I find it odd that the door was left open so a child barely 4 could roam.

[pegasus]

http://youtu.be/Akv01Y0pfNY?t=2m8s
This is how IMO the sliding door was left between checks - open by about a fingerwidth - to make it easy for the next checker to open - the exact moment is at 2m14s courtesy of Martin Brunt - notice the gap.

[pathfinder73]

What is more interesting is that they came through the locked front door at 5:30 but at night they leave them alone in an unlocked apartment. Yes Fiona was surprised when she only found out about it at the table that night being Kate's closest friend out of the group. Gerry left the apartment at 8:30 and within 30 minutes he needs to use the toilet. Damn nothing adds up.

[G-Unit]

What is more interesting is that they came through the locked front door at 5:30 but at night they leave them alone in an unlocked apartment. Yes Fiona was surprised when she only found out about it at the table that night being Kate's closest friend out of the group. Gerry left the apartment at 8:30 and within 30 minutes he needs to use the toilet. Damn nothing adds up.

Perhaps the apartment wasn't unlocked? Why lock it each day and not in the evenings? In the daytime you are safeguarding your things; passports, etc by locking the apartment. In the evenings you leave those same things in an unlocked apartment along with your infinitely more precious children. Really? Does that make sense? When Gerald met Jeremy Wilkins where was he? According to the timeline created in English by all the group and presented to the PJ on 10th May they were north of the side gate. That suggests Gerald was returning from the direction of the front door, as he originally told the police.

2115: JT leaves table, and sees GM talking with fellow resident ("Jez" Wilkins) outside the patio gate of 5A. The two were standing just up the hill from the gate towards Rua A. da Silva Road. She did not speak to GM as she passed.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/TIME_LINE_3_MAY_07.htm

[pegasus]

Perhaps the apartment wasn't unlocked? Why lock it each day and not in the evenings? In the daytime you are safeguarding your things; passports, etc by locking the apartment. In the evenings you leave those same things in an unlocked apartment along with your infinitely more precious children. Really? Does that make sense? When Gerald met Jeremy Wilkins where was he? According to the timeline created in English by all the group and presented to the PJ on 10th May they were north of the side gate. That suggests Gerald was returning from the direction of the front door, as he originally told the police.

2115: JT leaves table, and sees GM talking with fellow resident ("Jez" Wilkins) outside the patio gate of 5A. The two were standing just up the hill from the gate towards Rua A. da Silva Road. She did not speak to GM as she passed.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/TIME_LINE_3_MAY_07.htm

Yes that is interesting. A little north? of garden gate, but either way the chat was close enough to the lounge side window to be easily heard by someone inside the lounge through the single thickness glass of the lounge side window (this audibilty is mentioned in Mr Amaral's theory).
 To deduce that the lounge sliding door was locked that evening, because of some assumption that it was irrational to leave it unlocked, is incorrect, because groups of foreign tourists like this are often irrational. For example at another apartment in this block the tourists left a door insecure during the daytimes ("no-one would ever dream of looking under there") but with secure doors in the evenings. 

[Miss Taken Identity]

What is more interesting is that they came through the locked front door at 5:30 but at night they leave them alone in an unlocked apartment. Yes Fiona was surprised when she only found out about it at the table that night being Kate's closest friend out of the group. Gerry left the apartment at 8:30 and within 30 minutes he needs to use the toilet. Damn nothing adds up.

Do we know Fiona's response to this statement? I would be horrified at leaving the children alone for any lenght of time but, to leave the apartment unlocked to let madeleine come get them? The seriouslness of this situation regarding risk assessment is fantastic beyond belief. Kate is essentially telling us;
1. it was because of her daughters waking up she left the door unlocked
2. if a fire broke out it was Maddies responsibility to get help/remove  her siblings, act as fire warden? age 3?
OMG

So if we are to accept their original claim that they were 'sitting in a garden' 'could see the apartment', 'checked the children every 30 mins' then why leave the door unlocked at all?

The fact that their daughter did tell them about waking, and them ignoring this is disgraceful. It would seem nothing was giong to ruin their dinner with drinks.

[faithlilly]

Do we know Fiona's response to this statement? I would be horrified at leaving the children alone for any lenght of time but, to leave the apartment unlocked to let madeleine come get them? The seriouslness of this situation regarding risk assessment is fantastic beyond belief. Kate is essentially telling us;
1. it was because of her daughters waking up she left the door unlocked
2. if a fire broke out it was Maddies responsibility to get help/remove  her siblings, act as fire warden? age 3?
OMG

So if we are to accept their original claim that they were 'sitting in a garden' 'could see the apartment', 'checked the children every 30 mins' then why leave the door unlocked at all?

The fact that their daughter did tell them about waking, and them ignoring this is disgraceful. It would seem nothing was giong to ruin their dinner with drinks.

Gerry claimed the patio doors were left open as entering through the main door may wake the children. Yet Madeleine was, allegedly, abducted without waking and the twins with all the commotion going on in 5a on the night of the third never raised an eye so they certainly don't sound like particularly light sleepers.

[G-Unit]

Yes that is interesting. A little north? of garden gate, but either way the chat was close enough to the lounge side window to be easily heard by someone inside the lounge through the single thickness glass of the lounge side window (this audibilty is mentioned in Mr Amaral's theory).
 To deduce that the lounge sliding door was locked that evening, because of some assumption that it was irrational to leave it unlocked, is incorrect, because groups of foreign tourists like this are often irrational. For example at another apartment in this block the tourists left a door insecure during the daytimes ("no-one would ever dream of looking under there") but with secure doors in the evenings.

My point was that it can be deduced from that statement that Gerald Mccann had not just exited the side gate. It seems more likely that he was coming down the road after exiting through the front door.

[jassi]

My point was that it can be deduced from that statement that Gerald Mccann had not just exited the side gate. It seems more likely that he was coming down the road after exiting through the front door.

That would seem a logical interpretation.

If true, it would certainly put much of later testimony by checkers  in doubt.

[faithlilly]

My point was that it can be deduced from that statement that Gerald Mccann had not just exited the side gate. It seems more likely that he was coming down the road after exiting through the front door.

Or on is way to check ?

[jassi]

Or on is way to check ?

Would he delay, gossiping inconsequentially, while his children lay unattended?

[faithlilly]

Would he delay, gossiping inconsequentially, while his children lay unattended?

Remember Oldfield had just checked.

[jassi]

Remember Oldfield had just checked.

Yes, but apparent only listening outside a window, which was stated reason for Gerry visiting again so very soon afterwards.

[faithlilly]

Yes, but apparent only listening outside a window, which was stated reason for Gerry visiting again so very soon afterwards.

All very odd.

[misty]

Was there anything obscuring Jez Wilkins view of where Gerry came from, if anyone is suggesting that he had exited via the front door or was on his way up the hill?

[jassi]

Does Wilkins say which direction he (Wilkins) was walking in ?