Put yourself inside the mind of a detective and work it out for yourself

Ret. Police Supt PeterMac on location with US Criminal Profiler Pat Brown in Praia da Luz

The "smashed, broken, jemmied shutters", . . . the shutters found "raised" by Kate, as confirmed by Gerry. . . but observed by no one else. At all.

Was Madeleine Beth McCann really abducted as her parents would have us believe? Or did something more sinister happen to her?

This e-book has been expertly written from the perspective of a retired Police Superintendent detective who served for twenty eight years with Nottinghamshire Police (1972-2000) variously in uniform, CID, training, and latterly as the Operations Commander of a large Division overseeing enquiries and investigations of all types.  Peter has no insider knowledge of this case but has merely used the material that was released to the public on DVD in August 2008 by the Polícia Judiciária when the investigation was shelved...leaving no stone unturned !

This material includes:
  • The detailed analysis of the legal situation by the Public Prosecutors and the several law courts in Portugal;
  •  P.C. Martin Grime's record of service and apparent infallibility of his sniffer dogs, Eddie and Keela;
Jill
All chapters researched and written by PeterMac, then proofread, edited, published by me.

CHAPTERS
Chapter 1: Changes in Story
Changing the initial version of events is a classic 'red flag' warning to police investigators

Chapter 2: Did they Search?
Did the McCanns physically search for their daughter Madeleine?

Chapter 3: Curtains, Door and Windows
We examine Kate's claim that the door slammed, and when she went in the curtains 'Whooshed' open.

Chapter 4: The “Window of Opportunity”
We calculate the vanishingly small 'window of opportunity' for the alleged abduction.

Chapter 5: Sedation
In this study we attempt to answer three questions
1 Were the twins sedated on the night of 3rd May 2007?
2 If so, were they sedated by an intruder ?
3 If so, but not by an intruder, then by whom ?


Chapter 6: Cold and Windy
Was the weather hot, as Gerry insisted, or cold and windy, as the others do, and what are the implications of this apparently trivial remark.

Chapter 7: Just Checking
We take another critical look at the inconsistencies in the Tapas group's statements about their checking of the children during dinner.

Chapter 8: Egregious examples
The most egregious examples of 'economy with the truth'.

Chapter 9: On the reliability of Cadaver Dogs
Some of the leading recent cases involving Cadaver dogs are examined.

The final two chapters are included to show the way in which people are capable of acting out a role, despite the pressures on them and despite their being in possession of the truth. They are relevant only to show sceptics that this can, and does, happen perhaps more often than people remember.

Chapter 10: Appeals and Pleas
Cases in which persons were reported missing or abducted, when in fact they had been harmed by a family member who made the false report.

Chapter 11: Crocodile Tears
Overlaps with the previous Chapter, but gives more examples of Television appearances.

NEW CHAPTERS
Chapter 12: The Pool Photo - Floppy sun hats and flapping curtains ? 
This chapter emerged from the more formal Last Photo, Pool Photo work, when we started looking at weather charts, wind surfing competitions at Portimao, personal diaries of ex-pats, and the descriptions of temperature and weather in the Tapas group's statements and Rogatories.
It was soon realised that regardless of anything else, the wind and weather are capable of proving - on the balance of probabilities at the very least -
that the Last Pool photo cannot have been taken at lunchtime on 3/5/7
and that the curtains cannot have 'whooshed' at 10 pm on 3/5/7.

Both are independent of any other considerations, and the Chapter can stand alone for this reason.

Chapter 13: The McCann family, and the Dossier of Death
A ’Dossier’ was prepared, allegedly, of ‘tweets’, Facebook messages, and blog entries, sent to people unconnected with the McCanns. The 'Dossier' was handed in to the police.
Brenda Leyland paid the price. She paid with her life.

Chapter 14: The Last Photo = The Pool Photo
This is a heavily edited version of a paper which originally ran to 9 pages, with 24 pages of references, and four Appendices. Much of this appeared on CMoMM a long time ago. This analysis can be read independently of the 'Floppy Sun Hats and Flapping curtains' chapter, but overlaps with it.

