Nannies/Child Care Workers Statements

Processos Vol II p. 253-256

Catriona Treasa Sisile Baker
Childcare Worker
Time/Date: 18H36 2007/05/06
British Citizen
Translated by Robert Murat

--She came to Portugal on the 21st of March of the current year; this is her first visit to Portugal.
--She came to Portugal with the purpose of exercising the profession of childcare worker under a contract signed with “ Markwarner”.
--Her contract began on the 21st of March and ends on the 07th of November, 2007, the time when she intends to return to her home country.
--She further specifies that the abovementioned firm has a contract with the “Ocean Club” resort to provide a childcare service to its guests.
--Also specifies that in the tourist complex, this service is offered in four different locations, to suit different age groups.
--Children between the age of 4 months and 1 year are assigned to the “Baby Club” – the service operates next to the Ocean Club’s main reception; for children between the age of 1 and 2 – “Toddler” - this service is located in a building close to the Tapas restaurant; for children between the age of 3 and 5—“Mini”- this service is equally located next to the Ocean Club’s main reception; and last, for children between the age of 6 and 9 and between the age of 10 and 13 - “Junior Kids” – the service operates in a space located near the Millennium restaurant.
--The operating hours of these fours services is from 09H00 to 12H30, in the morning, and from 14H30 to 17H30, in the afternoon.
--She adds that there is another service that is offered during dinner time called “Dining Out Service”, which is also located above the Ocean Club’s main reception, and operates from 19H30 until 23H30.
--There is also a “Babysitting” service, which runs from 19H30 to 01H00, and is carried out in the apartment of the requesting guests;
--The witness mentions that as a nanny she works at all the above mentioned locations, because like all of her colleagues, she is subject to a rotating schedule, which means that they change the physical location and the age group of the children that they look after, on a weekly basis.
--Clarifies that her functions include the need to create the weekly activities’ plan for the children that are under her care, namely the outdoors activities, like sailing, swimming, tennis, and beach and garden visits.
--Specifies that when looking after children of the missing girl’s age group, each nanny is responsible for approximately seven children, that remain under the care of the same nanny during the whole week.
--States that she knows the McCann family since last Sunday, the 29th of April, 2007, when they enrolled their daughter in the “Minis” service.
--She replies that since that date and until Thursday, the 03rd of May, 2007, she was with Madeleine every day, but is unable to specify if she was present on the Sunday morning.
--Since the beginning, when she received the little girl, it appeared to her that her parents were affable and showed their interest in her well being, as they cared to inquire what Madeleine did and even accompanied some of the child’s outdoors activities.
--Concerning the little girl, she states that she was a quite active and sociable child, who nevertheless paid most of her attention to the children of her own group (Lobster Team).
--Refers that only on the first day she was more reluctant to remain in that [word is missing]
--She further refers that during the time lapse that Madeleine remained under her care, at no time did the little girl seem sad or unsatisfied, having produced no comments whatsoever about being angry, sad about anyone or discontented at anything.
--She equally refers that Madeleine was an extremely obedient child, who never left the group. She was not a child that would speak to strangers.
--It was always Madeleine’s parents that would bring her to and fetch her from the “Minis”.
--She replies that within the exercise of her functions, both inside the building and outdoors (above specified activities), she never noticed anyone suspiciously observing the children under her care. She didn’t notice anyone taking pictures of the children, namely of Madeleine.
--She refers that her colleagues never mentioned anything concerning their children, either.
--The deponent mentions that following Madeleine’s disappearance, she didn’t see or hear anything, no plausible reason that could explain what caused said disappearance.
--Finally, she mentions that she has been in this line of work for a number of years, through the firm that hired her, in various countries. She had never witnessed an event of this type.
--The deponent adds that since she has been in Portugal, and apart from English citizens who are her colleagues, she has met people outside of the tourist resort, some of Portuguese nationality but mainly English people, and she often goes out at night to enjoy herself.
--During those times of socialising/going out, nobody ever questioned her about her profession, or about the children under her care, or the McCann family in particular.
--Having nothing further to add, reads, ratifies and signs her statement.

CARTAS ROGATORIAS 5
Pages 3 to 6

LEICESTERSHIRE POLICE SQUAD
WITNESS TESTIMONY OF CATRIONA SISILE BAKER
Occupation: Childcare worker

This statement, consisting of four pages, each signed by me, is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and I make it knowing that, if it is tendered in evidence, I shall be liable to prosecution if I have willfully states in it anything I know to be false or do not believe to be true.

Date: 14 of April, 2008
Signature:

I am the above referenced person and live in the address previously given to the police.

I offer this testimony in relation to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. I would like to clarify that I am not totally aware of the events as so much time has passed since the incident.

I work in childcare – I was contracted by Mark Warner in June of 2006. The first time I went to Portugal was the 21st of March 2006 where I worked as a childcare worker in the Ocean Club Village, Praia da Luz. I went to a work interview and was contracted for one year by Mark Warner in June of 2006. There are a number of infant clubs in the Ocean Club resort, where the children are grouped together by age. The work in the clubs is rotated and the functionaries are changed over weekly. If a family is staying for a period longer than one week, I would stay at the same club to continue taking care of their children. The child is delivered in the morning by one of the parents who also picks him or her up at lunch time. Some of the children return for the afternoon session which includes accompanying them to “high tea” at around 5H in the afternoon.

The age requirements of the various clubs are 3-11 months (baby Club), 12-23 months (Toddler Club), 24 months to 3 years (Toddler 2 Club), 3 to 5 years of age (Mini Club), 6 years to 9 years of age (Juniors Club), 10 years to 15 years of age (Kids Club) and from 14 to 17 years of age (Indies Club). The Baby Club and the Mini Club are situated directly on top of the 24-hour reception. The Toddler Club is located close to the tapas Bar and the others close to the “Millenium” Restaurant.

There were about 16 childcare workers during my stay at the club. I was lodged in the white and blue building, about 10 minutes on foot from the Mark Warner village and my place of work.

I got to know Gerry and Kate McCann on the Sunday morning, 29.04.2007, in the Minis Club. They brought the children and as it was their first day of holidays the normal procedure was that they were allocated a childcare worker. I had previously written the children’s bracelets which included their name, allergies and relevant information. I stayed with Madeleine, 3 years old, in my group (Minis Club that week) together with E***, daughter of Jane Tanner. Either Kate or Gerry would accompany Madeleine every day in the morning and would return at lunch hour to take her back. I met Gerry more often as he would drop Madeleine off with greater frequency than Kate. I also remember that Kate was present for High Tea accompanied by the twins between 5H and 5H30 in the afternoon.

Most of the time in which I saw the family together, the children would be eating. The twins appeared tired at lunch, after a long day and also perhaps due to the heat, but I never became preoccupied by the children of by the comportment of the McCanns.

I never saw Kate or Gerry in a car in Portugal. I visited the family in their home at their invitation to see how they were getting along in November of 2007. That was the first time I saw them in a car.

On Thursday the 3rd of May 2007, I remember Gerry having accompanied Madeleine to the club between 9h15 and 9h20 in the morning. I do not remember who came to pick her up for lunch but after she returned in the afternoon for a dive/swim. These activities were realized with the other children. On this day I remember that we sailed and I saw friends of the McCanns on the beach, David and Jane. Around 14h45 Madeleine returned to the Minis Club on top of the reception but I do not remember who accompanied her. This afternoon we went swimming. Kate went to get Madeleine from the Tapas Bar area and according to what I remember she was wearing sporting clothes and I assumed that she was practicing some form of athletics. It was around 15h25/18h00. I think that Gerry was playing tennis.

