Yvonne Martin

Processos Volume X111 Pages 3422 - 3424

SERVICE INFORMATION



Date: 2007 – 06 - 12


To: The Coordinator of the Criminal Investigation, Dr. Gonçalo Amaral

From: José Monteiro, Inspector

Re: Collection of Information

In the sequence of information transmitted to this Police force, on this date we went to the residence of Yvonne Warren Martin. The team was composed of the undersigned and his colleague Carlos Antunes, in conversation with Yvonne the following was established:

- On May 04, 2007, at around 07H00 she heard about the disappearance of an English girl from Praia da Luz, Lagos, from Sky News or BBC.
- Having worked for 25 years in the area of child protection, she felt obliged to offer help to her compatriots and went to Praia da Luz.

– At around 09H00, she met the McCann couple next to the apartment from where the child had disappeared, accompanied by a third person, a male, 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.

- However, the third individual overheard this conversation and interrupted Ms. Martin 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.

--YVONNE describes the third individual as follows:
Aged about 35 years
Of about 1,80 metres in height
Of normal physical appearance
Having short, dark hair
Using graduated glasses of small dimensions with rectangular lenses
Having a round face
Presenting a scar above his eyebrow and on his left cheek
- Speaking with a Southern English accent
Wearing light trousers, cream or beige coloured, and a dark polo shirt.

– When she was back home, following the case on English television, she saw the same individual and this time, her initial doubt faded and she concluded that she had seen the face in the course of her professional activity inchild protection, not being able to discern if he was a suspect/arguido or witness

- She clarifies that she is capable of making a photographic identification of the individual, and emphasises that with the identified photo it is possible to access the database ofthe British Police and ascertain whether the individual is related to any crimes involving children

Bringing this to your attention,

Signed

José Monteiro

Processos Volume XIII Pages 3425 - 3428

Witness Statement

Date: 2007.06.13

Time: 12H00

Name: YVONE WARREN MARTIN


Profession: Social Services and Child Protection

The witness is accompanied by a PJ interpreter, Carlos Moura, as she does not speak Portuguese.


She says that she has lived in Portugal for seven years on a part-time basis, in other words, for some months of the year she lives in her home in Sargaçal and
for the rest of the year lives in England, where she still works.

During the past month of May or more precisely on the 04th of May 2007, the witness was in Portugal, enjoying holidays, when at about 07H00 she turned on the television and watched an English news channel (BBC or SKY NEWS) where she saw an appeal to British citizens on holiday in the Algarve to offer all possible support to a British couple who were on holiday in Praia da Luz and whose daughter, a child, had disappeared on May 03, 2007.

As she works directly with situations of children at risk, and as she was very close to Praia da Luz, she went there with the intention of offering her help and support to the couple, she arrived there at about 09H30.

She clarifies that she did not leave immediately for Praia da Luz as she still had some things to do at home but left at around 09H00.

At first, she could not locate the exact site where the family was staying on holiday. Upon seeing a police patrol car which passed close by her, she asked the police if they could show her the right location. She was accompanied by the patrol car to the apartment from where the child had disappeared and wherethe parents were staying.

At the scene, she found a group of three people, two males and one female.

She went over to the group and identified herself.
Two members of that group, a male and a female, identified themselves as the parents of the missing child—the McCann couple.

The couple was visibly upset, and the mother was crying intensely.

The third person never identified himself, upon the witness’s insistence the couple replied that he was a close friend of the family.

She adds that this third person appeared familiar to her.

Taking advantage of the information that she had heard on the news, she began questioning the couple about how often they had checked on the children, obtaining the reply that people would go to see them every hour.

As is normal and routine in her service, she asked whether Gerry was the biological father of the missing child, to which he replied yes.

She clarifies that she asked this question because during the course of her 25 years of service working with children at risk, it is very normal that when a couple has child and where the father or the mother is not a biological parent, the biological parent may have a tendency to come and “get” his child.
After having obtained the verbal response from Gerry, the mother, Kate, questioned what she was doing asking these questions which should be asked by the police, who were already on the scene in large numbers searching for her daughter, who had been taken by a couple.

At this moment, the witness notices that the couple began to have doubts about her capacity and she immediately showed them her official documents and credentials issued by the British government to calm them down.

