Re: The PJ will conduct the questioning that was requested by the English police 14 August 2013

Guest Fri 16 Aug - 11:34

fred wrote:I remember the drunk story. The man was so drunk, he was laying in the road, yet, he managed to recognise Gerry straight away!

"We've all been there" says Kate. Err no, we haven't!

**AnnaEsse** Fri 16 Aug - 11:36

Iris wrote:
fred wrote:I remember the drunk story. The man was so drunk, he was laying in the road, yet, he managed to recognise Gerry straight away!
"We've all been there" says Kate. Err no, we haven't!

I haven't! I once walked into a lamp post on the way home from a New Year's Eve party, but have never lay in the road! The PJ will conduct the questioning that was requested by the English police 14 August 2013 - Page 2 294124

The PJ will conduct the questioning that was requested by the English police 14 August 2013 - Page 2 294124

**malena stool** Fri 16 Aug - 15:30

I've had several lamp posts leap out in front of me when I've imbibed a couple too many.. The PJ will conduct the questioning that was requested by the English police 14 August 2013 - Page 2 956518

The PJ will conduct the questioning that was requested by the English police 14 August 2013 - Page 2 956518

but I always crawled off of the road onto the pavement. The PJ will conduct the questioning that was requested by the English police 14 August 2013 - Page 2 25346

The PJ will conduct the questioning that was requested by the English police 14 August 2013 - Page 2 25346

comperedna Fri 16 Aug - 16:15

Malena, you always make me laugh... a lot of times simply because of your name.

Wintabells Fri 16 Aug - 16:22

Carolina wrote:
Wintabells wrote:
Carolina wrote:The investigation was not shelved because of lack of evidence and the authorities could go not further. In fact, it was the other way around, the investigation could go no further because of the decision made to shelve the case and lift the arguido status of the McCanns. There were plenty of other leads that could have been followed up on, such as the Smith sighting, the sighting of the McCanns going into an apartment block, etc. These sightings were simply not investigated any further.
I believe the Smith family's sighting was followed up - the family were interviewed on more than one occasion. In fact, once Mr and Mrs Smith had seen the footage of the McC's returning to the UK, they contacted the police again and made another statement in which (I think) Mr Smith said that the man they saw on the evening of Madeleine's disappearance bore an 80% resemblance to GMcC. I'm not sure what more the PJ could have done, given GMcC claimed to be 'dining' at the Tapas restaurant at the time of the Smith's sighting and several witnesses (albeit his friends) corroborated this.

As for the story of the McCs going into an apartment block - do you have a link to this information from the official files?

The police were to talk to the Smiths in 2008, after he had contacted them and said that he thought that it was GM he saw on 3 May, but the rogatory letters were sent to the UK instead of the Republic of Ireland and after that nothing was done to rectify the mistake or even to talk to the family. This was even more frustrating as Mr. Smith was willing to come to Portugal to testify. The family was not interviewed more than once unless you want to count Brian Kennedy's interference. This was done during the reign of Paulo Rebelo who was put in the investigation in order to wrap it up not to solve it. As for the McCanns going in the apartment block, Kate even mentioned it when she said that she and Gerry helped a drunk man they found in the road get back to his apartment. Very strange story indeed.

Oh ok. I thought the Smith family were interviewed twice - once when they categorically stated that the man they saw was not Robert Murat and the second time when they talked about the resemblance to GMcC.

Of course I'm not referring to the incident with Brian Kennedy.

As for the apartment block story, yes, I remember it, but wasn't sure the PJ had investigated it at all (you referred to this as not having been 'investigated further') hence I asked if you'd seen it referred to in the files.

**malena stool** Fri 16 Aug - 16:28

comperedna wrote:Malena, you always make me laugh... a lot of times simply because of your name.

The PJ will conduct the questioning that was requested by the English police 14 August 2013 - Page 2 23324

Wintabells Fri 16 Aug - 16:32

Here we have Mr Smith referring to both statements made to the police. The first, in 2007, to the PJ and the second (below) in 2008.

I completely agree that this sighting needs more investigating of course, but just wanted to confirm that the Smith family have two statements on record.

I would like to state that the statement I made on 26th May 2007 in Portugal is correct. The description of the individual that I saw on 3rd May 2007 carrying a child is as follows. He was average build, 5 foot 10' in height, brown hair cut short, aged 40 years approximately. Wearing beige trousers and darkish top maybe a jacket or blazer. He had a full head of hair with a tight cut. This individual was alone. I saw Gerard McCann (sic) going down the plane stairs carrying one of his children on 9th September 2007 BBC news at 10 PM, I have been shown the video clip by Sergeant Hogan which I recognise. A clip I have seen before on the Internet. In relation to the video clips of Gerard McCann and the person I saw on 3rd May 2007 when I saw the BBC news at 10 PM on 9th September 2007 something struck me that it could have been the same person. It was the way Gerard McCann turned his head down which was similar to what the individual did on 3rd May 2007 when we met him. It may have been the way he was carrying the child either. I would be 60-80% sure that it was Gerard McCann that I met that night carrying a child. I am basing that on his mannerism in the way he carried the child off the plane. After seeing the BBC news at 10 PM, footage on the 9th September 2007 I contacted Leicestershire police with this information. During that time I spoke to all my family members who were with me on the night of 3rd May 2007 about this and the only one who felt the same way as me was my wife. She had seen the video clip of Gerard McCann walking down the stairs of the plane earlier that day. We did not discuss this until some days later. This statement has been read over to me and is correct.

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

**Keela** Fri 16 Aug - 16:40

It certainly does require more indepth investigation. He has put down in writing and which cannot be disputed, the fact that the person he saw carrying a child and GM bear more than a passing resemblance to each other.

Guest Fri 16 Aug - 22:04

And he's given an excellent description of the "bundleman" outfit.

Sponsored content