On the 3rd of May, 2007, Kate and Gerry did not demonstrate any unusually comportment—they seemed friendly and happy.

When I finished work that day, I headed for home. Some of my colleagues were going out but I was very tired and did not accompany them. I stayed in the apartment with my friend Rhiannon Fretter and we went to sleep. Two colleagues later returned to the apartment. I was confused and did not understand was happening. They eventually explained to me what had occurred around 22h30-22h35. Emma Wilding told me that Madeleine has disappeared. Leanne Wagstaff also was present.

I helped in the searches near the beach and after returned to the meeting point in the Tapas bar. The director indicated to us where to search; we looked in all areas. I searched on foot the majority of streets where Madeleine had passed and may have been familiar to her. I also searched the streets of the Tapas Bar, to the Minis Club, and of the Minis toward the beach looking between zones in the beach where she may have had access. All seemed to be concentrated on searches on the beach.

I did not see Kate or Gerry that night. The next time I saw them was on Saturday at breakfast, as on Friday I spent most of the morning with the Portuguese police giving a statement. On Saturday I was next to the tapas Bar zone when Gerry and Kate appeared. They were still agitated and anxious for news.

I never noted anything strange in Madeleine’s comportment during the time I stayed with her. There was one occasion, on Thursday, 3rd of May 2007, around 10H30 in the morning, where she cried at the launch of the yellow safety boat in the ocean where all the children were sailing. She was scared and fearful and cried on my lap “I am scared, I am scared.” We only used the launches to transport the children to the small yellow boats. When we returned to the other boat she was happy again. She sailed in the small boat and even though some children had the opportunity to return to the port, she stayed for a second time as she appeared to be having a good time. Jane Tanner’s daughter also took part in my group and together they would play. Apart from being a happy child in the club, she always seemed very content when she saw her parents. Madeleine did not demonstrate any fear with the return launch to land.

Madeleine never mentioned that she had cried in the absence of her parents nor did she tell me anything of significance relating to feeling sad or something relevant that would cause me to worry.

Mark Warner has a standard procedure, the signature on a page when a parent leaves or checks-in a child. There is a separate page for the morning and one for the afternoon. The page contains the name of the child, the hour of sign-in and the hour of pick-up for the afternoon. Only the parents have authority to take the children, except when there is some other agreement. When Gerry and Kate came to pick up Madeleine there were loving and the child would run into their arms.

Mark Warner maintained a register to all the activities in which the children participated. It functioned as a calendar, referring hour by hour, to what the children were doing. I believe that the Portuguese police collected the sign-in/out sheets and the registry of activities immediately on the day following the disappearance. I would say that Madeleine adored her family; she seemed happy as they did in the club.

During the week which Madeleine stayed in the club there were three events organized that included a trip to the beach. One of these events took place on Thursday in the morning, as referred to previously. Another of these events consisted of a trip to the beach with “hula hoops”, shovels and buckets, etc, and the other trip to the beach was in order to eat ice cream. Together, the trips to the beach took place in the afternoon but I cannot state precisely which days. There should be a recording of this in the Mark Warner registers.

During these trips to the beach I never noticed anything untoward given that my attention was on the children in my charge.

Mark Warner moved me from the Ocean Club about one week after—13th of May, I believe.

I was interviewed on DVD, by DC GIERC of the Leicestershire Police between 10h09 and 10h54 on Monday, 14th of April of 2008 in the Leicestershire police headquarters. I can affirm that ,y statement on DVD is truthful and in accord with my understanding.

Between 11h57 and 12h12 of the same day I was again interviewed on DVD by DC GIERC. During this interview I was permitted to refresh my memory after reading my translated original statement made to the Portuguese police. There are two facts that I would like to clarify: “dining out service” which is mentioned is available for the adults, being that the children would be left under the care of a childcare worker during dinner. My original deposition also mentioned that Madeleine offered more attention to the boys in the club. I do not remember having made such an affirmation given that Madeleine passed the majority of time playing with Jane Tanner’s daughter. I confirm that the deposition in this second DVD is truthful and in accord with my knowledge and that it will be registered.

Between 13h35 and 13h45 of the same day I was once again interviewed by DC GIERC. One more time I confirm that my statement is true and in accord with my understanding.

This statement is truthful and in accord with my understanding.

Processos, volume IV TOC, pgs. Pgs. 870 to 883

External Diligence carried out with Catriona Baker regarding Madeleine’s outing to the beach

Date: 2007.05.10
Place: Praia da Luz, Lagos
Officer responsible: Manuel Pinho, Inspector

Description and result of diligence

On this date, in the company of my colleague Joao Barreiras and with Catriona Baker, the nanny responsible for the missing minor, we reconstructed the locations and their movements upon leaving the resort, in the direction of the beach.

We were told by Catriona, that in the last days they went to the beach on Tuesday afternoon (01 of May 2007), between 15H30 and 16h30, on Wednesday (the next day) at the same time and on Thursday between 10 and 11h00 (see attached map).


The path taken was as follows:
1. The parents leave the children in the Mark Warner “BABY CLUB”, which is situated next to the principal reception of the resort, and which is open 24 hours;
2. Next, Catriona, with MADELEINE and 4 or 5 other children, headed in the direction of the beach on foot. The walk was about 100 metres, even though not in a straight line;
3. The infant educator always went in front with the children following, and all held on to a “summy snake” (a long snake-like object that allows the children to walk single file);
4. After leaving the “BABY CLUB”, the descended the stairs in the direction of the main reception, went through the entrance gate and crossed Rua Direita (principal road of Praia da Luz) in the direction of Beco das Palmeiras;
5. Next, they turned right in the direction of Barco Nordeste, and after that turned right and descended stairs attached to a house called “Casa Ortiga” and which is numbered 17;
6. At the bottom of these stairs, they came to Travessa das Redes;
7. Upon crossing this street, they crossed a parking area, in the direction of the boardwalk, which is situated near/on the beach;
8. Then afterwards they went onto the beach, and towards a zone where they came to a red sun awning/canopy and various sun umbrellas;

During the first two days, the children played and made activities in the sand. On Thursday they sailed to the next beach.

On this day the sailed in a small yellow catamaran.

Employee Alice Standley accompanied the children during this sailing trip. Three children at a time would travel with each infant educator.

Employee Chris Unswork transported the children, in a red amphibious dinghy, to the embarkation and a few minutes later, would return them to the beach and then pick up the remaining children.

All state that the children did have any not contact with anyone else during the time they were at the beach, as was the case during their walk to the beach.

All state that they did not see anyone suspicious looking at the children or in the surrounding areas.

Catriona states that nothing out of the ordinary was noted during their walk to or from the beach.

Signed by the officer in charge.