Gerry took her documents and showed them to the third person and told him that they were authentic and were certified by the police.

At this moment, the witness wishes to clarify that, in England, anyone who works with children, whether a doctor, police officer or social worker, has to have a proper credential certified by the police and that this was one of the documents she showed to the McCanns.

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.

Meanwhile a fourth individual came towards the group and identified himself as a journalist. The witness alerted the couple to the type of statements they should give and that it would be better for them to keep silent.

At this moment, the third person, who was always near to the couple and the witness, moved the couple away from her and the three of them talked in whispers for some time.

After this, and leaving the couple behind him, he approached the witness and told her that the couple did not want to speak any more with her, nor with anyone else.

The witness replied to him that if the McCann couple felt the need to talk to her later, she would be at their total disposal.

As she said earlier, this third person of the group is familiar to her, and thinks
that she may have come across him in the course of her work, as a suspect or witness.

She describes him as tall man, height about 1,80 m, about 35 years old, of normal physical complexion, with short, dark hair, with a round face and with a scar on the left side of his face running from the eyebrow to the check. He uses graduated glasses of small dimension with rectangular lenses. He spoke with a southern English accent and was wearing cream coloured trousers and a dark polo shirt
.
When asked whether that it would be possible to identify him from a photograph, the witness replied yes.

She adds that, after having spoken to the McCann couple, she spoke to the resort manager, and after identifying herself, asked him whether there had been a break-in in the apartment where the child was, to which he replied no but that the door was open as were the window blinds, which, according to Kate, should have been closed but were found open.

No more was said. Reads, ratifies, signs.

YVONNE WARREN MARTIN

Places Worked:
1. Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
2. Southshields, Tyne & Wear
3. Newcastle, Tyne & Wear
4. York, North Yorkshire
5. Hull, Kingston Upon Hull
6. North Tyneside, Tyne & Wear
7. Plymouth, Devon


Witness Statement

Date: 2007/11/14
Time: 10H30
Place: DIC Portimao

Name: YVONNE WARREN MARTIN


Profession: Social Services and Child Protection

She comes to the process as a witness and as she does not speak Portuguese she is accompanied by interpreter Filipa Maria da Conceição Silva who will translate all questions and answers into English.

The witness has given a previous statement to this police force regarding the facts in question. This took place on 13-06-2007 and led to the inquiry of the statement that was taken. The witness confirms the complete integrity of that statement, everything was fully reproduced for this file. The witness was also shown attached page showing the places of work where she carried out her professional activities as Social Services Manager for Child Protection, having also confirmed that these were the cities where she carried out her professional activities.

She states that in the course of her contact with Madeleine’s parents, described in detail in her previous statements, Kate told her that the child had been taken by a couple. During the meeting they had, the details of which are contained in her previous statement, she did not have the opportunity to ask in depth about this question nor about any other.

With regards to the individual who was close to Madeleine’s parents when she met them, and who was later identified as David Payne, she reaffirms that the same individual seems familiar, possibly as this same individual intervened in a situation related to a professional activity of the witness. She clarifies that neither on that occasion, nor now that time has passed, can she remember concretely the place or the situation in which she may have come to know David Payne, but that she continues to think that the same individual is familiar to her but cannot state the particular situation.

She adds that her hypothesis is that she may have come to know him professionally through work, potentially having been colleagues at work or have worked at the same place but she cannot be certain where she met him as she does not remember

She says that about two weeks after Madeleine’s disappearance, when the police made an appeal for information about a man, carrying a child, who had been seen in the Luz zone, and whose clothing was described, she wrote an anonymous letter to the British police, telling them the following: : regarding the various details she observed during her contact with the McCanns it is her opinion that they could be in some way involved in the disappearance of Madeleine.

She first found them aggressive and their reaction after she showed Madeleine’s parents her credentials, also seemed strange to her. Afterwards she was informed that there were no signs of a break-in in the apartment. Knowing that they are doctors she found it absolutely abnormal that they left their children alone at home. Associating all of this with her professional experience, which tells her that in 99.99 % of missing children cases, the parents or other family members are involved, she felt it was her duty to inform the police of this.


