Mark Saunokonoko was able to speak with Jim Ganble in the latest podcast.
Mark S asks Jim Gamble if Operation Grange has to be considered a failure. Gamble said "I don't think it has been a failure; let's see what comes from it all. There will be evidence collected that at some time, at some stage in the future may be able to help hold someone to account for this. Has it been a failure? Who's to say that now?"
Mark S said that Gamble's report to the Home Office had stressed that it was best practice in missing child cases to investigate family and friends first. Why had Operation Grange not appeared to have done that? Gamble said; " Operation Grnge is different. Operation Grabge is coming back after the fact. It's when the incident takes place that it's'best practice to capitalise on the golden hours. Operation Grange will have had the opportunity to reflect on all the work that was done at the time and during the following years."
Mark S then asked why OG appeared to be focussed only on abduction. Ganble said: "I think they are well equipped to make the right judgements about where their starting point is. I'm sure that they will have looked at every scrap of evidence, every report that was written so if they have chosen to focus in a particular area that there will be a rationale for that. I have no doubt."
Mark S's final question was where was the evidence that an abduction had taken place? Ganble replied; "When the aparment was checked Madeleine wasn't there, so either she had left herself or she had been abducted by siomeone else; she didn't simply disappear. The evidence (inaudible) leaves you with those two hypotheses. As I said I think time will tell. I really hope it does and whoever they are if this is an abduction case that they're identified and held to accoount. If it is a case that she went missing and inadvertently was hurt or worse and wasn't found I hope that comes to light as well"
Ganble clearly has faith in Operation Grange although he doesn't sound all that hopeful that they will find a solution soon.
Is the fact that Madeleine wasn't there evidence of abduction? Although Ganble uses it in his reply he, unlike A C Rowley acknowledges two possibilities, not just abduction. So it isn't just evidence of abduction, is it?