Examination of this photo advanced in three main stages

First was to look at the photo and the statements surrounding it, and to examine who took it, and on which camera, and to ask why it was never, at any stage, released to the PJ.
This quickly led to the realisation that the photo itself was apparently sound. There was a robust argument about whether it had been photoshopped, but the strength of expert evidence is against this.
This in turn led to an examination of other aspects of it, the obvious weather, and the apparent wind speed being amongst these.
That led to yet another question. If the Last Photo was not taken at lunchtime on Thursday 3rd May, then when was it taken? Very quickly the only possible day presented itself, and this conclusion has defied serious destructive analysis.
That is dealt with in the Chapter (Floppy Sun hats and Flapping curtains)
From there the sequence of events, the identity of the person involved in the alteration of the Metadata, of the person who transported the finished image to PdL, and the person who then put this mendacious image into the public domain can easily be identified.
They are of course Capt. Louis Renault’s ‘Usual Suspects.’
But here, IF what we suspect turns out to be correct, then all four might be
Guilty of Conspiracy to Pervert the Course of Justice.
Of course if we are wrong, then they are not ! Only they know - know - the truth
.

Chapter 15: Almost the last word on the Last Photo !
In the Chapter Floppy sun hats and flapping curtains I showed how the Last Photo, the Pool Photo could not have been taken at lunchtime on 3rd May.
In the Chapter The Last Photo I showed how it was clearly possible for four clearly identifiable people, acting in concert, to take the image, alter the EXIF Metadata, take it back to PdL, and hand it to the person responsible for putting it into the public domain.
Both Chapters concentrated on proving what the photo was NOT.
Here I return to the theme, and try to establish what the photo actually IS.
In other words, when was it taken ?

Chapter 16: Why did they do this ? Seven worrying problems
Any child could have told them they would be found out.

Chapter 17: Some Philosophical thoughts in which we examine Logic and the absence of evidence
Once we have covered the logic and philosophy we can begin to apply it to the case in question.

Chapter 18: Say So, or Say No
The PAID....say SO
Not paid....say NO

Chapter 19: McCanns Embedded Confessions
Richard D. Hall interviews statement analyst, Peter Hyatt, in the USA

Chapter 20: Spot the water slide !
A challenge for those who believe the abduction myth and those who put out stories supporting that nonsense.

Chapter 21: Is the Tennis Balls photo the NEW LAST PHOTO?
Close friend, confidante, and uncritical McCann supporter, journalist Tracey Kim Kandohla seems to suggest this may be about to happen.
In a Mail Online article recently, à propos the McCanns’ blog site, she said:
Pictures include the iconic last known image of Maddie in pink sunhat and clutching tennis balls while on holiday “

Chapter 22: Tennis Balls Photo
My interest in this particular image was rekindled after the recent newspaper article by Tracey Kandohla, a vehement and uncritical McCann supporter and personal friend of Kate, who referred to the Tennis Balls Photo (TBP) where she says:
 “Pictures include the iconic last known image of Maddie in pink sunhat and clutching tennis balls while on holiday “   Having researched it further, some are now tending towards the conclusion that it could indeed be the last photo’ of Madeleine Beth McCann, taken some hours after the Pool photo.

Chapter 23: "Faking it - Tears of a Crime"
This chapter examines the cases of Shannon Matthews and Tia Sharpe and the parallels in the public behaviour of the people responsible for the events.

Chapter 24: Unhelpful relatives
Here I have tried to pinpoint things said by relatives and friends, who perhaps thought they were being supportive and helpful, but which, and who, turned out not to be.

Chapter 25: How much of this is fraud, and how much totally innocent?
In the accounts for 2008 the figure for setting up the website is given as £ 37,071 (Thirty seven THOUSAND)

Chapter 26 : What do I think happened to Madeleine ?
I am now prepared to rise to the challenge, and to present my “purported’ theory.

Chapter 27: Can any of this really be true?
Shortly after reporting Madeleine missing, the McCanns selected - VERY CAREFULLY and very quickly...

Chapter 28: The Pool Photo refuses to go away
The Pool Photo is of crucial importance. Of that there can be little doubt.

Appendix to Chapter 28: Two Photos which tell an important story
Balance of probabilities ? or are we yet at  Beyond a reasonable doubt ?

Chapter 29: Fake News
Why do we not like a Lie, teach a child to forgo a Fib, punish Perjury, but suck up Spin, and just shrug our shoulders and give up on Fake News ?

