Is there any hard evidence whatsoever in the Madeleine McCann case?

[Alice Purjorick]

Who is to say that is not exactly what happened?   There is no evidence one way or the other and there is nothing to indicate exactly how an intruder gained entry to or exit from the apartment.

The only irrefutable evidence that something untoward occurred is the absence of Madeleine McCann.

Having been round the block a few times bells go off in my head when I am asked to believe several unlikely things before breakfast, the unlikely events usually followed by "well it's plausible isn't it?" or "who is to say it didn't happen?".

[jassi]

Who is to say that is not exactly what happened?   There is no evidence one way or the other and there is nothing to indicate exactly how an intruder gained entry to or exit from the apartment.

The only irrefutable evidence that something untoward occurred is the absence of Madeleine McCann.

My goodness me - something that everyone can agree on. This MUST be a first.

[Brietta]

Having been round the block a few times bells go off in my head when I am asked to believe several unlikely things before breakfast, the unlikely events usually followed by "well it's plausible isn't it?" or "who is to say it didn't happen?".

I think the problem you may have is that there is no evidence pointing to the involvement of Madeleine McCann's family in her disappearance.

[Alice Purjorick]

I think the problem you may have is that there is no evidence pointing to the involvement of Madeleine McCann's family in her disappearance.

Is it?
That seems to be the default position of the faithful every time a legitimate query is raised.

[pathfinder73]

You should really stop living in the past and look to the present and the future when the real evidence, not fantasy, which has enabled the case to be re-opened might provide the answer to what happened to Madeleine McCann.

What evidence? They've found nothing. They should've searched Smthman's route with the dogs in 2007. Madeleine was on it.

[Brietta]

What evidence? They've found nothing. They should've searched Smthman's route with the dogs in 2007. Madeleine was on it.

I have no reason to disbelieve DCI Redwood ... nor do I have reason to distrust that the PJ could only reopen the case based on fresh evidence.

[Brietta]

They were out searching at 10 so any one of them could be seen 250 metres away 3 minutes later. They had split up from each other to search so stop talking nonsense.

You really should think very carefully about what evidence there may be which justifies the alleged sighting of Smithman.

[Lyall]

I have no reason to disbelieve DCI Redwood ... nor do I have reason to distrust that the PJ could only reopen the case based on fresh evidence.

It's not a case of disbelieving him, but of recognising the difficulty of the position he was in.

When his 'revelation moment' merely revealed something everybody had already known for six years, there's no mystery about why people were/are cynical.

[pathfinder73]

I have no reason to disbelieve DCI Redwood ... nor do I have reason to distrust that the PJ could only reopen the case based on fresh evidence.

What is clear is that they're trying to find fresh evidence of the missing girl. They don't spend millions on a massive search operation unless they have fresh evidence to back it up. Amaral was doing the same before he was removed.

In a letter direct to GA from DCCB dated 27 September 2007 (Vol 11 p2945)

With regard to the possible sighting of arguido Gerry McCann next to a pink coloured block of apartments at a site opposite the Luz cemetery, we can inform you that this an establishment called 'St James Portuguesa Lda', lots 1 and 2 being situated in the positions mentioned, from the outside the spaces corresponding to Lot 1 can be seen of a total of apartment designated as follows: 101-104, 111-114, 121-124, 105-109, 115-119, 125-129.

As concerns the information provided by F***** J**** with regard to a sighting of the McCanns at a residence called Vila d'Arte, in the Melody Urbanisation in Espiche, during the month of July, it was possible to determine which residence this was and that the building is the permanent residence of some citizens from NL or the UK for the past 4 or 5 years.

The owner of the villa said that he had been in the villa after the departure of the McCanns and that it seemed to him that there were new plants at the bottom of the garden, without being able to indicate exactly which plants, a fact that he commented on with the gardener F**** Do S*****.

From the cleaner who worked in the residence occupied by the McCanns, it was found out that on the previous Monday 10-09-2007, she carried out her normal cleaning routine without noticing anything abnormal, just remarking that two or three boxes with dossiers were in the garage and which were later collected by a friend of the McCanns, Susan.

[pathfinder73]

You really should think very carefully about what evidence there may be which justifies the alleged sighting of Smithman.

SY have talked to the Smith family. Why don't you ask them what new evidence they have received from the nine eye witnesses that saw him?

[DCI]

SY have talked to the Smith family. Why don't you ask them what new evidence they have received from the nine eye witnesses that saw him?

Yes nine eye witnesses, why only three statements? The more this is looked at, the more it stinks.

[pathfinder73]

Yes nine eye witnesses, why only three statements? The more this is looked at, the more it stinks.

SY don't think so as the CW special proved and the millions spent on searches close to the sighting that followed.

[Brietta]

It's not a case of disbelieving him, but of recognising the difficulty of the position he was in.

When his 'revelation moment' merely revealed something everybody had already known for six years, there's no mystery about why people were/are cynical.

The 'cynical' people will remain 'cynical' whatever, so definitely no-one's problem but their own.

How disingenuous of you that a scoping exercise ~ a review of all the evidence over an extended period can be reduced to ...
" ... recognising the difficulty of the position he was in" 

DCI Redwood was in no difficulty whatsoever ... he did what any competent police officer would have done ... followed the evidence.

[Brietta]

What is clear is that they're trying to find fresh evidence of the missing girl. They don't spend millions on a massive search operation unless they have fresh evidence to back it up. Amaral was doing the same before he was removed.

In a letter direct to GA from DCCB dated 27 September 2007 (Vol 11 p2945)

With regard to the possible sighting of arguido Gerry McCann next to a pink coloured block of apartments at a site opposite the Luz cemetery, we can inform you that this an establishment called 'St James Portuguesa Lda', lots 1 and 2 being situated in the positions mentioned, from the outside the spaces corresponding to Lot 1 can be seen of a total of apartment designated as follows: 101-104, 111-114, 121-124, 105-109, 115-119, 125-129.

As concerns the information provided by F***** J**** with regard to a sighting of the McCanns at a residence called Vila d'Arte, in the Melody Urbanisation in Espiche, during the month of July, it was possible to determine which residence this was and that the building is the permanent residence of some citizens from NL or the UK for the past 4 or 5 years.

The owner of the villa said that he had been in the villa after the departure of the McCanns and that it seemed to him that there were new plants at the bottom of the garden, without being able to indicate exactly which plants, a fact that he commented on with the gardener F**** Do S*****.

From the cleaner who worked in the residence occupied by the McCanns, it was found out that on the previous Monday 10-09-2007, she carried out her normal cleaning routine without noticing anything abnormal, just remarking that two or three boxes with dossiers were in the garage and which were later collected by a friend of the McCanns, Susan.

Very interesting.

But not quite on a par with persons of interest and arguidos being recently interviewed in Portugal ... bearing in mind the re-opening of the Portuguese investigation could only happen if there is new evidence which warrants it.

[Alice Purjorick]

The 'cynical' people will remain 'cynical' whatever, so definitely no-one's problem but their own.

How disingenuous of you that a scoping exercise ~ a review of all the evidence over an extended period can be reduced to ...
" ... recognising the difficulty of the position he was in" 

DCI Redwood was in no difficulty whatsoever ... he did what any competent police officer would have done ... followed the evidence.

Given that a scoping exercise would customarily identify known and unknowns in order to determine what remains unknown then in this instance: the major unknown at the beginning of the scoping exercise remains the major unknown three, four, five or however many years down the track.