Was Mr Smiths claim just pie in the sky after all?

[pegasus]

You're kidding.

Witness AS says it is possible that the man, after she saw him, might have gone down the lane with steps.
I posted a photo of that lane.

[AnneGuedes]

Witness AS says it is possible that the man, after she saw him, might have gone down the lane with steps.
I posted a photo of that lane.

No, that's not what she said :
She did not see if the referenced individual with the child descended the street via the stairs or if he continued via the 25 of Abril street.
Hence you, Pegasus, deduce it's possible.
Abril is dark and steps are illuminated.
Why do you think he went from the east side of the street to the west side ?

[pegasus]

"She did not see if the referenced individual with the child descended the street via the stairs or if he continued via the 25 of Abril street."
Precisely, the witness AS says she thinks there are two possibilities for which way the man went after she saw him.
I posted a photo of one of those two possibilities.

[AnneGuedes]

"She did not see if the referenced individual with the child descended the street via the stairs or if he continued via the 25 of Abril street."
Precisely, the witness AS says she thinks there are two possibilities for which way the man went after she saw him.
I posted a photo of one of those two possibilities.

She didn't see and didn't say there were two possibilities. What if he lived next door ?
The photo gives a wrong idea of those steps. Have you seen them ? At night ?

[pegasus]

I have never been there. But there is a very good witness map of (when AS saw him) exactly the mans position on south pavement of R 25 Abril and the mans direction east.
AS did not look back so was not sure whether the man continued east along R 25 Abril, or turned south down the lane with steps.
Yes it is possible he goes in a building or plot, for example PJ checked out the building and plot adjacent to where AS saw him.

[pathfinder73]

Very doubtful - I don't believe he went down the steps moving as Anne says from West to East across the road to go down it towards the church.

"The deponent remembers that upon reaching the top of the stairs, she looked to her left and saw a man (1) with a child (2) in his arms, walking along the path Rua 25 de Abril. He was walking in their direction at a distance of, give or take, two metres." (Aoife Smith)

So he was very close to Aoife when he passed her?

"She believes that he had a clean-shaven face. His hair was thick-ish, light brown in colour, cut in a short style, short from behind (normal) and a bit longer on the top. His trousers were beige in colour, made of cotton, possibly with buttons, and without any other decoration. The child was female . She had straight long hair to the neck. The colour was light/light brown. She is certain that the child was about four years old because her niece (who was in the group) is of the same age and same height. She did not see the child's face because she was lying against the individual's left shoulder in a vertical position against the individual. She appeared to be sleeping. Her arms were suspended along her body and were not around the individual's neck." (Aoife Smith)

Smithman is the one!

Positions of Peter (P), Martin (M) and Aiofe (A).

[pegasus]

The label "A" marks the exact location of the man (when witness AS saw him)
The man walks from "P" to "M" to "A".
The most likely continuation is the lane of steps IMO

[pathfinder73]

And where do you think he was going down those steps on a narrow brightly lit path where he would be easily seen or bump closely past other potential eye witnesses?

[pegasus]

Another photo.
Label "A" marks the exact spot where the man was (when witness AS saw him)

[pathfinder73]

I've already posted that image. He had to be moving across the road in front of Aoife coming from Primaria i.e. west to east going down 25 de Abril in the direction towards the church. Why would he go down steps when other eye witnesses could be following Aoife coming up the steps?

[pegasus]

And where do you think he was going down those steps on a narrow brightly lit path where he would be easily seen or bump closely past other potential eye witnesses?

I dont know. Are you sure really about travessa das escadhinas is better lit and and busier than R 25 Abril?
The mans trajectory through points P and M and A indicates southerly continuation down the travessa IMO

[pathfinder73]

I dont know. Are you sure really about travessa das escadhinas is better lit and and busier than R 25 Abril?
The mans trajectory through points P and M and A indicates southerly continuation down the travessa IMO

The road was a lot wider and darker. He can cross the road to avoid other eye witnesses. That brightly lit narrow lane you would be on top of any witnesses.

Why would he go down steps when other eye witnesses could be following Aoife coming up the steps? It is not a clever move to go down those steps.

[pegasus]

I've already posted that image. He had to be moving across the road in front of Aoife coming from Primaria i.e. west to east going down 25 de Abril in the direction towards the church. Why would he go down steps when other eye witnesses could be following Aoife coming up the steps?

When witness AS is coming out of travessa she looks to her left (west) and sees man on south pavement walking east towards her.
IMO its an obvious possibility that the man,  2 paces later,  may turn right down the travessa.
From the top of the travessa he can see that no more people are coming up.

[AnneGuedes]

When witness AS is coming out of travessa she looks to her left (west) and sees man on south pavement walking east towards her.
IMO its an obvious possibility that the man,  2 paces later,  may turn right down the travessa.
From the top of the travessa he can see that no more people are coming up.

What does the (illogical considering A) fact he passed from P to M indicate ?

[pegasus]

What does the (illogical considering A) fact he passed from P to M indicate ?

It means that two people walking opposite directions will slightly alter their trajectories to pass without collision.

The man's general direction as marked by points P and M and A was south.
IMO its probable he continued south.
If he continued east, along R 25 Abril, that takes him toward the busiest part of town centre?