Chapter 30: Forget the Facts - Focus on the Fallacies 
In Chapter 17 we started to consider some of the philosophical issues concerned with this case. We looked at whether absence of evidence could become evidence of absence (it can!) and we touched on Logic and fallacious argument.
What I want to do now is look at it purely from the point of view of Formal Logic...

Chapter 31: Jon Clarke – Olive Press LIES and VIDEOTAPE
Only Clarke can tell us for which of the untruths he and “The Olive Press” - and, by association, Netflix – prefer to be remembered.

Chapter 32: ON LIES AND CONSPIRACIES
Here I try to trace the origin of one of the more persistent Conspiracy Theories.

Chapter 33: Jon Clarke Entrenched Lies
To coin a neologism – “if you find yourself in a trench, stop digging”

Chapter 34: Decline and Fall of Modern Journalism
One small slip for a man; one giant fall for a profession.

Chapter 35: Mirage
A Diversion on Observation, and the influence of our previous Knowledge and Belief
In it I shall examine how we can think or believe we see something, when in fact the objective and scientifically provable truth of the matter is that we either did not, or that we saw something else.

Chapter 36: PRESS FREEDOM. THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE VERY UGLY

Chapter 37. A short recap
A brief restatement of some of what we know.

An easy entry point for people new to the research and analysis.
And above all a reminder to us all of why we are still here after 13 years.

Chapter 38: Lies – Damned Lies – And Jon Clarke
Yet another of Clarke’s “versions of the truth” has been exposed.

Chapter 39: Beyond a Reasonable Waterslide. Beyond the Pale
One day, one, just one, person will be driven by a higher sense either of common decency or of overwhelming guilt at what they have done to purge their conscience and to tell the truth.

It is the year 2037, and the case has now entered its fourth year. 

Revelation; n. A surprising and previously unknown fact that has been disclosed to others. [Oxford Lexico]

Chapter 41: Who is the Fat Controller?
One of the issues which lurks in the background of this saga and bothers researchers is the question of who is organising and coordinating the “Official Story’...

First Impressions

What follows is from Jon Clarke’s new book, much of it in his own words.

More story changes, more errors, more nonsense, more mistakes, but most importantly
MORE MONEY

Some unconsidered trifles, the usual lies, stupid mistakes, falsehoods and total nonsense.

Chapter 46. “My Search for Madeleine” - Jon Clarke, 2021 Jon Clarke Through the Looking Glass
“Why sometimes I believe six impossible things before breakfast”.

STOP PRESS. Jon Clarke may have told the truth. A public apology
YET ANOTHER VERSION of Clarke’s arrival in Praia da Luz has just emerged.

Just when we hoped Jon Clarke had finally run out of invented stories - along comes ANOTHER ONE

This is possibly the most important, and potentially the most explosive, Chapter so far.

Chapter 49 - My Search for the Madeleine Call: One Researcher’s 14-year Hunt to Solve Europe’s most Elusive Phone Call
First a brief re-cap.
In September 2021 Jon Clarke, owner and editor of a small free ad-sheet and newspaper available at supermarket check-outs in parts of southern Spain released a book entitled
“My Search for Madeleine: One Reporter's 14-Year Hunt to Solve Europe's Most Harrowing Crime”

As we have already noted, the Red Top gutter Tabloids were strangely quiet for the whole of February.
Possible reasons might include a ‘revelation’ that they had been wrong all along (unlikely); an executive decision to print no more rubbish without concrete evidence of the facts (equally unlikely); nervousness at the possible result of the law suit taken by Christian Brückner against SAT 1 and a named presenter/journalist Jutta Rabe (unlikely, but possible); lack of content generated by the Olive Press or similar fantasy machines (more probable)

In a week when even the BBC has apologised and paid out a lot of your, the licence payers’ money for the disgraceful conduct and a series of blatant lies and libels by one of their top ‘journalists’ to get a sensational and “exclusive” story, and then covering it up at the highest levels in management for over a quarter of a century, I browsed through other organs of disinformation and junk ‘exclusive’ stories. In some cases “Exclusive” apparently means ‘appearing in no more than five other papers’, (rather like the definition of “top secret” meaning “tell no more than twelve”)
I focussed on some of the nonsense, including lies and libels published over the past 14 years, which continue to be covered up, denied, or simply ignored.