Pages 378 to 381

Witness statement
Charlotte Elizabeth Anne Pennington
Date/Time: 2007/05/07 14H30
Childcare Worker
Irish Citizen
Translator Robert Murat

• Has been in Portugal since April 28th, the day upon which she began working for the Ocean Club tourist Complex in Luz, Lagos, and where she is employed as a child educator. Her work contract was completed in the U.K. with MarkWarner;
• The witness clarifies that between the 19th of April and the 04th of May 2007 she worked with a group of children staying in the aforementioned complex between the ages of 4 months and one year of age (the Baby Club);
• The witness further clarifies that the BabyClub group was divided in three sub-groups, with each group composed of two babies, so that each group had a different infant educator allocated to it;
• With relation to the facts of the investigation, the witness states that in the course of her work, she came across Madeleine McCann many times, explaining that, even though she [Madeleine] did not belong to her [Pennington’s] group, this was normal, as the physical space where the children groups are located is contiguous;
• The witness clarifies that Madeleine was registered with the ‘MiniClub’, a group with children between 3 and 4 years of age. The principal space where the children from MiniClub and BabyClub are situated is in the same building as the Ocean Club complex reception and this is why the witness had personal contact with the identified child. However, she clarifies that it was normal during “siesta”-- understood to be between the hours of 09H00 and 10H30 and 14H30 and 15H00, at the exact time that children are brought into the crèche by their parents—when the children under her guard are asleep, that she would participate with the children and the activities in the MiniClub;
• Witness states that on two different days, Sunday, 29th of April 2007, and on Thursday, 03rd of May 2007, she had direct contact with Madeleine McCann, telling her stories and speaking with her.
• Witness states that as she was an intelligent child, timid at first contact, and who later felt more comfortable, was a child who conversed normally for her age, and was of a calm demeanour. She adds that it was usual for Madeleine to be called “Maddy”, as this is how she [Madeleine] presented herself to the witness;
• On the 3rd of May 2007, around 22H15, the witness was working during “dinner hour”, together with her colleagues Jackie and Amy, when an unknown woman came to them indicating that she was a tourist lodged at the complex and asked them if they had heard about a disappearance of a child, whose name she referred to as “Maggie” or “Maddy”;
• The witness also clarified that the crèche in the complex also offers complementary services allowing parents to leave their children with baby sitters during dinner-time, between the hours of 19H15 and 23H00;
• She advised the aforementioned individual that no one had told them of the disappearance, who she believed by the name given, was Madeleine, also for the reason that Amy contacted via telephone her supervisor, Lyndsay, who informed her that Madeleine had indeed disappeared;
• After this situation, they began the “search procedure for a missing child” which consists of an organised search involving different areas of the complex in question;
• The witness states that she participated in the searches, together with her colleague—Amy, searching various areas of the Ocean Club establishment. She also states that she searched the patio area of the residence where Madeleine stayed with her parents and siblings, and during which, she encountered many individuals inside the apartment but was not able to tell if they were complex employees or friends of the couple. She did not enter the residence in question;
• She participated in the searches until 01H30 on the 4th of May, 2007, when she returned to her residence;
• During the search, she noticed, together with her colleagues from the Ocean Club, that other people participated in the searches (tourists, and proprietors from the complex in question);
• She was not aware of the time but believes it was around midnight when she noticed that the local authorities (police) were present and assessing the situation;
• States that the searches carried out by the Ocean Club elements terminated at around 04H00 the next morning, 04 of May, 2007, with negative results;
• States that she did not maintain contact with the minor in question, Madeleine McCann, but only to the extent that she was a child educator, as she was located together where the missing child was being watched in the crèche. She is unaware of Madeleine’s habits and that of her parents, not having perceived any odd situation related to the child or any other during her work period in Portugal;
• The witness also states that Madeleine was normally left by her parents around 09H15 in the crèche, as her parents left the twins beforehand in the Toddler Club;
• Is not aware of any situation that seemed odd/strange related, directly, or indirectly to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Nothing more to declare.

Processos Vol III

Pages 535 to 538

Date: 2007/05/08

Witness Statement

Jacqueline Mary Williams

Occupation: Pre-school teacher

Place of Work: OC


Statement translated by Robert Murat.

She has been in Portugal since 27th March 2007, the date on which she began work at the OC, where she works as a pre-school teacher, she signed her contract with MW in London.

She clarifies that between the dates of 23rd April to 4th May 2007 she worked with a group of children belonging to OC guests, aged between 12 months and two years, called “Toddlers 1”.

When questioned she states that the crèche is open every day, except for Saturdays at the resort, which is the day off for all the nannies, on Saturdays there is just a support service for any eventual need, involving two nannies.

She also clarifies that the “Toddlers 1” group is divided into two subgroups of children, each composed of three children each group dependent on one nanny and that she was responsible for one of these subgroups.

With regard to the facts being investigated, she says that in brief moments and in a formal manner (just saying “hello” and “goodbye”) she had contact with Madeleine, explaining that she did not belong to her group, these contacts took place when the children were eating, as all the children ate together in the Tapas at the same time.

She says that Madeleine belonged to the Mini Club group for children aged between three and five, explaining that the Mini Club installations were in the same building as the OC reception and that the Toddlers are next to the Tapas bar.

She mentions that Madeleine has two twin siblings (a boy and a girl) aged two, who belonged to the Toddlers 2 group.

She says that in spite the fact that both of the toddlers groups were in the same building and that both the twins were in Toddlers 2, she only had contact with Madeleine’s parents twice when they came collect the twins after their meal, which happened every day at about 17.30, this contact also being brief and formal “just saying good afternoon”.

That on 3rd May at about 22.05 she was working at the Mini Club, at the “dinner time period” together with colleagues Charlotte and Amy, when a female individual arrived, whose name she does not know, just that she was the mother of a child there (belonging to Toddlers 2), being a guest who was staying at the resort and who left at the end of the week, who told her that a girl called “Maddie” has disappeared, and that the girl’s parents needed help in looking for her.

When questioned she said that the crèche also offered a free service permitting parents to leave their children in the care of the crèche workers during dinner between 19.15 and 23.00, seeing as the abovementioned situation occurred during this time and that she was on duty for that service on that night.


Whilst this was happening, her colleague tried to find out and confirmed that a child by the name of Madeleine McCann had disappeared and that they were about to begin the “missing child procedure”.

After this, the “missing child procedure” was initiated, which consists of an organised search, spread over different areas of the complex. The witness immediately helped in the searches, whilst her colleague Charlotte remained at the crèche, looking after the other children that were there and waiting for the arrival of the last parents, after which she also began searching.

The witness says she participated in these searches with her colleague Joe (Tapas bar employee) searching different areas of the OC resort.

When questioned, she says that she did not participate in any search of the apartment where Madeleine was staying with her parents and siblings, nor in its immediate vicinity.

That she took part in the searches until 04.00 on 4th May before returning to her home.

That in the search she carried out with her colleagues (employees) of the OC other people – tourists and home owners – also participated.

She is not sure, but at about midnight, she saw that the police were also on the scene.

When questioned, she says she does not know anything about Madeleine’s habits or those of her parents, nor of anything strange about the child.

When questioned, she says that on 3 rd May she began her shift at 17.15 remaining at the crèche with her colleagues Amy and Charlotte, until they heard about the disappearance.

She did not know of anything suspicious that may be linked to the disappearance.

Reads, ratifies, signs

Processos Vol III
Pages 716 – 719


Date: 2007/05/07

Witness Statement


Lynne Rhiannon Fretter

Place: OC

Occupation: Child educator


As she does not speak Portuguese, Robert Murat translates.

She has been in Portugal since 21st March, the date upon which she began work this year at the OC, where she works as a child educator according to the contract she signed with MW in the UK.

She clarifies that during the period from 21st March to 7th May she worked together with different groups of children staying at the resort, in groups of seven children of both sexes. During her first week she worked with the “Junior” group and from then on worked with groups of children aged between one and two years in the “Toddlers 1” group and children aged between two and three in “Toddlers 2”. As regards the week in question, she worked with the baby group.

When questioned she says that her working hours are quite flexible and rotate, depending on the weekly planning of the children’s activities. When questioned she said that she was trained in England for two years, as a child educator.


