend of Kate and Gerry's. Paul married Kate and Gerry and baptised Madeleine and she needed to speak to him. The Mayo News 3/7/07


'Gerry called me. He said, errm… "There's been a disaster, it's a disaster" and I thought there'd been a car accident. And it took me a while 'cause he was hysterical, errm… it took me a while to realise. He… he just said "Madeleine's been abducted from her bed". Errm… And, I sort of said "No, Gerry", you know, and he… he was, sort of, at pains to emphasise how important it was because, at this time, I think they'd been looking for some time and they hadn't told us right away. They'd looked for an hour or so. She said: 'She's gone, mum, she's gone, mum', and… and I said "We'll get her back". And I was able to say this to Kate for quite a few months, "We'll get her back, we'll get her back". And now I find it is getting harder to say that to her. Errm… I… I believe it. We want her back, we're not going to accept that Maddie's gone from our life altogether. She's far too important for that.'
'Kate phoned me, errm… about an hour after Gerry and asked me to get in touch with, errm… Paul Seddon, who is the priest, Father Seddon, who married her, who baptised Madeleine, errm… and I didn't have his mobile phone so I rang a friend of Kate's and got… got him and he rang Kate right away and I think as soon as this happened, as soon as Kate realised what had happened, it was as if, errm.. she started to ask God right away to give her Madeleine. Errm… because Kate and Gerry were not the most devout family. We do have Catholic faith, errm… it's… it's the religion that we were brought up in, but I would never describe myself as a devout person. We're just ordinary people, errm… but Kate certainly has… has clung to her religion, errm.. since this happened. Possibly she feels that, you know, it has to be a greater thing that helps us to get Madeleine back. Errm… something with more power than… than we have.'
Their voices were out of control and I think it was just blind panic and fear that they couldn't get through to the police or to anybody, errm... to make it clear that they felt Madeleine had been abducted and they were afraid that every minute that was lost was crucial to getting Madeleine back. Errm… my daughter is very, very placid, very even tempered, and I saw her scream that night at the Consul. Screaming for help, for somebody to do something to... to help them to get Madeleine back. But I… I've never heard Kate raise her voice, she doesn't raise her voice, and she was shouting down the phone, I think, to emphasise how important it was, errm... to the British Consul. "I want somebody here now," errm… is what she was saying. But, yes, emotionally she was very up and down, errm… and that isn't, as I say, she's a very placid…Interview with Jordi González on the Antena 3 channel on Monday, October 22nd.

David Payne

Errr... you know, I made, errr... a phone call at some stage in the evening to, errr... Fiona's dad back in the UK who I've got a lot of respect for and has given me very... a lot of very good advice because you know you certainly would never have believe that you will find yourself in a situation, errr... like this and, you know, there was very able people who were there, you know. Everybody who was out there, you know, was very responsible and people that I would turn to but under the circumstances I don't think anyone functions, errr... particularly anywhere near a hundred percent and, you know, just looking to try and get some advice from someone outside the situation because, you know, we just didn't feel that we could get this message across to, errr... to anybody that she had been abducted. 

Yeah, I mean Kate, you know, Kate generally, you know, more emotional than, errr... Gerry was and then all of a sudden Gerry would break down and, you know, just, you know, saying she's gone, you know, she's gone, errr... Kate was more like that on a continual basis throughout the evening. Errr... Gerry would still try and function in between the moments of, you know, breaking down and, errr... you know, and try to, you know, I had the discussion on with phone and, you know, what... what we gonna do and, errr... and then, you know, they'd break down again, so there was…Statement to the Leicestershire Police, April 2008

Dianne Webster

I'm not sure who informed, errr... Sky News of the event, you know a lot of that, errr... I know Kate and Gerry spent a lot of time on the phone ringing people, they were just so, so beside themselves really. Statement to the Leicestershire Police, April 2008

Linda McQueen

On the morning of 4 May 2007 the mother of Kate telephoned my mother who, in turn, telephoned me. My mother told me that something terrible had happened, that somebody had taken Madeleine. I later sent a text message to Kate that same night and I spoke with her on the telephone. She was hysterical, saying only that she wanted to be able to hug Madeleine. She was worried by the fact that there were only two police officers in the place and thought that the police were not helping her with anything. She continued to speak about Madeleine, of the cold that she could feel since she was dressed only in pyjamas and continued to look at the situation from the perspective of Madeleine. She told me that Gerry was outside to find the girl and during the following day we spoke on the telephone and we frequently sent messages [to each other]. Statement to the Leicestershire Police, May 2008

Michelle Thompson

On the morning of the 4th of May, 2007, Kate called our land line but we did not hear it as we were asleep and did not put the phone on the bed. She left a message and asked us to call her once we heard the message. Kate must have tried Jon's mobile once as we stirred when it rang at about 03h20. Jon spoke briefly with Kate and then called her around 03h30. I knew that Kate and Gerry were on holidays in Portugal. Kate was very anguished and on the telephone and told me that she had checked on the children every half-hour. It was around 22h00, and when she went to check on the children she found that someone had entered the apartment and taken Madeleine from where she slept; that Madeleine had been abducted. The person must have entered, passed by the twins and taken her. Kate continued that when she entered the apartment via the patio doors, a breeze hit her in the face as if a door or window was open. When she entered the children's room, the window was open, the blind had been forced and Madeleine had disappeared. Kate urged me to call all the close family and to ask them to pray for Madeleine.
During the next 24 hours, we maintained contact through text messages but I spoke to her around 04h30 on the next day, Saturday, the 5th of May of 2007. Kate was still frustrated and anguished and felt that nobody was doing anything to help find Madeleine. She told me that the police had left in the morning and returned around 09h30 and that now only a few agents with sniffer dogs were in the locale. Statement to the Leicestershire Police, may 2008.

