3.5 milllion grant for review

by David Collins

A SPECIAL £3.5million grant is being given to Scotland Yard to fund the Madeleine McCann inquiry.

The Home Office cash will fund a team – led by an experienced detective – which is being set up in the next few days to carry out a review of the entire investigation.

It will cover the cost of man hours, flights to Portugal, hotels, consultation fees from forensic firms and any other expenses.

There will also be a hefty cost for translation work on the thousands of documents requested from Portuguese authorities.

Files from Leicestershire Police – said by police sources to be “substantial” – will also be ­examined by the London team.

Leicestershire has been the UK liaison force for the McCann family and posted officers to Portugal during the hunt.

The funding comes after Kate and Gerry McCann made an impassioned appeal to David Cameron for help to find their daughter, who was three when she vanished in Portugal in 2007. The Prime Minister, who met the couple 18 months ago while in opposition, has already written to them saying he had personally authorised the review.

A police source said: “The money is ring-fenced and is an emergency grant put to one side by the Home Office.

“It will be made available to the ­Metropolitan Police specifically for the review of the Madeleine McCann case.”

The insider said the task was “enormous” and could take years.

The McCanns, who believe ­Portuguese police botched the investigation, said: “This is a step in the right ­direction.

“The expertise of the Metropolitan Police is renowned and we are reassured by our Government’s commitment to the search for Madeleine.”

The couple have written a book, entitled simply Madeleine, which they hope will boost funds for the police investigation further.

in The Daily Mirror, May, 14, 2011

French translation. ( "ring fenced" is a bit tricky expression to translate. )

"Madeleine McCann: Scotland Yard a reçu une somme de 3,5 millions pour l'enquête.

by David Collins

Une enveloppe spéciale de 3,5 millions de livres a été octroyée à Scotland Yard pour financer l'enquête sur Madeleine McCann.

L'argent du Home Office servira à financer une équipe, menée par un détective expérimenté, équipe qui sera constituée dans les prochains jours pour mener à bien une revue de toute l'enquête.

Cela couvrira le coût salarial du personnel employé, les vols au Portugal, les notes d'hôtel, les notes des firmes d'analyse d'expertise médico-légale, et toutes les autres dépenses.

Il y aura aussi une énorme somme consacrée au travail de traduction des centaines de documents qui seront demandés aux autorités portugaises.

Les dossiers de la police du Leicestershire, dits « substantiels » selon des sources policières,seront aussi examinés par l'équipe londonienne.

La police britannique du Leicestershire a servi d'intermédiaire pour la famille McCann et les officiers en poste au Portugal durant les recherches.


Cet octroi de fonds arrive à la suite d'un appel passionné fait par Kate et Gerry Mccann à David Cameron,pour qu'il les aide à retrouver leur fille, âgée de trois ans lors de sa disparition au Paortugal en 2007. Le premier ministre , qui a rencontré le couple il y a 18 mois quand il était encore dans l'opposition, vient de leur écrire qu'il a donné personnellement son autorisation pour la revue de l'enquête.


Une source policière a affirmé ceci : « L'argent provient d'un fonds, gelé pour les cas d'urgence et économisé par le Home Office.
Il sera alloué au MET spécialement pour la revue du cas de Madeleine Mccann.

La source a nous a dit que la tâche était « énorme » et pourrait prendre des années.

Les Mccann qui pensent que la police portugaise a saboté l'enquête, ont dit : » C'est un pas dans la bonne direction. »

« Les compétences de la police métropolitaine sont renommées et nous sommes rassurés par l'engagement pris par notre gouvernement dans la recherche de Madeleine. »




Le couple a écrit un livre, intitulé simplement Madeleine, qui, espèrent-ils va fournir encore plus de fonds à l'enquête policièire.

in The Daily Mirror, May, 14, 2011

Interesting that they mention "a hefty cost" for translation work. I thought the McCanns had already paid for this to be done.

Nic wrote:Interesting that they mention "a hefty cost" for translation work. I thought the McCanns had already paid for this to be done.

I think when it comes to "evidence" the police are unlikely to rely upon transalations commissioned by any party close to the investigation.

Chris wrote:

Nic wrote:Interesting that they mention "a hefty cost" for translation work. I thought the McCanns had already paid for this to be done.

I think when it comes to "evidence" the police are unlikely to rely upon transalations commissioned by any party close to the investigation.