With relation to the facts being investigated, she says that she only had one brief contact, a few seconds with Madeleine – whom they called Madie (sic), when she passed by her, having eaten at the table, where she was.

When questioned she says that Madeleine belonged to the Mini Club, which was a group for children aged between three and five years old.

When questioned she says that the crèche is managed by her colleague Lyndsay and that the Mini Club group is supervised by her colleague Amy, who also coordinates a group of nannies, whose names she knows to be Cat and Emma, employees who were in charge of the group during that week, from 29th April to 4th May 2007.

When questioned, she replies that the little girl was discreet and shy. She says that she was a very pretty girl, however she did not stand out because of this.

She had no contact with the parents.

On 3rd May 2007 at about 23.30, when she was at her apartment, with Cat, who also lives there, she was told by Leanne that Maddie had disappeared and that nobody had been able to find her.

She quickly got dressed and went out to join a group of staff who were searching the resort and P d L without success.

She participated in the search with other OC colleagues and other individuals (tourists, apartment owners from the resort).

That later, she does not remember the exact time, but it must have been at about 02.00 on 4th May she noticed that the police were also on the site, taking account of the occurrence and taking measures for this kind of situation.

When questioned she says that she searched the OC until about 04.00 on 4th May with negative results. In the morning, at about 08.30, the searches resumed and she participated in the searches in the resort.

When questioned she says that seeing as she just had one contact with the girl, she does not know the girl’s habits or those of her parents and nothing strange about the girl had been mentioned to her, during the time she was working in Portugal.

When questioned she says that she heard from her colleagues about the Portuguese individual who contacted them and invited them for a beer, but knows no details about this.

She says that never discussed the children with anyone other than her colleagues.

She knows of nothing suspicious that can be related to the disappearance of Madeleine.

Reads, signs, ratifies.

Volume II, pages 374 to 376—Witness statement of Emma Louise Wilding 2007.05.07

She provides a statement because she works at the Mini Club within the Ocean Club tourist complex at Praia da Luz in Lagos.

She states that she does not speak Portuguese and is accompanied by an interpreter, Robert Murat, residing at Casa Liliana, Rua do Ramalhete at Praia da Luz in Lagos, phone xxxxxx. She has been working as an Infants’ teacher for close to 4 years and has specific qualifications for the job that are more than just the obligatory schooling.

She arrived in Portugal on March 22/07 and as from that date she has been working as an Infants’ teacher at the Ocean Club. She has been working at the Mini Club for children between 3-5 years of age since April 29.

Before coming to Portugal she worked at a Pre-school called “Primary Steps Nursery” as an Infants’ teacher. Before coming to Portugal she knew no Portuguese people and since she arrived she has met a few Portuguese who work within the complex. Since she arrived from England nobody has questioned her about the operation of the Ocean Club nor of the Mini Club nor about Madelede (sic).

When questioned she states that she knows Madelede’s (sic) parents because although Madeleine is not in her group, she frequently speaks to her parents, and finds their concerns and interests normal and typical of parents.

When questioned she states that there are parents that leave their respective children during the whole day and every day at the clubs, and that this is normal within British culture. With respect to Madeleine, she states that she spent most of her time at the Mini Club. The children began arriving at 0900 until 1230 when their respective parents collected them for lunch, and returned at 1430 until 1645 when the Infants’ teachers took the children to eat something appropriate for their age at the Tapas restaurant. Most of the parents met their respective children here, and the children then remained in their parents’ care.

When questioned she states that on May 3, 2007 it was the father that took Madeleine, as was customary, between 0900 and 0930; she remembers that she just said “hello” to him, because as Madelede (sic) did not belong to her group she did not talk to him very much.

She only noticed Madeleine and not her father, and nothing seemed abnormal or unusual.

She is not sure whether during the morning Madeleine’s group had outdoor activities, mainly at the pool; she does remember that around 1230 Madelew’s (sic) father went to fetch her for lunch.

When questioned, she states that on Wednesday May 2, her group and Madeleine’s group went to the beach, but she is not sure if Madeleine was in the group or not, and does not remember having seen anybody specifically taking direct and close-up photographs of the children.

She remembers that during the afternoon of May 3 Madeleine was at the Mini Club, but she does not remember at what time she arrived, and if on that day Madeleine accompanied the other children at 1645 as was customary.

She is also not sure whether her parents joined her during the snack, as was customary.

During this period of time she did not notice anybody or anything out of the ordinary, as her attention was wholly focused on the children.

That night, at around 2200 she learned that Madeleine had disappeared, and together with her colleagues she helped look for her.

As regards Madeleine, she did not spent much time with her because she was not in her group; she did not know her well, but Madeleine appeared to be somewhat shy, this was noticeable the first days. Since she met her, she noticed nothing abnormal in any aspect that would point to Madeleine being a child that was out of the ordinary.

As regards the disappearance itself, she states that she was shocked, as it was the first time such a thing had happened.

She knows nothing more about this matter that would be of interest for the case.

She says nothing further. After having read the document and found it to be satisfactory, she signs it.

Processos Vol II
Pages 383 - 385

Witness Statement


Kirsty Louise Maryan

Date/Time: 2007/05/07 14H30
Child Educator
British (translated by Robert Murat)

