The weakest link? DW

I do apologise for rehashing spent discussion,
but I truely think that the resolution of this
mystery centres on one 'weak link' which I
sincerely hope NSY have considered. I have,
like everyone else, followed this case since
it unfolded and the one character that stands
out, who dosn't fit, who has remained mainly
silent and unconnected is Dianne Webster!
Why take a granny on holiday if neglect was
going to be the order of the day?
I think if DW was questioned under caution
I believe all would be revealed.

"It is widely reported that she was the only member of the Tapas group to remain seated following Kate's announcement that Madeleine had been 'taken' and has never given any interviews or offered any statements."(mccannfiles)

What do you think?

Was it not DW how commented
" I thought it was just one of their games "
When KM came running to the Tapas shouting
"they have taken her "
What did she mean by one of their games ?

yes, i have never understood why she was there since there was no suggestion she ever helped with her grandchildren. A babysitting granny is an ideal childcare solution for a holiday.

Also, she was apparently sleeping on a sofa bed in the living room - not exactly luxurious for a mature woman who was working full-time and could presumably afford more comfort.

the sofa bed in the living room is where you put your teenager?

It would indeed be interesting to know what Mrs Webster meant by that.

Also interesting is how, when Kate came in shouting that "they've taken her", the group somehow knew that she was talking about Madeleine and not Amelie.

This has probably nothing to do with anything but I'd assumed Mrs Webster was single but she does in fact have a husband. I wonder why he didn't want to join the merry band?

duncanmac wrote:Was it not DW how commented
" I thought it was just one of their games "
When KM came running to the Tapas shouting
"they have taken her "
What did she mean by one of their games ?

I think DW was aware of the group's shenanigans
and didn't want anything to do with such behaviour.
Therefore, as being the wise old owl I really can't
see her being a part of any form of 'neglect'. So it
was important IMO that she was kept out of the
loop, ie told to mind the seats whilst the rest went
searching.

She certainly sticks out as the intended babysitter but there was the illness problem amongst the tapas which i interpreted as...its their turn
Not sure if she is the weakest link...would just be nice if sy ever get around to interviewing the tapas lot & hopefully in a style that befits police...trying to find the truth

James wrote:yes, i have never understood why she was there since there was no suggestion she ever helped with her grandchildren. A babysitting granny is an ideal childcare solution for a holiday.

Also, she was apparently sleeping on a sofa bed in the living room - not exactly luxurious for a mature woman who was working full-time and could presumably afford more comfort.

the sofa bed in the living room is where you put your teenager?

Yes indeed James, why take her? and why did
she accept such an arrangement?

yes they have taken her is a big mistake -- as km had 2 hers 2 daughters -- thats why i think all the children was together that night apart from madeleine -- they have taken her -- whos they ?

as for d w -- would i let my grandchild be left -- no way -- i would sit with them -- miss dinner whatever it took -- i would rather sit eating sandwiches on my own -- than leave my grandaughter

She says the original intention for the holiday was that she and her husband would travel with the rest of the group, but that her husband decided he didnt like sun holidays so she went alone.

She also says she booked her own flight on-line, in contrast to Payne booking for the others, and that she had nothing to do with the accommodation. I get the impression she "bunked in" with her daughter, hence sleeping on the sofa. That said, you would wonder why she did not use a bed in the childrens bedroom, but perhaps they did not want to wake the children, arriving home late from the Tapas Bar.

She makes reference in her statements to minding the children in the afternoons, it seems they had a nap after lunch and sometimes she or she and Fiona would mind them. It seems it was night time she was not available to sit with the children. It is probably safe to assume she would cite the super duper monitor as being the reason why she did not mind the children. It is unusual in my experience for somebody of her era to be confident on relying on such technology though and just in general being happy to leave young children alone in a foreign country. If the other couples wanted to use the excuse they were all doing it, she had no such excuse, she could have just said she did not like it.

She definately likes to play the "i'm elderly, i get confused, i cannot remember" card during her interviews, yet she can use the internet, played tennis during the holiday, says she plays badminton at home, so not all that feeble. She says also she had breakfast in the apartment whilst the others went to the Millenium, as she did not like rushing in the mornings. So all in all she is independent and capable, but cannot seem to remember much about anything during the week.

Is she the weakest link ? I think she would continue to play the I don't remember trick if interviewed under caution but might not be so well versed as the others in the official story so could truly get confused and reveal a good deal, without actually meaning to.

mossman wrote:She says the original intention for the holiday was that she and her husband would travel with the rest of the group, but that her husband decided he didnt like sun holidays so she went alone.

