That's a good point Stephen and one I haven't seen mentioned in this thread previously. I make no excuses for using the word 'withheld' btw because that is exactly what happened...they were withheld...question is...by whom?
My own view is that the images were just too similar to Gerry and we all know what speculations that would have alighted had they found their way into the public domain. Notice how Redwood goes out of his way to insist that neither the McCanns or their friends are suspects or persons of interest before releasing the e-fits.
I agree that the images would have caused loads of distracting speculation because they are so generic they could be interpreted to look like anyone.
I’ve been looking back at the efits in circulation to see which ones had been issued solely by the fund without direct input from the police and the only one I can find as a likely candidate is the Victoria Beckham lookalike … investigation of which raises as many questions as answers.
Can anyone suggest others which may have been or were issued ‘solely’ by the fund?
I’m not even sure that it would have been released independently, without prior consultation with the British and Portuguese authorities since the case was still active and M3 were in contact with the PJ at the time.
The fact that I can’t locate any discussion, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Then the sighting was not on Portuguese soil but all the others were, including Smithman; but the stumbling block then arises about such information from PIs being inadmissible in Portuguese courts. Maybe the involvement of SY circumvented that also – until the Sunday Times went to press, no-one questioned that the Met were the source of the images.
I don’t think it is so much who ‘withheld’ these efits – we know that, as all three main players had them in their hands – I think it is more why.
There must have been a reason for withholding the publication of these images and without knowing what that was it is impossible to point the finger of blame.
It is regrettable that the Sunday Times rushed into print, apparently without checking, for a ‘scoop’ (as the very speedy apology seems to support); on the say-so of a discredited private investigation agency under the by-line of two journalists who have already cost them dear in litigation.
