The current state of play between SY and the PJ in Portugal.

[stephen25000]

Courtesy of another poster.

''For unsensational and fairly objective reporting, this translation of a news item on Sic Notícias, from 4 October 2013, is worth a read'':

' http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2013/10/national-pj-director-almeida-rodrigues.html

'Although elements of the English police have already attended meetings in the Algarve, their presence in the investigations on the field is something that, at least for the time being, is out of question.'

José Maria de Almeida Rodrigues - Judiciary Police National Director [AR]: "We designated a team that will carry out the requests made by the English authorities. Regarding the timing and as to the proceedings themselves, as you can understand, I will not make a comment." - SO THEY HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED YET!

Voice over Journalist: "Even though 3 to 4 elements of the Metropolitan Police have already attended meetings in Faro, one of those meetings was with the responsible of the PJ directorship of the southern area of Portugal, the English officers presence in the investigations on the field is something that, at least for the time being, is out of question.

"Nevertheless, in the spirit of good cooperation between the two police forces it is possible that in a near future, in one-off situations, English officers are allowed to be present in one or another action of the Judiciary Police." THERE'LL BE NO CLUMSY INSERTION OF SIZE 12s FROM THE MET INTO THE PJ's INTERVIEWING OF WITNESSES/POIs!

"Besides the Judiciary Police inspectors from Faro that have exclusively in their hands the fulfillment of the rogatory letter, another team of PJ inspectors from Porto continues to analyze the whole process in order to detect any eventual mistakes and verify if there is any lead worth following that could justify reopening the process." OBVIOUSLY, NOTHING FOUND YET!

Joana Marques Vidal - Attorney General [JMV]: "The process that existed in Portugal has a final dispatch, that can only be and should only be reopened in agreement to what is stated in the Law - new facts, etc - it's not reopened at the moment. Meanwhile, the English have a process ongoing in England since they consider that there were proceedings within their remit, a process of criminal investigation according to the English law, in the scope of which they requested the Portuguese state or the police and judicial Portuguese authorities some proceedings to be carried out for the process that is in England." MADELEINE CASE REMAINS ARCHIVED IN PORTUGAL; BUT MPS CARRYING OUT INVESTIGATION AS THOUGH THERE MAY HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE BREACHES OF ENGLISH LAW.'

''Caps added by me to differentiate my comments from actual text''.

[C.Edwards]

Thanks for that Stephen.  This bit:

Meanwhile, the English have a process ongoing in England since they consider that there were proceedings within their remit, a process of criminal investigation according to the English law, in the scope of which they requested the Portuguese state or the police and judicial Portuguese authorities some proceedings to be carried out for the process that is in England

Is quite fascinating... The portuguese seem to be keen to differentiate here clearly, don't they?  I wonder what it is that the English police are investigating then?

[stephen25000]

Thanks for that Stephen.  This bit:
Is quite fascinating... The portuguese seem to be keen to differentiate here clearly, don't they?  I wonder what it is that the English police are investigating then?

Thanks, but the link was given by A. Brewer.

[Luz]

Thanks Stephen 25000.

It must be stressed that it is a video interview, not a text that a newspaper can reinterpretate.

[Luz]

I've used information given by that video, but I've never actually given out the link.

For that I commend you Stephen25000

[Mr Moderator]

NB: This is a reformed thread.

[Victoria]

Thanks for that Stephen.  This bit:
Is quite fascinating... The portuguese seem to be keen to differentiate here clearly, don't they?  I wonder what it is that the English police are investigating then?

It's almost certainly a murder enquiry.

[C.Edwards]

It's almost certainly a murder enquiry.

I'm genuinely intrigued... why do you say that?

[stephen25000]

I'm genuinely intrigued... why do you say that?

Good question.

[Victoria]

I'm genuinely intrigued... why do you say that?

That's just how it would be treated, in the same way that a missing persons case would be treated if it was clear that they had not left of their own free will.

[Victoria]

Also, I should probably add that Murder/manslaughter is one of the few exceptions that the CPS will prosecute even if it didn't occur within England.