Chapter 52: August was also a quiet month (?)
For those who keep their eye on the “newsnow.co.uk” site it certainly seemed that August was ‘All quiet on the Madeleine front’ the only entries being the ludicrous stories about Rebecca Vardy’s having (allegedly) received threats and denigratory comments on her social media, including the insane one that she was in some way linked to the case of Madeleine McCann, and even (allegedly) accusing her of having been the one who ’snatched’ her.

Chapter 53 Another Round up of unconnected trifles
As we continue the analysis of the evidence, we are inevitably drawn back to Kate’s book, written either by herself alone, with assistance of a ghost writer, or wholly by a ghost writer.

Jon Clarke: “Yet it’s not me Plod ! One day you will be made to eat your words and suffer for your continual libels!”

As the case enters its 17th year we asked the principle prolific pontificators for their predictions and pipe-dreams for what 2024 might bring...

Two years ago an article by Jon Clarke in his newspaper the Olive Press slipped past those who have become bored with the endless speculation, disinformation, falsehoods and libels.

Chapter 56: Still no update
I started writing this chapter a long time ago during the ‘silly season’ with an observation about the total lack of any ‘news – invented or otherwise’ – since the failure of the search at the Charade Dam to produce anything of interest to the Gutter Press. Cleary the publicity machine had been negligent because suddenly, out of the blue came several stories, invented or exaggerated.

Chapter 57: STOP PRESS: BRÜCKNER HAS SOME MATES ROUND FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY
From the plethora of nonsense news items emanating from the cloaca maxima of the British gutter press in recent weeks I singled out one which bore the hallmark of the desperate attempt to find anything to help secure the conviction of Christian Brückner for a crime which not only may he not have committed, but which may itself not have been committed in the first place.

Chapter 58. Trials and Tribulations of Christian Brückner
Even as I start this Chapter I know that by the time it is published it will be out of date, but I can hold back no longer.

Chapter 59: PeterMac's review of The Foreign Detective Bernt Stellander's book: The Sudden Impulse
He sets up “Trail cams”, and tells the story of his struggles to make them work and not ‘alert’ to blades of grass moving with the breeze.
He then details a series of anonymous emails he sends to the McCanns, alerting them to the possibility that the ‘site’ had been discovered.
On cue they walk into the frame and are caught on camera. NOT in running kit.

Chapter 60. Is there no end to Clarke's "Misrepresentation of fact" ?
Two weeks ago (June 2024) the Tabloid press of the world started reporting that the German Police BKA were in possession of emails which definitively linked Brückner to Madeleine McCann’s death.

Where does this leave 'the Nuggets'? 
They must by now realise that they have been ’set up’, and that their involvement is capable of being seen in the eyes of the law as conspiracy, or “accessory after the fact.”

CHAPTER 62. Pool Photo Proves Madeleine Was Dead
Pool Photo Proves Madeleine Was Dead
The Pool Photo is one of the strongest pieces of evidence
AGAINST the McCanns

CHAPTER 63 SMITH-GERRY-MAN SCRUTINISED
An examination of the claim that Smithman was in fact Gerry McCann and that the child he was carrying was his deceased daughter, Madeleine. The claim is therefore that the sighting was of SmithGerryMan.

Since the SmithGerryMan chapter (Ch. 63 ) was published there has been a revival of debate about the significance of the Smith’s sighting of a man carrying a child

They range from broadly understanding and supportive, through “interesting new look at the available evidence”, to outright opposition and barely concealed hostility on various Facebook sites

One accused me of claiming that the sighting was “fanciful”,  which I assume means that I do not believe any of the Smith family saw anyone, and that I was suggesting that all nine of them lied.    

For the record I think no such thing.  They clearly saw a man carrying a child.


Chapter 64 NEW MADDIE CHRISTMAS GAME - “PIN THE CRIME ON THE PATSY”
EXCLUSIVE TO CMoMM  (and OLIVE PRESS, obviously)

actually © WADDINGTONS, but let's not split hares at Christmas.  [Pun intended]


CHAPTER 65 CLARKE SPEEDS UP THE SHREDDING OF HIS OWN REPUTATION

As 2024 begins to fade away we might like to reflect on what Jon Clarke and the egregious Olive Press told us was coming, and compare it with what actually did.


