Amaral and the dogs

[pathfinder73]

They weren't laid out before the inspection. The dogs checked the site first.

[ferryman]

They weren't laid out before the inspection. The dogs checked the site first.

Read the timings.

There was no gap between completion of the "prior" inspection and commencement of the search.

The clothes must have been laid out before the "prior" inspection.

[pegasus]

I query why there was no gap between the laying out of the clothing and the commencement of the search.

In fact, I query why there was a search of clothing at all.

These were not clothes kept in some special storage pending the investigation. 

They were clothes in everyday use as clothes are: worn, washed, hung out on washing lines, packed in suitcases.

The point is frequently (and rightly) made that there was zero reference to cross-contamination of any (hypothetical) scent on clothing. 

But that didn't matter.

The inspection came 3 months after the crime; cross-contamination (if it was going to occur) would, long since, already have done so.

The key questions are: what was the point of any inspection at all?

And why a re-inspection of clothing already inspected once (in the villa) without result?

The document is clear. The first action was to check the venue. This is described in the paragraph clearly labelled "1". The paragraph preceding those numbered actions is a summary of all the numbered actions.

In normal use (storing, wearing, washing, drying) over 3 months the clothing would never contact a primary source of the relevant type.

[ferryman]

The document is clear. The first action was to check the venue. This is described in the paragraph clearly labelled "1". The paragraph preceding those numbered actions is a summary of all the numbered actions.

There was no gap between the "prior" inspection of the gym and the commencement of the search.

So the clothes must have been laid out before the "prior" inspection of the gym.

Why do you think Harrison waited until after both inspections at villa and gym to issue PJ personnel with translated instructions on how to conduct canine inspections in buildings and vehicles?

[pathfinder73]

Read the timings.

There was no gap between completion of the "prior" inspection and commencement of the search.

The clothes must have been laid out before the "prior" inspection.

1 - dogs checked site first. 11:20 to 11:30
2 - 11:30 to 11:40 first box of clothes laid out and Keela inspection
11:41 Eddie alerts

[ferryman]

1 - dogs checked site first. 11:20 to 11:30
2 - 11:30 to 11:40 first box of clothes laid out and Keela inspection
11:41 Eddie alerts

Exactly.

No gap between the "prior" inspection of the premises and commencement of the search.

So the clothes were laid out before the search and the inspection.

[pathfinder73]

Exactly.

No gap between the "prior" inspection of the premises and commencement of the search.

So the clothes were laid out before the search and the inspection.

Where does it say clothes were laid out?

1. Between 23h20 and 23h30 the two dogs were allowed to reconoitre the entire area to guarantee that there were no existing odours - and none were detected by them.

[ferryman]

Where does it say clothes were laid out?

1. Between 23h20 and 23h30 the two dogs were allowed to reconoitre the entire area to guarantee that there were no existing odours - and none were detected by them.

In the bit you've left out.

There was no gap between the "prior" reconnoitre and the commencement of the search.

So the clothes must have been laid out before the "prior" reconnoitre. 

[ferryman]

Where does it say clothes were laid out?

1. Between 23h20 and 23h30 the two dogs were allowed to reconoitre the entire area to guarantee that there were no existing odours - and none were detected by them.

There was no gap between the "prior" reconnoitre and commencement of the search.

So the clothes must have been laid out before the "reconnoitre"

[pathfinder73]

There was no gap between the "prior" reconnoitre and commencement of the search.

So the clothes must have been laid out before the "reconnoitre"

Nope that happened in number 2.

2. Between 23h30 and 23h40 items from the box labelled 'common room' were inspected by the blood dog without result.
- At 23h41 the cadaver dog began its inspection and 'marked' some clothing on the edge of the area. The inspection ended at 23h52 with the clothing having been collected for later direct examination and photographic report.

[ferryman]

Mark Harrison's summary of all searches:

The timeline of these searches was as follows:
 
On 31-07-07 the PJ conducted canine searches with a search warrant at apartments in Praia da Luz that had been previously occupied by the McCanns and their friends.
 
On 01-08-07 the PJ and GNR assisted by a canine, conducted searches on the eastern beach and wasteland in Praia da Luz.
 
On 02-08-07 the PJ conducted a search warrant at a villa in Praia da Luz currently occupied by the McCann family.
 
Later the same day PJ officers conducted a screening procedure involving items removed from the McCann’s villa.
 
On 03-08-07 PJ and GNR officers were given instruction based on translated extracts from NPIA doctrine on search management and procedures. This focused on search procedures relating to buildings and vehicles.
 
On 04-08-07 and 05-08-07 a search warrant was executed at the villa and gardens belonging to the PJ suspect Robert Murat. This search involved both PJ and GNR personnel supported by civil defence, geophysical equipment operators and a canine handler.
 
On 06-08-07 ten vehicles were searched associated to the enquiry.
 
On 07-08-07 the western beach and remaining wasteland areas were searched using canine and GNR personnel.
 
On 08-08-07 the drains around the apartment block where Madeleine McCann disappeared from were subject to a visual inspection by PJ officers.

Key points to note:

1.  Harrison waited until after both inspections at villa and gym to issue the PJ with translated instructions on how to carry out dog-inspections in buildings and vehicles. 

2. Harrison disowns UK involvement in all inspections except those he recommended: the holiday apartments, the Murats' place and areas in and around PdL.

Both inspections at villa and gym summarised as PJ exercises.

And Harrison gives no clue at all who took part in the inspection of vehicles.

Only 2 (of 3!) vehicles he recommended be inspected made the line-up of 10.

I think you're going to have to admit defeat graciously on this one, Pathfinder ...

[ferryman]

Nope that happened in number 2.

2. Between 23h30 and 23h40 items from the box labelled 'common room' were inspected by the blood dog without result.
- At 23h41 the cadaver dog began its inspection and 'marked' some clothing on the edge of the area. The inspection ended at 23h52 with the clothing having been collected for later direct examination and photographic report.

So it took them 1 minute (after completion of the "reconnoitre") to lay out all the clothes and begin inspection of the clothing?

Dream on ....

[pathfinder73]

So it took them 1 minute (after completion of the "reconnoitre") to lay out all the clothes and begin inspection of the clothing?

Dream on ....

It wouldn't take long as 4 people were laying clothes out from the box as seen in the footage. To think they would have clothes laid out before the dogs inspected the site is bonkers!

[ferryman]

It wouldn't take long as 4 people were laying clothes out from the box as seen in the footage. To think they would have clothes laid out before the dogs inspected the site is bonkers!

What's bonkers is the notion that there was any sort of heed to prior scents.

Think about it.

All the clothes were packed away together in bog-standard cardboard boxes, guaranteeing cross-contamination if there were any contaminated items of clothing in the mix.

As I've pointed out, these inspections came 3 months after the crime, and the clothes were in common circulation during the whole of that time (between the crime and the inspection).  So cross-contamination (if there were contaminated items in the mix) would have occurred way before the inspection.

Inspection of clothing was wholly irrelevant and should never have occurred at all.

There is zero evidence that Harrison endorsed any of it.

From the files, the cited reason for the inspection at the gym was to identify items of clothing possibly indicated by the dogs ....   (from the prior inspection in the villa).

The only (recorded) "reaction" from the inspection in the villa was to cuddle-cat ....

The only other explanation of how the inspection at the gym is supposed to have come about is in Amaral's book.

And as we know, Amaral lost the libel trial ....

[pegasus]

The clothes Eddie alerted to.
It is important to find the exact location where those clothes were from 7.30pm onwards.
I posted a pair of images which match IMO.
No-one posted any other clothing image to dispute that match.