She also says she booked her own flight on-line, in contrast to Payne booking for the others, and that she had nothing to do with the accommodation. I get the impression she "bunked in" with her daughter, hence sleeping on the sofa. That said, you would wonder why she did not use a bed in the childrens bedroom, but perhaps they did not want to wake the children, arriving home late from the Tapas Bar.

She makes reference in her statements to minding the children in the afternoons, it seems they had a nap after lunch and sometimes she or she and Fiona would mind them. It seems it was night time she was not available to sit with the children. It is probably safe to assume she would cite the super duper monitor as being the reason why she did not mind the children. It is unusual in my experience for somebody of her era to be confident on relying on such technology though and just in general being happy to leave young children alone in a foreign country. If the other couples wanted to use the excuse they were all doing it, she had no such excuse, she could have just said she did not like it.

She definately likes to play the "i'm elderly, i get confused, i cannot remember" card during her interviews, yet she can use the internet, played tennis during the holiday, says she plays badminton at home, so not all that feeble. She says also she had breakfast in the apartment whilst the others went to the Millenium, as she did not like rushing in the mornings. So all in all she is independent and capable, but cannot seem to remember much about anything during the week.

Is she the weakest link ? I think she would continue to play the I don't remember trick if interviewed under caution but might not be so well versed as the others in the official story so could truly get confused and reveal a good deal, without actually meaning to.

Hi mossman, think you have her sussed! However,
I think she knows, and under not so much pressure
she would break the pact of silence.
DW was a solo amongst pairs, therefore without the
distractions that couples have, she seen more, heard
more and witnessed a lot more.

" ... and you wouldn't want to condemn your own grandchildren to an uncertain and miserable future by accidentally letting something slip, however trivial, that might appear incriminating, would you? So what will you say?"

"Err, I don't know, it was a long time ago, I really don't recall ..."

"There now, you know it makes sense."

marxman wrote:Hi mossman, think you have her sussed! However,
I think she knows, and under not so much pressure
she would break the pact of silence.
DW was a solo amongst pairs, therefore without the
distractions that couples have, she seen more, heard
more and witnessed a lot more.

Well on the basis that she was not the forgetful granny sitting in the corner, she was certainly on the outside looking in with lots of time on her hands to observe what was going on. You have to wonder if her silence indicates a very high level of inolvement by the Paynes. Why would she have any loyalty to the other couples.

marxman wrote:I do apologise for rehashing spent discussion,
but I truely think that the resolution of this
mystery centres on one 'weak link' which I
sincerely hope NSY have considered. I have,
like everyone else, followed this case since
it unfolded and the one character that stands
out, who dosn't fit, who has remained mainly
silent and unconnected is Dianne Webster!
Why take a granny on holiday if neglect was
going to be the order of the day?
I think if DW was questioned under caution
I believe all would be revealed.

"It is widely reported that she was the only member of the Tapas group to remain seated following Kate's announcement that Madeleine had been 'taken' and has never given any interviews or offered any statements."(mccannfiles)

What do you think?

I believe Diane Webster said that most of the time she did her own thing on that holiday, rather than join in with the others all the time in the day. I don't think they "took a granny on holiday." I think she was there as another member of a group of people going on holiday together. When I go on holiday with my daughter and her family I am not a granny being taken on holiday. We go as a family and we go out in the evening as a family. Why should it be assumed that Diane, as the mother of Fiona, grandmother to Fiona's children, was there as a babysitter? It was surely her holiday too.

I don't think I would go if my son was going with other couples.....bit odd I think..and anyway, he wouldn't ask me to go.


Different if you are going with your own family.

kitti wrote:I don't think I would go if my son was going with other couples.....bit odd I think..and anyway, he wouldn't ask me to go.


Different if you are going with your own family.

We sometimes (but not often) go as a bigger group, a mixed age range and at least one other lone person, like myself, but I have never felt out of it with couples. I don't see why I should. Couples are made up of individuals.

mossman wrote:She says the original intention for the holiday was that she and her husband would travel with the rest of the group, but that her husband decided he didnt like sun holidays so she went alone.


She definately likes to play the "i'm elderly, i get confused, i cannot remember" card during her interviews, yet she can use the internet, played tennis during the holiday, says she plays badminton at home, so not all that feeble.

This was hardly a sun holiday - a week starting in late April. An ideal time to go for someone to whom 20 C is a little on the warm side.

As for elderly, wasn't she in her early 60s and working full-time?

Her date of birth is 10th March 1944 so not so much of the old please!

James wrote:

mossman wrote:She says the original intention for the holiday was that she and her husband would travel with the rest of the group, but that her husband decided he didnt like sun holidays so she went alone.


She definately likes to play the "i'm elderly, i get confused, i cannot remember" card during her interviews, yet she can use the internet, played tennis during the holiday, says she plays badminton at home, so not all that feeble.