PeterMac

PeterMac's New 'Madeleine McCann' E-book Foreword

Many years have passed since the original E-book was published on line, and I have been invited to take another look at it.

In the light of what we now know some Chapters still stand up to scrutiny, but others have been superseded.

Right from the start the Abduction story was supported by two pillars

  • Smashed Shutters
  • Man seen carrying child
The smashed shutters were shown to the world to have been a deliberate, calculated but extremely stupid LIE by the parents - to their own close friends and relatives, incidentally, who dutifully put the story into the public domain - when TV footage the following morning showed the fingerprint officer dealing with a clearly untouched and unopened shutter. That Chapter concentrated on the nature of the lie being told, and its persistence.

The sighting by JT lingered for very much longer, and so the Chapter in which this is dissected and destroyed is still relevant to show the mendacity and stupidity involved.

Some time later DCI Redwood himself destroyed this second pillar by telling the world he had traced the man involved, who was merely carrying his child home from the crèche. He also claimed that the original pyjamas had been produced for inspection and the man’s original clothing had been seen (after 6 years).

Whether any of that was correct or in any sense ‘true’ is beside the point. What the DCI was doing was publicly making it clear that the original story was nonsense, and always had been.

But interestingly, this second pillar of “Man seen carrying child” was so powerful for Team McCann and the Abduction story, that even now, years after the DCI made that statement, the image of “Tannerman carrying child” is still on the Find Madeleine web site.

Without it, they have nothing.

And after the DCIs revelation, the other “man seen carrying child” - Smithman - had to be brought out of the relative obscurity to which he had been consigned. Team McCann cannot let the focus change. And that focus has to remain on late evening Thursday 3rd May.

The DCI followed this up by making a strangely worded statement that “Madeleine leaving the apartment alive does not necessarily follow with all of our thinking . . . “ and then went to the Algarve with ground penetrating radar and pickaxes to start digging.

The implication and the message to the McCanns and their friends was clear.
The Last Photo, the famous Pool photo, was also said by the ever mendacious Clarence Mitchell to have been taken on that final day. Since it was Mitchell presenting the photo some took a more independent look, at the EXIF Metadata, and at other aspects concerned with it.

There is little doubt now that the pool photo CANNOT POSSIBLY have been taken on Thursday 3rd. They arrived too late on the Saturday, and in the event there were big fluffy clouds, as shown on the children’s play area photos. Sunday was totally cloud free, but by late that evening a weather front had begun to move in which eventually brought rain and cold winds for the rest of the unhappy week. This front cleared only late on Thursday evening. A new chapter on the Pool Photo summarising what seems now to be accepted has been added for the benefit of those who did not see it elsewhere.

And although that is in itself interesting, as is the forensic identification of the people involved in that conspiracy, the ones who handled the photos and who altered the EXIF, the main concern is as always slightly to the right of where we are looking.

A long term and valued researcher known to many has looked at everything which happened after Sunday 29th, and realised that there is nothing which provides any concrete or credible evidence that Madeleine was still alive after that night or early the following morning
Initial statements are vague and anodyne, but as soon as the Tapas group, mostly educated medics, are put even to the very poor test in the Rogatory interviews, they lapse into gibbering incoherence. None of them seem able to answer a straight question or use normal grammar or syntax, about anything after Sunday 29th. They were under pressure. All of them.

The dogs were surely the final straw.

A British Police Advisor organised the top British human blood and human cadaverine detection Spaniels, handled and trained by the top British Police officer, Martin Grime. The dogs were given the run of the apartment and of all the others in the block. They were taken to an underground car park with a selection of cars, and another room with a selection of clothing, as shown in the video below.

They alerted to places and items concerned with the McCanns - and importantly to NO OTHER PLACES OR ITEMS, and that fact does need to be repeated as often as we have time to do so.

And the alerts allow a short and tragic story to be told.

Behind the sofa, on Kate’s trousers, and on Cuddle cat, to a shelf in the parents’ bedroom, where a blue tennis bag had been photographed, then in the boot of the car, and on the key fob.

The sequence is not difficult to follow !

In the original e-book were chapters about people giving false information about abductions, and about false reactions in front of TV cameras.

They have not been updated, and will not be, as they are purely illustrative of the depths to which people will sink, and add nothing to the evidence in this case.