She did this anonymously because she did not want to be bothered by the media. But she also states that according to what she remembers, when she met with Madeleine’s parents, David Payne, who was with them, was wearing a dark polo shirt, blue or black coloured, cream coloured long trousers, of linen or cotton, and dark shoes (sandal/slipper type without a back buckle/catch). In her opinion, this clothing matches perfectly with the clothing the Police described the man (carrying the child) to be wearing at the time. All these coincidences made the witness think that the parents and their friends could possibly be involved in the disappearance of the child.

She declares that one of her main aims when she wrote the anonymous letter was for the British police to check the paedophile or child abusers registers and whether David Payne was on that list.

No more was said. Reads, ratifies, signs.

Yvonne Martin as she appears in Kate McCann's book

""A middle-aged British woman lady suddenly materialized beside me and introduced herself. She announced that she was, or had been, a social worker or child protection officer and insisted on showing me her professional papers, including, I think, her Criminal Records Bureau certificate. She asked me to sit down on a low wall, plonked herself next to me and told me she wanted me to go through everything that had happened the previous night. She was quite pushy and her manner, her very presence, were making me feel uncomfortable and adding to my distress.

David was standing nearby. Concerned he took me aside and pointed out that we didn’t know who this woman was or what she was doing there. He reassured me that I wasn’t obliged to speak to her if I didn’t want to. And I didn’t want to. Whoever she was, and whatever her credential were, it was an inappropriate intrusion. And something about it, something about her, just didn’t feel right. I was glad I extricated myself. This woman would pop up several times in the days and months to come and I still don’t really know who she is or what she was trying to achieve."

[quote]Whoever she was, and whatever her credential were, it was an inappropriate intrusion. And something about it, something about her, just didn’t feel right. I was glad I extricated myself. This woman would pop up several times in the days and months to come and I still don’t really know who she is or what she was trying to achieve."[/quote]

She wasn't singing the song abduction from Team Mccann songbook, naughty lady indeed, how dare her and Mrs Fenn tell the truth?

Didn't like being interviewed by a social worker did she! Well tough Mrs McCann - that is what happens when you abandon your child!!

aqeleega wrote:Didn't like being interviewed by a social worker did she! Well tough Mrs McCann - that is what happens when you abandon your child!!

When that social worker is sent officially to interview you...I would agree. This was someone on holiday with no legal standing or right to interview whatsoever so it does rather alter the situation imo. Their reasons for refusal to speak to her could be viewed in 2 different ways I think.

Otherwise, when I had a child lost in a foreign country I would be happy with any official/certified help I could get certainly from a fellow Brit.
But I can imagine that they wanted help from a social worker. Cause they were indeed negligent.

Another person who offered help, who is described in insulting language by Kate McCann. Ms Martin was probably trying to help Kate McCann to feel just a little more calm by asking her to sit down, but Kate McCann says that Ms Martin 'plonked herself,' down. The priest became a comic figure and the social worker was someone who intruded.

I agree Anna and Yvonne also had proof of her position. I would have thought they would have welcomed some help from an English speaking professional (I am in no way suggesting that PT residents cannot speak English btw )

chrissie wrote:I agree Anna and Yvonne also had proof of her position. I would have thought they would have welcomed some help from an English speaking professional (I am in no way suggesting that PT residents cannot speak English btw )

Especially someone who made an effort to show that she was qualified in Child Protection and showed her CRB document, which I would have thought might have engendered confidence and a guarantee of confidentiality.

AnnaEsse wrote:Another person who offered help, who is described in insulting language by Kate McCann. Ms Martin was probably trying to help Kate McCann to feel just a little more calm by asking her to sit down, but Kate McCann says that Ms Martin 'plonked herself,' down. The priest became a comic figure and the social worker was someone who intruded.

..and Mrs Fenn, was turned into a 'plummy voice' in the book. It seems that anyone who tried to help or make a statement that didn't go along with their theory were ridiculed. Yet Amaral who wrote a book from the official files is being sued for libel. You can't make it up.

fred I agree with you there.

I find it interesting that Kate says this

"David was standing nearby. Concerned he took me aside and pointed out that we didn’t know who this woman was or what she was doing there. He reassured me that I wasn’t obliged to speak to her if I didn’t want to. And I didn’t want to. Whoever she was, and whatever her credential were, it was an inappropriate intrusion. And something about it, something about her, just didn’t feel right. I was glad I extricated myself. This woman would pop up several times in the days and months to come and I still don’t really know who she is or what she was trying to achieve."