Concerning the issue of the process said;
. That she comes to the process as a witness;
. States that she does not know the Portuguese language and is accompanied by interpreter, Robert James Queriol Murat, translator;
. That she has been in Portugal since the 21st of March, the date in which she began work, of this year, in the establishment known as the Ocean Club, situated in Praia da Luz, in Lagos (Algarve) where she works as an infant educator in the aforementioned establishment, conforming to a work contract previously signed in London. Clarifies that, last year, she began her work in this establishment where she has worked from July to October. The deponent further clarifies that in the period between 21 May 2007 and 07 May 2007, she worked with children between the ages of 6 and 10, known as the 'Junior' group, which is made up of 7 children of both sexes;
. States that her hour of work is very flexible, rotating and coincides with the weekly plan of the children's activities. Because she is asked, she clarifies that she had formal training in England, for two years, in order to exercise her child educator functions;
. The deponent further clarifies that the Junior group does not find itself subdivided from the other groups, in that, at this moment, there are not enough children that permit it;
. relative to the facts of the investigation the witness clarifies that in her daily schedule mentioned she only, on one occasion, had contact with Madeleine McCann, for about 30 minutes 'who was treated as Maddie' in that she had to substitute for her colleague, who, at that time, was responsible for the group whose name is Emma, as she had to go to the Tapas to take care of the refreshments of Madeleine's group. For this, the deponent had the charge of accompanying that group towards the beach until the MiniClub where they stayed for a few minutes, and from where they left for the restaurant, mentioned above, in order to have dinner. She clarifies that when Madeleine ate her food, her parents were close and accompanied her;
. Questioned, she states that Madeleine McCann related to the group of children 'MiniClub' who are supervised by a colleague of hers, whose name is Amy, and who coordinates her workers, for who she only knows first names, Cat and Emma, employees who worked with the group during the week in question, from 29 April to 04 May, 2007;
. Questioned, she states that the minor in questions appeared to her a calm child, happy, but quiet. States that Maddie was a very pretty child, notwithstanding, she did not stick out for this fact. However, she furthers that the same child, from what she saw, was a child who did stick out, precisely as she was calmer and shier that the others;
. Questioned, she furthers that she had no contact with [Maddie's] parents;
. That on the 03 of May, 200, at around 22h30, after having left the apartment where she is living, close to the establishment mentioned, together with two more colleagues, also residents there, whose name are Leanne and Sarah, she found her colleague Amy. That during their discussion she was informed that Madeleine McCann had disappeared and that they were looking for her. For this reason, together with her colleagues, they also began searching for Madeleine McCann;
. That during the search she carried out, together with her colleagues (employees of the Ocean Club) others were also participating from the establishment ion question;
. Subsequently, she cannot precisely state the hours but indicates that at around midnight, she noticed that the locale also consisted of local authorities who were taking notice of the occurrence and initiating respective measures for this type of situation;
. Questioned, the deponent states that the searches made by elements of the Ocean Club terminated around 04H00 on the following day, 04 May, 2007, to negative results. That morning, close to 08H30, the began searching anew in the complex, and the deponent was with a group who looked for the child in a part of the tourist complex;
. Questioned, the deponent states that she did not have direct contact with the minor at issue, Madeleine McCann, and is not aware of her habits or that of her parents, nor was she told about any strange situation regarding the child or f another period of time in which she worked in Portugal;
. It was about one week ago, on a date for which she cannot be precise, while she was accompanied by her friend Leanne, and going in the direction of her residence, on a street located close to the building where she lives, when they were cornered by an individual who passed by them, very slowly, at the wheel of a vehicle of make and model she did not know but the time but it did not seem recent. At passing, the individual invited them for a beer, to which they quickly declined. She adds that she did not pay the individual much attention, so that he would not continue to bother them, but this fact only allowed her to retain his physical characteristics' he had short, black hair. Urged, she states if she was confronted by this person or his photograph, she would not be capable of identifying him. That she did not observe any other characteristics signs of the individual like the vehicle that he drove. A few days later, in conversation with her colleagues, Leanne, Cai and Rhiannon she was told that an individual in a white commercial vehicle, had cornered them. That in none of these situations was it possible for Leanne to capture the license plate of the commercial vehicle mentioned above. Questioned, she states that she saw never saw the above referenced individual again;
. Questioned, the deponent states that beyond this situation, on another occasion, an event caught her attention. An individual of the male sex, in Praia da Luz, next to a caf' whose name she does not know, was playing a guitar until the day of the facts, now under investigation. on the night Maddie disappeared and while she was involved with a group searching, mentioned prior, they encountered a vehicle, whose make and model she does not know, of while colour, commercial, parked on top of a hill, where, she cannot identify. At this point, some of the group elements banged on the window of the vehicle and the back doors and saw the person who habitually played the guitar on the beach. He was covered with blankets, reading a book and drinking a beer, with the help of a flashlight. Questioned, they did were not able to observe in detail the interior of the vehicle. She add that the individual was asked whether he had seen a minor of about four years of age and the same responded, jocularly, that on that night, no one knocked on the doors of his vehicle;
. For the reason she was asked, she state that she never spoke to anyone who were not her colleagues, regarding the children with whom she worked;
. Adds that she has no knowledge of any type of situation which she finds strange and/or another which could be directly or indirectly related to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann;
. Nothing more said, having read the statement, finds it in conformity and signs it;

. The document is duly signed by me, Pedro Florindo, an Inspector with this Polícia Judiciaria

Processos Vol II
Pages 249 to 252

Witness Statement

Leanne Danielle Wagstaff


Time/Date: 17H45 2007/05/06
British Citizen
Translated by Robert Murat

* Has been in Portugal since the 23rd of March, 2007, having come here to work in the tourist complex;
* Affirms that she works as a Nanny in the “Baby and Mini Club”, nothing that the former is for children up to 11 months of age, and the latter, for children between three and five years of age;
* There is also a Toddlers1 club (12 months to one year) and a Toddlers2 club (2 to 3 years) and there is also a Junior Club (six years to nine years of age), a Kids (10 to 13) and Indyes (14 to 17);
* Affirms that she saw Madeleine McCann once during the week when she arrived. She did not know her as she worked only in the Toddlers Club;
* She could not respond to the question of Madeleine’s behaviour as she had no direct contact with the child;
* She confirms that she knows Madeleine’s parents, as they were the ones who came to pick up the twins in the club. She never spoke to them;
* She noticed nothing abnormal between the parents and the twins;
* Stated that the Club hours were from: 09H00 to 12H30 and from 14H30 to 17H30, and was closed on Sundays, working only in the dinner service;
* Affirms that guests may request “Staff Services” where their children would be watched between 19H30 and 23H30 but the McCann’s never requested this service , even though complementary;
* On the night of the disappearance, around 22H30, she did not work and had gone to a bar with two friends;
* Upon returning home from the bar, around 22H30, she saw her colleague, Amy, in the garden, with a flashlight, looking for something;
* She immediately questioned her and learnt that a child had gone missing. At the beginning, she thought this was a joke, but after believed her and also joined the search. She affirms that she looked for the child everywhere;
* She adds that there is a procedure to execute in the case of a missing child;
* She is not aware of when the G.N.R. were called or when they arrived;
* She noted nothing out the ordinary or nobody out of character;
* Adds that the staff dedicated to children is 11 in total, and work in turns during the 19H30 to 22H30 shift;
* Affirms that the distance from the restaurant to the McCann apartment was about 2 minutes by foot, and that there was no visual contact to the patio doors and to where Madeleine was staying. From the restaurant, one can only see the front window of the apartment.

Processos Vol II
Pages 397 - 400

Witness Statement

Shinead Maria Vine

Date/Time: 2007/05/07 17H25

Portuguese (translated by Robert Murat)

Concerning the issue of the process said;
. That she comes to the process as a witness;
. Due to the fact that the witness is of English nationality and does not command the Portuguese language, the present statement is taken in the presence of Robert James Queriol Eveleigh Murat, a translator.
. The question made, the present deponent affirms that she has been in Portugal since the 21st of March, of the current year, 2007, having arrived in order to work in the tourist establishment;
. She affirms that she exercises her functions of nanny in the Baby and Mini Club , with her primary function to those children until 11 months, and the second, to children between 3 and 5 years of age, and in the toddlers 1, for children between 12 months and one year and in Toddlers 2, for children with the ages of 2 to 3 and also the Junior Club (6 to 9) and Indyes (14 to 1);
. She affirms that she saw Madeleine McCann once when she arrived during the week, but that she did not know, as the deponent was working only with the Toddler group;
. She did recognise the family, as she was responsible for the twins, children of the couple and siblings of Madeleine McCann;
. Questioned, the deponent states that she did not notice anything abnormal in relationship between the children and the parents, when they came to pick up the twins, they seemed happy to see them;
. Refers that the hours of the club us from 09H00 to 12H30 and from 14H30 to 17H30 and is closed on Sundays, functioning only during the dinner hour;
. The question made, she affirms that guests can request "Staff" services where children are watched between 19H30 and 23H30. Madeleine McCanns parents never requested this service even though it was free;
. She affirms that at around 22H45, a group of people entered the bar, looking for the child, and that is when she became aware that she had disappeared. It was at this point when she also began searching;
. Further adds that there is a procedure to follow in the case a child goes missing, but that she did not follow this procedures, and simply organised themselves into groups and began looking for the child leaving from the Tapas restaurant;
. The question made, she affirms being unaware of who called or what moment the G.N.R. was called and does not remember what time the GNR arrived at the location;
. Affirms that at no time did she notice the presence of anyone with a out of normal comportment, concerning the children, or anything else that appeared to her suspicious;
. She adds that the staff dedicated to the children total 15, and who work in turns between the hours of 19H30 and 23H30;
. Affirms that the distance between the apartment and the restaurant where Madeleine McCanns parents ate was about 3 minutes by foot, but does not know which room Madeleine was in, if it was at the back or front of the apartments. From the restaurant one can only see the front (patio) window of the apartments;
. Further adds that Madeleine McCann's parents, may have used the free service at dinner time, or may have also requested the presence of a baby sitter (paid service), and does not know the reason for why they did not do this;
. The current deponent affirms not to remember of any element which may reveal useful to the course of the investigations;
. And nothing more said, Having read the statement, finds it in conformity and signs it;

