Wandsworth Prison has investigated claims that a group of prison officers went on a night out wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the words “We have Madeleine McCann”.

Madeleine McCann jokes are bad, but her parents are worse
Las Vegas : NV : USA | Nov 13, 2013 at 3:13 AM PST
By Chelsea Hoffman

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/15943370-madeleine-mccann-jokes-are-bad-but-her-parents-are-worse

in a nutshell.

Is this story actually true because l haven't seen pictures anywhere, the press would pay good money for them l'm sure.

If they were wearing these shirts to work, I could understand the fuss but at a private party?

That is of course if the story is actually true, as Margaret says.

that's a very good point, anyone seen the fb page, or know any details of those who were sacked or disciplined.

Maybe it's the same crew who brought us Voucherdigg.

tanszi wrote:that's a very good point, anyone seen the fb page, or know any  details of those who were sacked or disciplined.

There's been nothing has there? No names, no photographs from FB...

I'll tell ya what's been slightly puzzling me, right from my first reading of the Metro article:

But a colleague told Metro it was ‘despicable’ that some involved in the incident were still working at the jail. He said: ‘It makes me sick to think just because they work for the prison service that they should get away with this disrespectful behaviour.

If I was the mother or father of Madeleine McCann I would want to know about this.’

The incident happened when the officers were ‘very drunk’ on a weekend away, he claimed.

The officer said printing slogans on Prison Service T-shirts about Madeleine, who went missing in Portugal in 2007, was a ‘disgusting act’.
(my bold) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK - here we have, supposedly, a fellow prison officer who has every right to anonymously register his unhappiness at other officers' behaviour.
His feelings may be genuine and may have been embroidered for dramatic effect, so I don't want to appear too pernickety, but ......

He has pre-empted his own prison service, who say they won't comment until the disciplinary process is over.

But it's his voice, his extravagant language, his bluster - a tad over the top given the nature of the misdemeanour IMO. Ramming the point home, one could say. It's not as if he has any connection with the parents for whom he has vented such fury .........

almostgothic wrote:
But it's his voice, his extravagant language, his bluster - a tad over the top given the nature of the misdemeanour IMO. Ramming the point home, one could say. It's not as if he has any connection with the parents for whom he has vented such fury .........

It's a funny old do, as they say round here......

Other papers are now picking up the (non?) story.
 
http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Madeleine-McCann-T-shirts-Wandsworth-Prison/story-20070568-detail/story.html

Written by a Tim Healy!

almostgothic wrote:I'll tell ya what's been slightly puzzling me, right from my first reading of the Metro article:

But a colleague told Metro it was ‘despicable’ that some involved in the incident were still working at the jail. He said: ‘It makes me sick to think just because they work for the prison service that they should get away with this disrespectful behaviour.

If I was the mother or father of Madeleine McCann I would want to know about this.’

The incident happened when the officers were ‘very drunk’ on a weekend away, he claimed.

The officer said printing slogans on Prison Service T-shirts about Madeleine, who went missing in Portugal in 2007, was a ‘disgusting act’.
(my bold) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

OK - here we have, supposedly, a fellow prison officer who has every right to anonymously register his unhappiness at other officers' behaviour.
His feelings may be genuine and may have been embroidered for dramatic effect, so I don't want to appear too pernickety, but ......

He has pre-empted his own prison service, who say they won't comment until the disciplinary process is over.

But it's his voice, his extravagant language, his bluster - a tad over the top given the nature of the misdemeanour IMO. Ramming the point home, one could say. It's not as if he has any connection with the parents for whom he has vented such fury .........

Yes, you'd think Maddie's parents would have a damn sight more to worry about, than what some drunken prison officers were wearing, in their own time, on a lads' night out.