The revelation about the lack of evidence of Madeleine’s continued existence after Sunday 29th has led to another series of interesting thoughts.

Interesting in that a new scenario can be “purported” (to use Gerry’s lamentable solecism) which simplifies everything.

It is revelatory in that much is revealed.

Previously difficult statements begin to make sense, photos fit into place, and crucially most of the reported actions begin to form a pattern.

The once apparently ludicrous shenanigans of Kate and twins leaving by one door and Gerry and - allegedly - Madeleine by the other, somewhat overemphasised in her autobiography, now seem to make much more sense. And the sense is of ensuring that they were never seen after Monday morning in circumstances where they should have been a family group of five.

It looked intricate and meaningless, and set against the 3rd May evening start point, it was.

But set against a Monday morning start, it makes perfect sense.

The crèche records and the fudging and forgeries and bizarre timings compared with the younger children’s crèche by the Tapas bar, and the strange closeness of one of the nannies, and various other factors suddenly begin to make sense.

It is also revelatory in that it can explain what binds the Tapas group together, in their “Pact of Silence”, and why that pact is unlikely to be broken.

Mrs Webster inadvertently used the word “super-inaudible”, and it may have been applied to her by the others. The rest of the group may be bound by other personal and professional considerations.

Three new chapters are added.

The first distilling the work on the Last Photo - the pool photo, showing how it can only have been taken on Sunday 29th.

A second putting Kate’s ludicrous “Whooshing curtains” in context, and showing how this was pure invention.

A third, giving the background to the “Dossier of death” which led directly to the suicide of the late Brenda Leyland. We show how the author of that disgraceful document can be easily identified, and comes as no surprise.

All of these have been discussed at length on CMoMM, but are presented in synopsis, for ease of access.

Peter


Foreword


WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO MADELEINE McCANN?

Put yourself in the mind of a detective and work it out for yourself
Or put yourself in the place of a parent, and ask:
"If you had let your child go on holiday with the McCanns and they lost her, would you accept their version ?"

This e-book is a compilation of some documents relating to specific parts of the ongoing saga of the quest for the truth about the reported disappearance of Madeleine Beth McCann.

It is doubtful whether anyone in the literate civilised world does not know that Madeleine was reported missing by her mother about 10 pm on 3rd May 2007, from an apartment in Praia da Luz, on the Algarve in Portugal.

Almost all other facts have been the subject of claim and counterclaim, of conflict of evidence, and above all of the crushing financial and legal might of the best libel lawyers in the world bearing down on anyone who dares to express a view different from the official one put out by the McCanns and their spokesperson.

It is important to note however, that nothing which has been said or written has ever been proved to be libellous in a Court of Law, after proper examination. Everything has been settled out of court, or by undertakings.

Readers may decide for themselves if the official story is physically possible, or bears a proper relation to the observable facts, but should be aware that they are still in danger of being sued for holding and expressing a different view, or of having those views suppressed in a different way.

It is notable that the amount attributable to legal fees already substantially outweighs the amount paid to the various firms of private detectives, who have notably failed to come up with anything of value.

One test which has been applied when determining what to include is to examine any incongruence between what was said, and what was observed.

For example, this is what was said - about the 8th day of the 'search'; the 8th day of the investigation into the disappearance; 12th May 2007, Madeleine's 4th birthday

"We ate mostly in silence, concentrating on the kids. I couldn't eat much, and alcohol was completely off my agenda. Fiona recalls that Gerry and I were completely shut down that day, barely able to talk, and although our friends tried to remain cheerful and behave normally to get us through it, they all felt awkward about being at this lovely villa, in the sunshine, in these circumstances. There was no cake. Gerry did attempt a toast but he was visibly upset and couldn't manage much more than "I can't even say happy birthday to my daughter . . ." before choking up. The physical loss was more intense than ever. I ached for Madeleine."
 
from the book 'madeleine', by Kate McCann - p. 128

This is what was observed as they emerged from a solemn church service that morning.

Full video (32 secs): https://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/video/madeleine-mccann-abduction-parents-attend-mass-on-news-footage/672772548

In preparing the various chapters I have tried to rely on what witnesses and the parents themselves said in their statements.

The statements have not been interpreted, but the obvious inconsistencies and frequent changes of story have been left in and highlighted for readers to make up their own minds.