. The document is duly signed by me, Hugo Silva, an Inspector with this Polícia Judiciara

Processos Vol II

Pages 409-411

Witness Statement

Pauline Frances McCann

Date/Time: 2007/05/07 18H35
Infant Educator
British (Translator: Robert Murat)

Concerning the issue of the process said;
. She works in the Baby Club in the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz, Lagos;
. States that she does know the Portuguese language and for this fact is accompanied by Robert James Queriol Everleigh Murat, with passport no. xxxxxx, resident in Casa Liliana, Rua do Ramalhate, Praia da Luz, 8600, and contactable at xxxxxxx;
. States that since 1999 she works as an infant educator and began working in Portugal in 2002 in various cities in the Algarve;
. She arrived in Portugal on the 29th of April and from this day has exercised her functions as an infant educator in various cubs, and since the 29th of April has worked in the Baby Club which is destined for children of ages four months to one year of age;
. States that before she arrived in Portugal, she already knew some Portuguese people, but that they never questioned her regarding the functioning of the LOC or regarding her functions;
. States that since her arrival or in England no one has questioned her regarding the workings of the LOC and much less about the Mini Club or about Madeleine, a situations she only came to learn about after the facts;
. Questioned, states that she also does not know Madeleine's parents, and the twins did not frequent the Baby Club given their age;
. Questioned, states that there are parents who leave their respective children all day, every day of their holidays in the respective clubs and that this is normal inside the British culture;
. Questioned, states that she has no knowledge of any unfamiliar individual or any familiar individual demonstrating interest in the children or in their exterior activities or of anyone of the same who took photographs of the children;
. Questioned, responds that in the same apartment where she lives with the rest of her colleagues, nothing was ever mentioned regarding an abnormal or suspect situation;
. In respect to the disappearance, she states that she was shocked and that this is the first time it had happened for her;
. And nothing more said, having read the statement, finds it in conformity and signs it;
. The document is duly signed by me ?

Armenio Pontes, an Inspector with this Polícia Judiciara

Translated by Albym


Processos Vol II

Pages 225-228

Witness Statement

Stacey Portz

(statement translated by Robert Murat)
Creche Worker
Time/Date: 15H44 2007/05/06
Place: Praia da Luz, Lagos
--- Comes as a witness; doesn't understand Portuguese; RJQE Murat assigned as interpreter.
• Has been in Portugal since the 18th of March;
--- She came to Portugal to work for "Mark Warner", which company has a contract with the "Ocean Club" resort for the care of guests' children.
--- That care service is carried out in four different locations, according to the ages of the children.
• Indicated that there are the following services offered:
------------"BabyClub" (from 4 months until one year)
--- This care centre is next to the "Ocean Club" main reception area.
------------“Toddler (children from one to two years of age)
--- This care centre is next to the "Tapas" restaurant.
--- For children between three and five years the "Mini" service care centre is next to the main reception.
------------“Junior/Kids” (children ages six until 9)
--- This care centre is next to the "Millenium" restaurant.
--- She states that there exists a further service, called "Dining Out Service", for taking care of children during dinner time [evening/night] located above the main reception, between the hours of 19h30 and 23h30.
--- Further still is the "Babysitting" service between 19h30 and 01h00 carried out in the apartments of the persons using it.
--- She works as supervisor only in the "Toddler" and "Junior/Kids" services at the "Tapas" and "Millenium" locations.
--- As part of her work she frequently takes the children for swimming, walks on the beach and to the garden [play area] next to the tennis courts.
• Knew the McCann family since 29th of April as they would drop off their toddlers—Sean and Amelie—in the Toddler Club;
--- From 29 April until 3 May she was with those children every day.
• She also knew Madeleine as she would frequently come talk to her brother and sister when picked up by her parents;
--- She never had Madeleine in her care.
--- From what she was able to observe, Madeleine was an active and sociable child and that when with her siblings [at collection time] she was excited and happy to see them.
--- She states that during her work, either at the care centres or at the outside places where she took the children to play, she never noticed, in the time she has been here Portugal, anyone in particular acting suspiciously or watching the children.
--- She states that she never heard any comments about such things from her colleagues.
--- Notwithstanding her and her colleagues being English, in the time she has been in Portugal she has met Portuguese people, and no-one has ever asked questions about her work, about the children she cares for or the McCann family in particular.
--- She states that since the disappearance of Madeleine she has seen or heard nothing that could explain what was behind it [the cause of it].

Nothing more said. Read, ratifies and going to sign.

Vol II
Pages 423 - 427

Witness Statement


Susan Bernadette Owen

Date/Time: 2007/05/07 19H40
Infant Educator (Translator: Robert Murat)

Concerning the issue of the process said;
. That she has been in Portugal since the 21st of March, 2007, the date on which she began work in the tourist resort known as the Ocean Club, situated in the locality of Luz, in Lagos (Algarve), where she works as an infant educator in the aforementioned establishment, according to the contract previously celebrated in London with the business known as Mark Warner which acquires educators for the mentioned establishment;
. The deponent further clarifies that in the period between the 29th of April and the 04th of May, 2007, she worked together with the group of children lodged in the aforementioned establishment, who are two years of age, known as Toddlers2;
. The deponent further clarifies that Toddlers2 is divided in divided in three sub-groups of children, and that each group is headed by a different worker with the deponent being one of these sub-groups;
. Relative to the facts of the investigation clarifies that in the discourse of her work in the mentioned establishment, she came into contact on some occasions with a child known as Madeleine McCann, clarifying that the contact was formal and of short duration, and in relation to the fact that the childs siblings were in the deponents group. But refers that it was her colleague Shinead, who took care of the twins that week;
. Questioned, states that Madeleine McCann was in the MiniClub group and that that group is composed of children between the ages of three to five years of age;
. States that her in the creche of the tourist resort is supervised by her colleague Lindsay, and the mentioned group of children in the MiniClub, are at times supervised by a colleague of hers, Amy, who is a coordinator of a nanny group including Cat and Emma. Both were employees who were working in said group the week in question, from 29th of April to 04th of May, 2007;
. Questioned, the deponent clarifies that Madeleine McCann was accompanied by her parents, who were staying in an apartment in the resort mentioned above, together with her twin siblings (a boy and a girl) of two years of age;
. That on the May 03, 2007, at around 22H45, she was in the bar known as Mirage together with her colleagues, whose names are Emma, Shinead, Najoua Hayley and Stacy, which is situated close to the perimeter of the aforementioned resort. After returning from the bathroom, she was informed by her colleague Hayley that a child, of about 3 years of age, and whom was staying at the Ocean Club, had disappeared;
. The deponent immediately, together with her colleagues, went to the area of a restaurant (Milenium) in the establishment in question near to the bar they were at and began searching for the missing child;
. That during the search, she realised, together with her colleagues of the Ocean Club, others (tourists/owners) were also participating in the search;
. Not knowing the precise time, she noticed that authorities had arrived, and were taking measures for this type of situations;
. Questioned, the deponent states that the searches carried out by elements of the Ocean Club terminated at around 04H00 the next day, 04 May, 2007, to negative results;
. That during the searches that were carried out, she was told that the missing child was named Madeleine McCann;
. Questioned, the deponent states that she did not have direct contact with the minor at issue, Madeleine McCann, and did not know her habits, and that of her parents, and that no strange situation about the child was reported to her or at any other time during her time in Portugal;
. That she only knows that Madeleine McCanns parents would come to pick her up, as with her siblings, between 17H15 and 17H30, at the location where all the children of the creche got together to have dinner, in the Tapas restaurant, related to the resort in question;
. Questioned, states that during the search for Madeleine McCanns she did not effect any diligences close to the residence where the same was staying and from where she disappeared;
. The day of the disappearance, 3rd of May, 2007, the deponent clarifies that she left work at around 18H00, having dined with her colleagues in the Tapas restaurant, leaving thereafter, around 18H30, to her residence with a colleague whose name she does not remember. She stayed at her residence until around 21H30 together with her colleagues Shinead and Emma, from where they left and headed to the aforementioned bar, the Mirage, also with Nathan, who joined them, and who had previously been on another floor, in the home of one of their friends;
. Questioned, the deponent states that she effected the route along the beach, having previously started on the street where the bar is located and not through the establishment, nor close to the McCann residence;
. Questioned, the deponent clarifies that she does not exactly know where Madeleines apartment was located, adding that she only took notice of the locale after the events unfolded, as a result of the media being camped outside the apartment;
. Questioned, the deponent states that she has no knowledge of any type of situation that she understood to be suspect or of any other person directly, or indirectly, related to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, and for which she has nothing more to declare;
. And nothing more said, having read the statement, finds it in conformity and signs it;
. The document is duly signed by me