This was hardly a sun holiday - a week starting in late April. An ideal time to go for someone who 20 C a little on the warm side.

As for elderly, wasn't she in her early 60s and working full-time?

She was to both! So, not just a granny being taken on holiday! And believe it or not, some of us even had baby monitors when our children were young. Some of us even understand and use HTML. Well, amazing eh? Whodda thunk it!!

Not Born Yesterday wrote:Her date of birth is 10th March 1944 so not so much of the old please!

So DW was just 64 when Madeleine went missing. As I said, not elderly at all.

James wrote:

Not Born Yesterday wrote:Her date of birth is 10th March 1944 so not so much of the old please!

So DW was just 64 when Madeleine went missing. As I said, not elderly at all.

And young enough not to get 'taken on holiday,' but to go as part of a group of her own accord!

ETA: And if we look at the rogatory statements we'll find that DW was not the only one who appeared to have memory problems.

Ok. but in the true sense of the word 'granny'
sooooo why take your granny when your intent is
to leave your kids high and dry?
Anyone?

marxman wrote:Ok. but in the true sense of the word 'granny'
sooooo why take your granny when your intent is
to leave your kids high and dry?
Anyone?

I'm not sure what you mean. The word 'granny,' is just short for grandmother. DW is grandmother to Fiona's children, not to Fiona. I'm sure the children didn't take their granny, as in DW being taken by them. Why take your granny? No one took their granny. If a granny is old enough to be 'taken,' on holiday, then she is probably too old to be babysitter. I would be appalled if anyone thought that as grandmother to my daughter's children I was being 'taken,' anywhere. I go on holiday as an equal adult and not as the trundled along babysitter. We've had this before where someone has suggested that Diane Webster was there as a babysitter simply because she was grandmother to a couple of the children. In fact, we've had this ageist stuff several times.

The weakest link, I think, is Jane Tanner. Her lies are so transparent, she would be the one to buckle under intense questioning.

AnnaEsse wrote:

marxman wrote:Ok. but in the true sense of the word 'granny'
sooooo why take your granny when your intent is
to leave your kids high and dry?
Anyone?

I'm not sure what you mean. The word 'granny,' is just short for grandmother. DW is grandmother to Fiona's children, not to Fiona. I'm sure the children didn't take their granny, as in DW being taken by them. Why take your granny? No one took their granny. If a granny is old enough to be 'taken,' on holiday, then she is probably too old to be babysitter. I would be appalled if anyone thought that as grandmother to my daughter's children I was being 'taken,' anywhere. I go on holiday as an equal adult and not as the trundled along babysitter. We've had this before where someone has suggested that Diane Webster was there as a babysitter simply because she was grandmother to a couple of the children. In fact, we've had this ageist stuff several times.

The weakest link, I think, is Jane Tanner. Her lies are so transparent, she would be the one to buckle under intense questioning.

Hi AnnaEsse, I hope you don't think i'm being
ageist because I'm no spring chicken myself.
but, alas with age hopefully comes wisdom.
Why did a crowd of professional tourists require
or need an 'older' adult to accompany them on
what was supposed to be a 'in to us' holiday?
In short. DW was the see all, hear all and most
likey knows all.

marxman wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:

marxman wrote:Ok. but in the true sense of the word 'granny'
sooooo why take your granny when your intent is
to leave your kids high and dry?
Anyone?

I'm not sure what you mean. The word 'granny,' is just short for grandmother. DW is grandmother to Fiona's children, not to Fiona. I'm sure the children didn't take their granny, as in DW being taken by them. Why take your granny? No one took their granny. If a granny is old enough to be 'taken,' on holiday, then she is probably too old to be babysitter. I would be appalled if anyone thought that as grandmother to my daughter's children I was being 'taken,' anywhere. I go on holiday as an equal adult and not as the trundled along babysitter. We've had this before where someone has suggested that Diane Webster was there as a babysitter simply because she was grandmother to a couple of the children. In fact, we've had this ageist stuff several times.

The weakest link, I think, is Jane Tanner. Her lies are so transparent, she would be the one to buckle under intense questioning.

Hi AnnaEsse, I hope you don't think i'm being
ageist because I'm no spring chicken myself.
but, alas with age hopefully comes wisdom.
Why did a crowd of professional tourists require
or need an 'older' adult to accompany them on
what was supposed to be a 'in to us' holiday?
In short. DW was the see all, hear all and most
likey knows all.

Perhaps she was no more "required," than any other member of the group. She did her own thing on the holiday during the day most of the time so she was probably not the see all or hear all of the group.

Does anyone know where she lives? What she is employed as?

The media put pressure on people in public on a regular basis ala watchdog,
there is no harm in getting some camera's out and asking her to expand on some of her opinions,
just so she knows that she is not forgotten.