Exploring the reasons and motivation behind Portuguese re-opening of the case.

[Eleanor]

That's a different issue re: anonymity. But the main issue is that we have very limited FOI laws in the UK, and particularly with regards to police. Is this healthy? If our justice system is so great why is it still shrouded in secrecy?

For people like The Gaspars.

[Lyall]

For people like The Gaspars.

That's just the anonymity issue again.

[Carana]

You're overlooking an obvious fact. The Portuguese made the records of the investigation public: this never happens in the UK does it. Why?

Interesting question. The PT judiciary seems to make rulings available for consultation, wherever such documents used to be stored, but personal details are masked (names, phone numbers, addresses, passport ID, etc.) I presume that the purpose is to allow the press to comment, in a responsible fashion, without revealing personally identifying details.

That system went belly-up when the contents were provided on DVD, in theory restricted to responsible journalists, but uploaded by whoever had access to it.

[jassi]

You're overlooking an obvious fact. The Portuguese made the records of the investigation public: this never happens in the UK does it. Why?

That's because we have a 'Freedom of Information Act' to stop that sort of thing from happening -  not in the public interest, you know.   

[Eleanor]

That's just the anonymity issue again.

And David Payne?  And what about Robert Murat?

[Lyall]

That's because we have a 'Freedom of Information Act' to stop that sort of thing from happening -  not in the public interest, you know.   

Not for the eyes of riff-raff, only selected journalists with the right credentials

[Estuarine]

oh dear...a nerve is touched

No! I am just amazed that you obviously do not understand the implications of your statements; they are somewhat hilarious. I am sure when you have worked it out you will see the humour in it.

[Sherlock Holmes]

I found it incredible that the case was closed at all. In the UK any missing person or murder case remains open and assigned to some responsible person until solved or cleared up. There is no way to close such serious cases so quickly as it seems possible in Portugal.

Very nice to have you on the forum, EnolaStraight. A warm welcome from all.

It seems that this case was treated more as a missing person's case than a murder case from the start, and as such was abandoned when leads and resources fell flat, as many missing persons cases are.

[Sherlock Holmes]

But you have no idea what and how much they are doing, it doesn't cost a penny to reopen a case, and I didn't say they don't want to spend any money, that's a distortion of what I wrote

Reopening the case could have also been a technicality to aid working with SY, who knows? Certainly Tractorman wasn't the real reason, what a joke that was

What do you mean it doesn't cost a penny to reopen a case? What doesn't cost money?

Relative to the resources Portugal has, the new investigation is probably costing them a lot.

[ferryman]

You're overlooking an obvious fact. The Portuguese made the records of the investigation public: this never happens in the UK does it. Why?

You are adding an irrelevant detail.

The original investigation was a cock-up.

What difference does the fact that the cock-up was made public make?

[Mr Gray]

No! I am just amazed that you obviously do not understand the implications of your statements; they are somewhat hilarious. I am sure when you have worked it out you will see the humour in it.

I'm about six steps ahead of your attempts to make yourself look intelligent

[stephen25000]

You are adding an irrelevant detail.

The original investigation was a cock-up.

What difference does the fact that the cock-up was made public make?

As per usual you get it wrong 'ferryman'.

There was no cock-up, there was no evidence of abduction.

The cock-up was the two parents leaving their children , night after night by themselves, in what they claim was an unlocked apartment.

[Sherlock Holmes]

As per usual you get it wrong 'ferryman'.

There was no cock-up, there was no evidence of abduction.

The cock-up was the two parents leaving their children , night after night by themselves, in what they claim was an unlocked apartment.

Are we measuring the success of that investigation on the failure to find evidence of abduction?

What about all of the other possibilities for which nil or insufficient evidence was found?

No conclusions were reached at all.

[Mr Gray]

As per usual you get it wrong 'ferryman'.

There was no cock-up, there was no evidence of abduction.

The cock-up was the two parents leaving their children , night after night by themselves, in what they claim was an unlocked apartment.

Another vote for the cock up

[jassi]

We've yet to see if SY manage to do any better.