C. Domingos, Inspector with this Polícia Judiciara.

Revised translation.

Processos Volume II

Pages 244 to 247

Witness Statement

Sarah Elizabeth Williamson

Occupation: Childcare Worker

Place of Work: OC

Time/Date: 17H30 2007/05/06

British Citizen from Lancaster

Interpreter: Filipa Maria da Conceicao Silva

She comes to the process as a witness. She is helped by an interpreter as she does not speak Portuguese. She has been in Portugal since 28th April when she began work at the OC where she is a childcare worker, her contract was signed in London. The witness clarifies that during the period between 29th April and 4th May she carried out her functions with a group of children staying at the resort aged between 2 and 3 years old called the Toddlers 2 group.

The witness says that Toddlers 2 is subdivided into three sub groups and each of these is under the responsibility of a child care worker, she is responsible for one of the sub groups.

With relation to the facts being investigated she says that she had various contacts with the girl Madeleine McCann, but says these were formal contacts and very brief, her twin siblings were part of the group she worked with last week. But she says that it was her colleague Shinead who looked after the twins during the current week.

When asked she says that Madeleine belonged to the Mini Club group and clarifies that this group was for children aged between 3 and 5 years old.

When questioned, she says that the crèche was supervised by her colleague Lindsay and that the Mini Club is supervised by Amy who also coordinates the “nannies, whose names are Cat and Emma, they are employees at the service of the group between 29th April and 4th May.

When questioned, the witness says that Madeleine was accompanied by her parents, who were using an apartment at the resort.

On 3rd May at about 22.30 after having left the apartment where she was living, near to the resort, together with two of her colleagues, Leanne and Kirsty, she met her colleague Amy. She was informed by Amy that Madeleine had disappeared and that she was trying to look for her. For this reason, the witness together with her colleagues joined in the search.

In the search carried out with her colleagues from the OC other individuals (tourists, locals, property owners) also participated.

Later, she cannot say exactly at what time but thinks it was about midnight she noticed officers from the public authorities (police) at the scene taking the appropriate measures for this kind of situation.

When asked, she says that the searches undertaken by OC employees finished at around 04.00 on 4th May with negative results.

When asked, she says that she did not have direct contact with Madeleine as she was responsible for the twins’ group during that week, and she has no knowledge of the girl’s or the parents’ habits and no strange situation about the girl in question was reported to her during the time she was working in Portugal.

She says that the twins were generally left at the crèche at 09.00 and that the parents dropped them off before leaving Madeleine in her classroom. Then between 12.00 and 12.30 the parents would pick up the twins until 15.00. Between 17.00 and 17.30 the parents would collect the twins from the crèche.

When the parents picked up the twins at lunch time, all the children were together in the same place so they picked up Madeleine as well.

When asked, she says she knows of nothing suspicious.

No more is said.

Reads, ratifies, signs.

Processos Vol XI
Pages 4193 - 4194


Witness Statement

Date : 2008 ' 04 '17
Time. 10.00

Place: Praia da Luz

Name: Amy Tierney


Has made previous statements in May last year.

Given that she does not speak Portuguese, Silvia Batista acted as interpreter.

When questioned and shown the photographs referred to in the previous statements, depicting the English girl, on 'Kodak Xtra Life ' paper, 10 x 15, she said they were printed on her printer, also of Kodak brand.

When on the night of 3rd May, at about 24.00, she was at her desk at the Tapas bar, inside the resort, when at a certain time, one of the friends of the McCann couple, Russell, asked for a USB memory stick reader, in order to print photographs of Madeleine. Immediately the deponent replied that she did not have an USB reader, but that she had a printer with this hardware, which could read from memory sticks.


She went to her room and returned to the Tapas with the printer where she printed out 20 to 30 photographs of the girl, using her own paper, in 10x15 format mentioned previously. The memory stick containing the photos belonged to the McCann couple, and came from their camera.

She thinks that all of this took place at about 24.00 on 3rd May 2007. She presumes that she handed all of the photos to Russell, who distributed some to those present, the rest would be for the police authorities.

As regards her printer, she says that it is no longer in her possession as it is now with her boyfriend in France, she says, after consultation, and in accordance with her previous statements, that is was a 'Kodak', model Easy Share G60, of thermal ink transfer, with continuous tonality.

In annex, is documentation about the printer, describing its technical characteristics, which she recognises as being identical to her printer.

No more is said. She signs the statement together with the interpreter.

Processos Vol II

Pages 229 -231


Witness statement

Amy Ellen Tierney

2007.05.06
(statement translated by Robert Murat)
Creche Worker
Time/Date: 15H45 2007/05/06
England


' Questioned about Madeleine, Amy notes that Madeleine was timid but very intelligent for her age and would play with the older children;
' Also knows Madeleine's parents' although it is the father who would normally pick her up from the club;
' Did not notice anything out of the ordinary with the parents;
' Affirmed that the McCann's never took advantage of the complementary children services which ran from 19H30 to 23H30;
' Affirms that on the night of the disappearance, she went to the room to check and see if the child was hidden and noticed that the window was open and the blinds lifted;
' The first idea that came to her was whether Madeleine would leave on her own accord. She asked the parents the whereabouts of Madeleine's shoes and they responded that they were in their proper place. These facts led her to later believe that Madeleine had been taken by someone;
' Even though there was a bed right under the window, and that the child could have climbed on the bed to get out through the window, the witness does not think it would be possible for her to lift the blinds. Nor does she believe it would not have been possible for a child of her age to climb out the window without falling as the window was very high off the ground;
' Responding to questioning, responds that the front door was locked but was not aware whether the patio door was locked; as when she got there, the McCann's and a friend (whose name she does not remember) were standing at the open doorway;
' Witness also affirms that the child's father went to the reception to call Police, shortly after hearing about the disappearance, and that 20 minutes had passed;
' The G.N.R arrived in 20 or 30 minutes to the site;
' Did not notice anything out of the ordinary with anyone or with the children;
' Witness notes that when she entered 5A on May the 3rd, the two toddlers were sleeping, and noticed that on the bed next to them was wrinkled clothing' as if someone had been sitting on it [the bed];
' Madeleine's bed, she noticed, had the covers pulled back and on top of the table was a small comforter and a stuffed toy;
' She states that the distance from the apartment to the restaurant was about 30 seconds on foot but that there is no visual contact to the patio doors.