Jon Corner

She was in an absolutely hysterical state - very, very distressed. She blurted out Madeleine had been abducted. "Kate said the shutters of the room were smashed. Madeleine was missing It looks as though someone had gone straight past the twins to get to her. Kate was incredibly upset. I've spoken to her since, and she's still completely devastated. Daily Mirror, 5/5/07

She phoned at about 3am. She just blurted out that Maddie had been abducted. She said, 'They've broken the shutter on the window and taken my little girl'. She's still devastated. She's very upset that the police don't seem to be doing anything. The Sun 6/5/07

She just blurted out that Madeleine had been abducted. She told me, 'They have broken the shutter on the window and taken my little girl.'


They had left the apartment locked while they were having their meal, but when they went back the last time they saw the damage.


First they saw one of the window shutters had been forced, and then they saw the door was open and the bed was empty - and Madeleine was gone. Telegraph 7/5/07

Rachael Mampilly

..On the night that Madeleine disappeared, on the Thursday, a friend of mine, or friends of Matt's and mine, Kath and James LANDALE and James Landale's a BBC News, errm... and at the time he was like Political Correspondent, errm... I saw him the other night actually reading the news on BBC News 24 but I rang him, or I rang his wife Kath cos I had her mobile number, erm basically to say you know that Madeleine had gone missing, was there any way that we could get it on the news and that was, that was on the Thursday night. Statement to the Leicestershire Police, april 2008
And you mentioned another guy, John CORNER”?
Reply Yes, he’s a friend of Gerry and Kate’s who was in England, I spoke to him on the phone, on Kate’s phone actually.
1578 Ok
Reply That was the next morning, sort of you know, eight o’clock in the morning, that sort of time. Statement to the Leicestershire Police, april 2008

Jill Renwick

Poor Kate and Gerry don't know where to turn."Madeleine has obviously been taken. She couldn't have gone out on her own and the shutters were forced. The Mirror, 5/5/07



Michael Wright

I spoke to Kate by phone between 10:00 and 11:00am that morning and she confirmed that she wanted her mother, her father and Nora with her. The family liaison [officer?] arranged the journey of the mother, father and Nora to Portugal that same afternoon. Statement to the Leicestershire police, april 2008



Nicky Gill

Early on the morning of Friday, 4th May 2007 Kate’s mother phoned my mother who, in turn, phoned me. My mother told me that Madeleine had disappeared and that she had been abducted. Nobody knew the full facts. I immediately sent a text message to Kate, without really knowing what to say. Kate asked me to pray.

On the following night at about midnight, Kate contacted me by phone, she was devastated and appeared lost. She said that judging from the action of the local police, one would think that she “had lost   Statement to the Leicestershire Police, may 2008



Friends and relatives of the McCanns alleged yesterday that the search was only upgraded to a major investigation after the intervention of John Buck, Britain’s ambassador in Portugal. (…) Meanwhile, Gerry’s sister Philomena slammed Portuguese police for not doing enough to find Madeleine’s faster.


Philomena McCann
Speaking from her home in Glasgow she said Gerry was furious with the way the inquiry was being handled. 
My brother is at his wits’ end. They’ve just played it down from the minute he first approached them. I mean, you can hear his voice breaking. His wife, she can barely stand up. She can’t sleep, she can’t eat. They spent seven hours in the police station yesterday. What for? It took three hours just to get a statement from Kate, and Kate is an extremely articulate young woman. What’s going on? Daily Express 6/5/07



He does remember however, that on a day he cannot recall, an individual who identified himself as Robert, saying that he was in P da L as a translator helping the PJ, phoned the Lagos post saying:

That some foreign women, who had already been interviewed by the police, had phoned him, telling him that there was a child crying in an apartment near to them.

GNR Officer P.J.C.d.C., in a statement 16/5/07


The written timelines
tout le monde est assis à 20h45.
Dianne et Fiona ont déclaré être parties pour le restaurant à 20h45 dans leurs premières déclarations.
Stephen Carpenter a déclaré qu'ils étaient tous arrivés vers 20h30.
Jane partit pour le restaurant à 20h30 et déclara dans sa première déclaration que «plusieurs» des autres étaient là avant elle. (plus tard elle a changé cela et a dit que seuls les McCann étaient là avant elle)
Le serveur a dit qu'ils étaient réservés à 20h30 tous les soirs et le personnel aurait remarqué si ils étaient en retard.
Jeremy Wilkins était là le mercredi soir et a dit qu'ils étaient tous là à 20h30 ce soir-là.
Par conséquent, je me demande pourquoi la chronologie dactylographiée a été modifiée à 21h00. Pourquoi le serveur n'a-t-il pas remarqué? Pourquoi Stephen Carpenter n'a-t-il pas remarqué?
Le serveur a également déclaré qu’une fois tous assis, il mettrait deux bouteilles de rouge, deux bouteilles de blanc et une bouteille d’eau sur la table. Il prendrait alors les ordres. Le plat principal serait servi 20 à 25 minutes après la prise des commandes, pendant ce temps, ils mangeraient les entrées.
Donc, l'heure à laquelle les plats principaux ont été servis dépend totalement de l'heure à laquelle les commandes ont été prises. Par exemple, à 20h50, les plats principaux sont servis à 21h15 au plus tard. Si 21 heures, ils étaient servis à 21h25 au plus tard. Quoi qu'il en soit, cela suggère que Russell doit avoir quitté pour vérifier sa fille avant 21h25 au plus tard.