David Payne (he of the Gaspar Statement) makes a point of telling Kate that she doesn't need to speak to Yvonne Martin. I wonder why.

Gillyspot, maybe he recognised her!

gillyspot wrote:fred I agree with you there.

I find it interesting that Kate says this

"David was standing nearby. Concerned he took me aside and pointed out that we didn’t know who this woman was or what she was doing there. He reassured me that I wasn’t obliged to speak to her if I didn’t want to. And I didn’t want to. Whoever she was, and whatever her credential were, it was an inappropriate intrusion. And something about it, something about her, just didn’t feel right. I was glad I extricated myself. This woman would pop up several times in the days and months to come and I still don’t really know who she is or what she was trying to achieve."

David Payne (he of the Gaspar Statement) makes a point of telling Kate that she doesn't need to speak to Yvonne Martin. I wonder why.

SURELY SHE HAS READ THE PJ FILES,SO WOULD KNOW WHO SHE IS,ALTERNATIVELY ITS ONLY AN INTERNET SEARCH AWAY.

AnnaEsse wrote:Another person who offered help, who is described in insulting language by Kate McCann. Ms Martin was probably trying to help Kate McCann to feel just a little more calm by asking her to sit down, but Kate McCann says that Ms Martin 'plonked herself,' down. The priest became a comic figure and the social worker was someone who intruded.

Exactly AnnaEsse, a reason for Kate's book was to discredit key figures such as Mrs Fenn and Yvonne Martin. I haven't read it but wonder if there is anyone else in it that she has attempted to discredit and put in a bad light.

Autumn wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:Another person who offered help, who is described in insulting language by Kate McCann. Ms Martin was probably trying to help Kate McCann to feel just a little more calm by asking her to sit down, but Kate McCann says that Ms Martin 'plonked herself,' down. The priest became a comic figure and the social worker was someone who intruded.

Exactly AnnaEsse, a reason for Kate's book was to discredit key figures such as Mrs Fenn and Yvonne Martin. I haven't read it but wonder if there is anyone else in it that she has attempted to discredit and put in a bad light.

So much of that book is explanation and justification for any criticism they have received.

Autumn wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:Another person who offered help, who is described in insulting language by Kate McCann. Ms Martin was probably trying to help Kate McCann to feel just a little more calm by asking her to sit down, but Kate McCann says that Ms Martin 'plonked herself,' down. The priest became a comic figure and the social worker was someone who intruded.

Exactly AnnaEsse, a reason for Kate's book was to discredit key figures such as Mrs Fenn and Yvonne Martin. I haven't read it but wonder if there is anyone else in it that she has attempted to discredit and put in a bad light.

Certainly are others, you and me and all those staying faithful to Madeleine Beth McCann, with not one penny piece entering into our pockets.

Autumn wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:Another person who offered help, who is described in insulting language by Kate McCann. Ms Martin was probably trying to help Kate McCann to feel just a little more calm by asking her to sit down, but Kate McCann says that Ms Martin 'plonked herself,' down. The priest became a comic figure and the social worker was someone who intruded.

Exactly AnnaEsse, a reason for Kate's book was to discredit key figures such as Mrs Fenn and Yvonne Martin. I haven't read it but wonder if there is anyone else in it that she has attempted to discredit and put in a bad light.

I think it might be easier to start with who she hasn't

I agree about Kate trying to discredit YM just as she has done to Mrs. Fenn. But she has to discredit them and anyone else who may threaten their abduction thesis - which proves the point - there is something to threaten.

Angelique wrote:I agree about Kate trying to discredit YM just as she has done to Mrs. Fenn. But she has to discredit them and anyone else who may threaten their abduction thesis - which proves the point - there is something to threaten.

Kate had seen the files when she wrote her "novel" so is aware of any criticism from Mrs Fenn, or Yvonne Martin so is just getting her own back first (first if you like the vast majority of UK public haven't actually read the PJ files and know what they said to the PJ).

I still believe Yvonne Martin went to see the McCanns with the best of intentions.

Which to those of us in the "know" makes a mockery of Kate's sentence

"This woman would pop up several times in the days and months to come and I still don’t really know who she is or what she was trying to achieve."