The structure of the e-book is that each chapter is in the form of a self contained monograph, with its own list of references. For ease of research the original source has also been appended in full where possible.

Although that makes it slightly cumbersome it gives the reader instant access to the source material, so that any mistake or wrong interpretation can be immediately identified.

If there are mistakes they are entirely mine.
If I have quoted anything without giving a reference or acknowledgement, I apologise.

There are those who argue that this matter is one which should now be laid to rest, or that the McCann's version, or versions, should be accepted in its entirety.

To them I would say we should always bear in mind the following:

Madeleine Beth McCann is missing
It is not known what happened to her
Her whereabouts are unknown


The search for her, or for her mortal remains, must continue
The search for the truth about what happened must continue


No one should seek to prevent or to hinder either of those

And in support of those ends -

No one with a valid theory or hypothesis should be crushed before the theory or hypotheses can be tested
No one with a differing point of view should be silenced, except by defeat in logical debate, or by production of evidence
Bullying, vicitimisation, name-calling, 'trolling' and other techniques have no place in the search for the truth

Nor in the search for a missing child.

It is not known why the McCanns do not publicly distance themselves from the foul language and vile insults, threats and abuse directed by several blog sites against people who are seeking the truth. Nor why they allowed evidence obtained by criminal activity to be adduced in support of their case.

PeterMac

This was not true

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I have tried to draw up everything that follows into an “Executive Summary”, hoping to encapsulate in as few words as possible the essence of what has emerged during this long analysis of the available evidence.

Interested and discerning readers are urged to follow to the fuller articles here, and to access the references, and then to research further for themselves.

Now that the total and repeated falsehood of the claim the McCanns were “not suspects”, and that they had been ‘cleared’ has been specifically rejected first at the Appeal Court, and then by the Supreme Court in Portugal, might it perhaps now be time to consider other things they said.


They said to relatives the shutters had been forced and brokenThis was not true
They said the curtains were wide openThis was not true
They said the closed curtains had blown in the wind and the door had slammedThis was not true
They said the group had been checking every 30 minutesThis was not true
They said Gerry had entered through the front door using his keyThis was not true
They said they could see the apartment from the Tapas barThis was not true
They said they had been watched during the weekThis was not true
They said they did not know Robert MuratThis was not true
They said there was no blue tennis bagThis was not true
They said the blood and cadaver dogs were ‘incredibly unreliable’This was not true
They said they believed Madeleine could be in MoroccoThis was not true
They said they had an experienced private detective company searchingThis was not true
They said they had a second, more experienced detective company searchingThis was not true
They said they had a third, yet more experienced detective company searchingThis was not true
They said that a detective agency had not said they would find Madeleine by ChristmasThis was not true
They said they had no more photos in their possessionThis was not true
They said the Last Photo was taken on Thursday 3rd MayThis was not true
They said the Tennis balls photo was taken on Tuesday or Wednesday or ThursdayThis was not true
They said they had cooperated fully with the Portuguese policeThis was not true
They said they had answered all questions truthfullyThis was not true
They said they had not deleted phone messages and recordsThis was not true
They said they would not leave Portugal until Madeleine was foundThis was not true
They said they would take a Lie detector testThis was not true
They said they had never lied to anyone, police, media, or anyone elseThis was not true
They said they had not discussed the case with the Tapas 7This was not true
They said they had been offered a “Plea Bargain”.This was not true
They said their reputations had been damaged by Dr Amaral’s bookThis was not true
They said they were not suspectsThis was not true
They said the shelving of the enquiry had ‘cleared’ them of suspicionThis was not true
They said the “Fund” would not be used for legal expensesThis was not true
They said the “Fund” accounts would be transparent and openThis was not true
They said the “Fund” was for searching for MadeleineThis was not true
They said they never called Madeleine - “Maddie”This was not true
They said they had not placed much emphasis on the colobomaThis was not true
They said they believed in and supported Free Speech and “purporting theories”This was not true


Is it now time for us all at least to be allowed to contemplate the following...?
They said Madeleine Beth McCann, aged 3 years, was taken from her bed
in the front room of Apartment 5a of the Mark Warner Ocean Club in
Praia da Luz on the Algarve in Portugal, during the evening of
Thursday 3rd May 2007, and was abducted by an unknown personThis was not true