Would you trust the McCanns translators? Have you seen the private detectives they've hired

Actually, no. You both have a point there!

Mind you it would be good to check the McCann translations against others'....... it might show exactly what they've been up to with their revisions!

Why am I thinking:

Kate + Babelfish ???

Why dont the McCanns hand over the fund money to Scotland Yard?? surely the yard will expect them to do this as they will be the force "actively looking for Madeleine"

or not??

Karen wrote:Why dont the McCanns hand over the fund money to Scotland Yard?? surely the yard will expect them to do this as they will be the force "actively looking for Madeleine"

or not??

Maybe someone who does these social network thingeys should ask them on facebook if they are planning to contribute to the cost of the crack team of investigators they have been requesting or do they plan on leaving it to the British taxpayer to foot the bill.

27. The Home Office refused the Portuguese police permission to examine the McCanns’ credit card and bank statements, mobile ’phone records and Madeleine’s medical records.....

well why have a review then..if they refused in the first place..why will thay now say ..'yeah ok 'ave a look then'

Well jeanie dont you know they didnt want the Portugese to know anything about the McCanns, maybe that will change now, surely there cannot be a review, a reopen a re whatever you want to call it without looking into all aspects of the investigation. If they refuse to look at them now, then it will be a cover up. There may be nothing to see, if so, thats fine as well.

If the McCanns make a donation to the cost of the investigation there is a risk that it could be seen as some sort of incentive to look at things in their favour. The best that can happen is that the McCs donate the remainder of the fund and the proceeds including the favourable advance from the book to the missing peoples charity. After all there is £3.5million on the table in addition to that already spent on Operation Task and that spent by the McCs on the search, not on legal fees or mortgage payments etc.

jeanie wrote:27. The Home Office refused the Portuguese police permission to examine the McCanns’ credit card and bank statements, mobile ’phone records and Madeleine’s medical records.....

well why have a review then..if they refused in the first place..why will thay now say ..'yeah ok 'ave a look then'

Jeanie - that was Jacqui Smith's Home Office. This is Theresa May's Home Office.
All new players in a whole new ball game.

If the Met or Scotland Yard (not clear which police force is involved) intends to look at the case, they will need the authorisation of the Portuguese Ministério Público and the PJ. Has this been granted? Apparently not. Among costs, travel and hotel expenses are mentioned. I presume this means coming to Portugal. These are professionals who know very well that they have no right to infringe on the sovereignty of another nation and come to investigate a crime on foreign soil without working with the local police force. If Theresa May has her way (I think she is more honest than David Cameron) this will be a proper investigation carried out according to the rules. And this could very well be a case of the McCanns shooting themselves in the foot, just like Gonçalo Amaral said.

of course i forgot the change of office.... we know they aint going to find a body...but for 3.5million they gotta come up with some of the goods...

What was the legal reason behind refusing that stuff to the PJ?

I think the fact that these are British citizens helped them a lot, there isn't a lot of precedent for this commission of a child homoicide while on holiday with the other police investigating it from that country, while the arguidos pay every nickel they can get to press an abudction story in the papers and every time new evidence comes out they are there with a media monitor to spin it.

But now it is British police and British citizens as well as the child a WoC. I wonder if they will be able to refuse to give the information needed to the Met or SY while demanding that they investigate.

McCanns clearly seem to think so. They were very interested in keepign that away from the PJ, if it's so innocent why lie and say no one requested medical records for the family?

almostgothic wrote:Why am I thinking:

Kate + Babelfish ???

Why am I thinking "Pants of Ganga"!!!!

Unbelievable–who ARE these people!

Cameron no doubt stuck between a rock and a hard place - but surely an opportunity to request the case be re-opened by the controlling authorities in Portugal? Personalyl I'd prefer to see this money put to better use, its not even worth £3.5 million to see the McCann's face charges - but it is unlikely that we will see this outcome - it is definately not worth £3.5 million jsut to whitewash the McCann's.

The suggestion being made that the files are to be translated is interesting, as Gerry McCann is alleged to have told Martin Brunt that they have already been translated and this would benefit Scotland Yard.

One can only hope that a real investigation will emerge - and the McCann's and their friends will at least be charged with neglect.

http://blog.larmani.com/2011/05/unbelievablewho-are-these-people.html