Of course you do Kate - but I know what you were "trying to achieve" when you said this.

Angelina wrote:

aqeleega wrote:Didn't like being interviewed by a social worker did she! Well tough Mrs McCann - that is what happens when you abandon your child!!

When that social worker is sent officially to interview you...I would agree. This was someone on holiday with no legal standing or right to interview whatsoever so it does rather alter the situation imo. Their reasons for refusal to speak to her could be viewed in 2 different ways I think.

I agree with you here. There are at least two ways of looking at it.

Firstly Kate might have been fully aware of the situation and either Payne hinted to her that he knew this woman or she just wanted rid of anyone calling themself a social worker for whatever reason.

Or she might have been trying to make it plain that she had plenty of very well qualified people around her who she already knew and didn't need a stranger telling her what to do. By that time she would have known that embassy staff were on their way.

Its also possible that she was distraught by the situation (which Yvonne Martin says was the case) and wasn't really wanting to be questioned by anybody.

gillyspot wrote:

Angelique wrote:I agree about Kate trying to discredit YM just as she has done to Mrs. Fenn. But she has to discredit them and anyone else who may threaten their abduction thesis - which proves the point - there is something to threaten.

Kate had seen the files when she wrote her "novel" so is aware of any criticism from Mrs Fenn, or Yvonne Martin so is just getting her own back first (first if you like the vast majority of UK public haven't actually read the PJ files and know what they said to the PJ).

I still believe Yvonne Martin went to see the McCanns with the best of intentions.

Which to those of us in the "know" makes a mockery of Kate's sentence

"This woman would pop up several times in the days and months to come and I still don’t really know who she is or what she was trying to achieve."

Of course you do Kate - but I know what you were "trying to achieve" when you said this.

I think you are probably spot on with saying Yvonne Martin had the best of intentions when she went to see the McCanns. I'm just not sure that she went about it in the best way. Giving advice to people you don't know at all when you can see they are upset can often backfire. I know. I've tried to be a good samaritan and had it thrown back in my face before.

gillyspot wrote:

Angelique wrote:I agree about Kate trying to discredit YM just as she has done to Mrs. Fenn. But she has to discredit them and anyone else who may threaten their abduction thesis - which proves the point - there is something to threaten.

Kate had seen the files when she wrote her "novel" so is aware of any criticism from Mrs Fenn, or Yvonne Martin so is just getting her own back first (first if you like the vast majority of UK public haven't actually read the PJ files and know what they said to the PJ).

I still believe Yvonne Martin went to see the McCanns with the best of intentions.

Which to those of us in the "know" makes a mockery of Kate's sentence

"This woman would pop up several times in the days and months to come and I still don’t really know who she is or what she was trying to achieve."

Of course you do Kate - but I know what you were "trying to achieve" when you said this.

I totally agree.

platinum wrote:

Angelina wrote:

aqeleega wrote:Didn't like being interviewed by a social worker did she! Well tough Mrs McCann - that is what happens when you abandon your child!!

When that social worker is sent officially to interview you...I would agree. This was someone on holiday with no legal standing or right to interview whatsoever so it does rather alter the situation imo. Their reasons for refusal to speak to her could be viewed in 2 different ways I think.

I agree with you here. There are at least two ways of looking at it.

Firstly Kate might have been fully aware of the situation and either Payne hinted to her that he knew this woman or she just wanted rid of anyone calling themself a social worker for whatever reason.

Or she might have been trying to make it plain that she had plenty of very well qualified people around her who she already knew and didn't need a stranger telling her what to do. By that time she would have known that embassy staff were on their way.

Its also possible that she was distraught by the situation (which Yvonne Martin says was the case) and wasn't really wanting to be questioned by anybody.

Platinum

Yes, those are all possibilities. I do think that many people have become totally convinced of a certain viewpoint - pro or anti - and tend to view everything from that particular stance. I try and keep an open mind and see all possibilities.

As you say, Yvonne was almost certainly trying to help but probably didn't realise that it might be taken as an intrusion for one reason or another.

I think Kate saying that even now she doesn't really know who Yvonne is, is rather silly. Anyone who follows the case on the internet knows exactly who she is, so Kate must do.