Exactly Iris.  I don't think it was very tasteful but not many people would have known about it until it was plastered all over the news

Madeleine McCann T-shirts: Wandsworth Prison officers face investigation over 'sick' stunt
By Leicester Mercury | Posted: November 13, 2013

By Tim Healy

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Madeleine-McCann-T-shirts-Wandsworth-Prison/story-20070568-detail/story.html

Madeleine McCann. An investigation has been launched after a group of prison officers were alleged to have worn T-shirts with the words "We have Madeleine McCann" printed on them

An investigation has been launched after a group of prison officers were alleged to have worn T-shirts with the words "We have Madeleine McCann" printed on them during a night out.

It is understood one of the officers has been sacked and four others disciplined after photos of them wearing the T-shirts were posted online.

The pictures were on Facebook for two months before bosses at Wandsworth Prison, in south London, were alerted.

A member of staff at the prison told the Metro paper some officers who had been involved in the incident were still working at the prison.

He said: "It makes me sick to think just because they work for the prison service that they should get away with this disrespectful behaviour."

A Prison Service spokesman said: "An investigation has taken place at HMP Wandsworth and appropriate disciplinary action has been taken following an incident concerning a number of prison officers outside of working hours and away from the prison.

"Until the disciplinary process is completed, we are unable to comment further."

Last month, Portuguese police announced they were reopening the case.

Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry, were reported as saying they were "very pleased" at the decision and hoped it would uncover answers.

They said: "We hope this will finally lead to her being found and to the discovery of whoever is responsible for this crime.

"We once again urge any member of the public who may have information relating to Madeleine's abduction to contact the police in Portugal or the UK.

"Please be patient and respect the work of the police as they endeavour to find the answers we so desperately need."

Portuguese police had shelved their investigation in 2008, the year after Madeleine vanished.

An episode of BBC's Crimewatch in early October aired a reconstruction of the night Madeleine – then aged three – went missing in Praia da Luz on the evening of May 3, 2007.

New e-fits of men seen nearby on the night, whom police want to trace and speak to, were also released, based on work done by the Metropolitan Police.

The McCanns' spokesman was not available to comment on the investigation into the prison officers' conduct.



Read more: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Madeleine-McCann-T-shirts-Wandsworth-Prison/story-20070568-detail/story.html#ixzz2kYBoi3bv

well, it must be true... The Mercury rag has finally reported on the topic....

Not Born Yesterday wrote:Other papers are now picking up the (non?) story.
 
http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Madeleine-McCann-T-shirts-Wandsworth-Prison/story-20070568-detail/story.html

Written by a Tim Healy!

Yep, this load of old baloney is mushrooming. I've googled it and it's been regurgitated in the Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Canada Free Press and the Huffington Post, to name but four. There are lots more.

Pity they did not have the slogan on the front and a photo of Gerry Smithman on the back. That would have been worth it, and I bet would have had no publicity.

oh Mossman ill bet someone will do that. in the early days there were loads of satirical McCann merchandise. no one complained about that, I understand they had a good turnover.

This NON story even made the Portuguese media.
http://www.cmjornal.xl.pt/detalhe/noticias/nacional/portugal/brincadeira-sobre-maddie-trama-guardas-prisionais

It seems that you can't joke about anything in the UK, especially missing children. While dark humor isn't everybody's cup of tea, it's a pretty sad state of affairs when you're spending more time harassing people over the jokes they tell than spending the time searching for the actual criminals and other baddies. For example: Why doesn't anyone in the UK care that the parents of Madeleine McCann abandoned their children to be in harm's way in the first place?

Nobody would have room to joke about little Maddie had her parents been there for her in the first place. She was left alone with her younger siblings at the age of three while her parents went off to enjoy some grownup time with their friends. Had they not abandoned the child, she wouldn't have been in the position to be kidnapped.

For some reason, it's okay to ignore this utter travesty. It's absolutely fine to ignore the total parenting fail committed by Kate and Gerry McCann. However, if you make a joke about the missing child you can lose your job -- and even face jail time in some circumstances. It seems that the McCann case has simply become a joke.
Stay tuned for the upcoming Madeleine McCann story written by Chelsea Hoffman -- estimated publish date: Spring of 2014.