and do you naively believe police all around the world don't adopt similar tactics when they think they have found the person or persons responsible for a crime ?
IMO a guilty person who knew that it was not impossible that DNA evidence could be found at the site where they had placed a dead body would realise the game was over once confronted with the fact that 100% DNA evidence had indeed been found at that site. The McCanns were not stupid and totally understood that. If they were guilty they would know they had been caught bang to rights and there was no point in prolonging things. I'm sure you will agree Stephen that the whole idea behind the PJ's tactic of lying to the McCanns about the DNA was to bring about that very situation
However, the fact that when confronted with 100% DNA match the McCanns did not give up and confess or even come close to a confession in the face of such indisputable evidence - should have told the PJ they were barking up the wrong tree.
All that lie succeeded in doing was to make the McCanns think that the PJ had evidence that their beloved daughter was dead and to react as any innocent parent of a missing child would on hearing such terrible news.