Pals slam cruel petition

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3197252/madeleine-mccann-petition-charged-child-neglect/


'PURE BILE' Pals slam ‘cruel’ petition calling for Madeleine McCann’s parents to be charged with child neglect – as signatures top 130,000


The petition - started by Hollie Flynn - looks set to fail, despite gaining 130,215 signatures on change.org


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By Tracey Kandohla


28th March 2017, 4:50 pm
Updated: 28th March 2017, 5:15 pm


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A PETITION calling for Madeleine McCann’s parents to be prosecuted for child neglect is today being dismissed as “pure bile” by the couple’s pals.

The attempt by Hollie Flynn to cause more anguish to Kate and Gerry looks set to fail, despite gaining 130,215 signatures on petition site change.org.


Kate McCann, pictured with husband Gerry, is marking her 10th Mother's Day without missing daughter Maddie
PA:Press Association


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In the petition she complains Kate and Gerry “left three unattended children” in a holiday apartment in Portugal’s Praia da Luz “while they went off to enjoy a night out", stressing: "This is neglect."

It urges: “Please sign this petition to help bring down the McCann’s for neglect that has led to the 'disappearance' of Madeleine McCann.”

A close friend of ex GP Kate, 49, and heart doctor Gerry, 48, who face the painful tenth anniversary of their daughter’s disappearance in five weeks, told The Sun Online: “It is just another cruel and pointless rant against Madeleine’s parents and is pure bile. Social media has been chuntering on about them for weeks. It is all nonsense.”


The petition has not even been posted on the official Parliamentary website and is a carbon copy of one previously submitted to MPs for possible debate.

UK-based instigator Hollie declares she is “Petitioning Prime Minister of the UK Theresa May", but the source pointed out: “It’s not even been placed on the site where it could be considered for discussion even though it has got enough signatures. It seems people are only signing it because they think it’s the official website.”

Three-year-old Maddie vanished from her bed after being left alone with twin siblings Sean and Amelie, 27, months, while her parents dined in a nearby tapas bar with pals in 2007.
Among signatories are Colin Smith from Croydon, South London, who says: "I’m signing because I am a father to 2 boys aged 9 and 7 and I wouldn't leave them alone. To leave a 3 year old to babysit two 2 year olds is completely disgusting and has to be a criminal offence. Please make justice happen."

The McCanns have been targeted over the past few weeks by online trolls and minor celebs

Julie Hill from Leicester adds: “If they were average people they would have been slated for leaving them alone."

A similar petition urging Maddie’s parents to face child neglect charges was submitted at some point during the 2010–2015 Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition Government.

A note on the official petitions website states: “This petition has been archived.”

It says the petition was rejected as this is a "police operational matter".

It adds: “Petitions cannot be used to request action on issues that are outside the responsibility of the Government."

The Sun Online recently told how Kate and Gerry would have “fought tooth and nail” if they had ever been prosecuted for abandoning the young trio.

It is coming up to the tenth anniversary of Maddie's disappearance

Matthew Wright claims parents of missing children have been 'short changed' compared to Madeleine McCanns

A McCann source said: “They were well aware they could have been charged with child neglect and naturally very concerned. But in legal terms they were doing everything well within the bounds of respectable parenting.”

The source insists: “Any legal action against them would have failed. A court would have to show Kate and Gerry had wilfully neglected their daughter and her siblings, and they did not. They would have robustly defended any charges, if brought.”
The couple could have faced jail under Portuguese law if they had ever faced a charge of abandonment and been convicted.

The McCann’s spokesman Clarence Mitchell today refused to discuss the petition saying: “There is absolutely no comment.”

The petition is a bit pointless other than as a measure of public opinion. The UK courts have no jurisdiction on neglect if committed abroad and the Portugese have already missed any opportunity to pursue it.

Nice little quote though

"Social media has been chuntering on about them for weeks. It is all nonsense.”

What about the Sun etc chuntering about them for weeks and scratching around for anything to tag them too.