Alternative Translation (Ines)

Processos Vol II

Pages 229 - 231


Witness Statement

Amy Tierney

Date: 2007 – 05 – 06

Place: P da L

Occupation: Head of the Baby Club and Mini Club

Place of Work: Ocean Club



She comes to the process as a witness.

As she does not understand Portuguese and is of English nationality she is assisted by the interpreter Robert Murat who accompanies her during the questioning.

When asked, the witness confirms that she has been in Portugal since the 18th March 2007 having come to Portugal to work in this tourist resort.

She confirms that she works as head of the Baby Club and Mini Club, the former being for children aged up to eleven months and the latter for children aged between three and five.

She confirms that Madeleine is known by her as frequenting the Mini Club, as she was aged almost four.

When questioned about Madeleine’s behaviour, the witness says that she is a shy girl but very intelligent for her age, she tended to play with older children, the witness describes her attitude and behaviour as perfectly normal.

The witness confirms that she also knows Madeleine’s parents as they would go to fetch her from the club, but she adds that it was normally Madeleine’s father who did this.

When questioned, the witness states that she has not noted anything abnormal in the relation between the child and the parents.

The hours of the club are from 09.00 to 12.30 and from 14.30 to 17.30, the club is closed on Sundays on that day it only offers the dinner service.

When questioned, she says that if the guests wish so they can request services from the “Staff” who would look after the children from 19.30 to 23.30, however Madeleine’s parents never did this although the service is free.

She confirms that, on the night of the disappearance she was on duty and immediately went to the bedroom to see if the girl was hiding. She saw that the shutter was raised and that the window was partially open. It was then that she began to look in the wardrobes to see if the girl was hiding.

The first idea that occurred to her was that the girl could have left by her own means, however after checking that the window was open and the shutter raised she asked the parents whether Madeleine’s shoes were there, to which they replied that they were, these facts led her to think that Madeleine could have been taken by someone.

However there was a bed against the window, which could have enabled the girl to climb up onto it and then up to the window, the witness thinks it would not be possible as she would not be able to open the shutters and even if she had done so she would have fallen outside as the window is too high for a child of that age to be able to descend without falling.

In reply to the question asked, she said that the back door (porta das traseiras) that leads to the parking area was closed, but she doesn’t know whether the front door (porta da frente) was locked as when she arrived both the parents and a female friend of theirs whose name she does not know, were there and that is why the door was open.

After having searched the apartment and verified that the girl was not there, the outside searches were begun.

The witness confirms that the girl’s father went to the reception to call the police as soon as her disappearance was noticed and that twenty minutes had passed. The GNR took 30 – 35 minutes to arrive.

She says that at no moment did she notice anyone behaving strangely as concerns the children or anything that appeared at all suspicious to her.

She adds that the staff looking after the children were eleven employees, who worked in shifts regarding the hours from 19.30 to 23.30.

The witness remembers that upon entering the bedroom at the time of the disappearance, she saw that the bed that the two babies were sleeping (reparou que a cama que os dois bebés encontravam-se a dormir) and she saw that the bedclothes of the bed near the window were rumpled as if someone had been sitting there, that the bedclothes of Madeleine’s bed had been pushed back and that on top of the bed was a small child’s blanket and a cuddly toy.

She states that the distance between the apartment and the restaurant where Madeleine’s parents were was 30 seconds by foot away but that there was no visual contact with the back window of the bedroom where Madeleine was. From the restaurant just the front window of the apartment could be seen.

The witness does not remember any element that could be useful to the investigation.

No more is said.

Reads, ratifies and signs.

Processos Vol II

Pages 220 – 223

Witness Statement


Lindsay Johnson


Date: 2007-05-06

Place: P da L


Occupation: Infant educator

Place of Work: OC, P da L



She comes to the process as a witness.

Being of English nationality and not dominating the Portuguese language, she is assisted by the interpreter Filipa da Silva.

She has been in Portugal since the 15th March, the date upon which she began work at the tourist resort called the Ocean Club in P da L, Lagos where she works as supervisor of the infant educators at the resort in accordance with her work contract previously signed in London.

With relation to the facts being investigated she says that in the execution of her duties at the resort she had several contacts with the girl called Madeleine McCann, although she says these were formal and short, referring to the fact that the girl belonged to the Mini Club group of children and clarifies that that definition is given to the group of children aged between three and five years old.

When questioned, she says that this group of children belonging to the Mini Club are supervised by her colleague Amy Tierney, who in turn coordinates a group of nannies called Catriona Baker and Emma Wilding, employees who were on duty for that group in the week in question, from 29th April to 4th May 2007.

The witness also clarifies that the Mini Club is sub-divided into two groups of children and that Madeleine was under the responsibility of Catriona Baker.

The Mini Club began at 09.00, making a break for lunch between 12.30 and 14.30 when the afternoon session would begin, lasting until 17.30. She adds that from 19.30 the resort crèche offers a complementary “dinner” service which ended at 23.30, which had an additional cost, the parents could also request another babysitting service that did not have defined hours but that would be agreed upon between the parents and the witness.

It is mentioned by the witness that during the period of time that the children were at the crèche they would be busy with different activities that could take place inside the installations of the resort, but which could also take place outside the resort, mainly on the beach, accompanied by employees from the tourist complex.

Accordingly, the witness states that on a date she cannot remember, but that it had been last week, Madeleine participated in a boat trip organised by the crèche together with other children from the Mini Club, accompanied by the employees (nannies) mentioned above and by the respective aquatic sports instructor whose name she cannot remember.

When asked, the witness states that Madeleine McCann was accompanied by her parents, Kate and Gerald McCann and that they were staying in apartment G5 A of the tourist resort.

On 3rd May at about 22.20 she was informed by her colleague Amy Tierney that Madeleine had disappeared, a fact which led to the initiation of the “Missing Child” procedure which consists of dividing various areas of the resort up between different employees in order to proceed in the search for the missing child.

Accordingly, she explains that at about 22.25 this procedure was begun with the resort being divided into three separate areas, the northern zone, the central zone (the rest of the resort area) and all the paths and roads that made up the resort and ended in P da L. For this purpose the witness mobilised and initiated the procedure with 5 employees from the resort who, in turn, were helped by different individuals (other employees, tourists, residents) during the search.

Later, she is not sure at what time, the local police arrived at the resort, took stock of the incident and began the respective measures for this type of situation.

When questioned, the witness says that the searches undertaken by employees from the OC finished at about 04.00 on the morning of 4th May with negative results.

When questioned, the witness says that when she was informed about Madeleine’s disappearance she was alone at home and left immediately to initiate the procedure described above.

When questioned, the witness says that as she did not have direct contact with Madeleine as she was merely the supervisor of the infant educators of the crèche, she does not know about the child’s habits or those of her parents and that no strange situation concerning the girl was communicated to her during the time she was working in Portugal.

When questioned the witness says that she has no knowledge of any type of situation that she finds suspicious or that could have anything to do with the disappearance, either directly or indirectly.

No more is said. Reads, ratifies, signs.