Where has the £266,000 gone?

[Benice]

They do if they wish to look as if they are not benefitting from their daughter's disappearance but, as directors, still have control over that money.

Typical - when the facts show the complete opposite of what you want them to show - claim a conspiracy.

[faithlilly]

"Absolutely sure" based on what?  Conducted a far reaching survey have you?  You seem to have completely ignored all the points I made last night, par for the course I suppose.

Let's cut through the noise Alfie. If you can supply a cite which gives just one example either in the print or broadcast media, Kate's book or the Find Madeleine website or Facebook page where the McCanns proactively informed the donating public that they were using a large part of their donations to conduct private litigation then I will withdraw everything I have so far said and never mention it again

[faithlilly]

They were told on 17th May 2007 it would be used for legal fees, did the donations dry up as a result?  Why do you think people gave money to the McCanns in the first few weeks of Madeleine's disappearance?  For what purpose?  You seem to know everything so tell us why.

Why so early in the case would the public imagine ' legal fees' would mean libel litigation?  I think you're clutching at straws there Alfie. I'm sure at that juncture even the McCanns didn't think for one moment they'd have to take such action.

[faithlilly]

Typical - when the facts show the complete opposite of what you want them to show - claim a conspiracy.

But isn't that exactly what has happened?

[Benice]

Let's cut through the noise Alfie. If you can supply a cite which gives just one example either in the print or broadcast media, Kate's book or the Find Madeleine website or Facebook page where the McCanns proactively informed the donating public that they were using a large part of their donations to conduct private litigation then I will withdraw everything I have so far said and never mention it again

Pure speculation  - but could it be that the lack of the kind of statement you expect from them is because they know that people who support them require no such explanations - and they don't have to answer to a group of people on the internet avidly devoted to finding fault with everything they say and everything they do?   The Fund being a prime example.

 

[Benice]

But isn't that exactly what has happened?

Only to those who decide to see a 'conspiracy' in everything that doesn't suit them - but which they can't refute.

IMO

[Alfie]

Let's cut through the noise Alfie. If you can supply a cite which gives just one example either in the print or broadcast media, Kate's book or the Find Madeleine website or Facebook page where the McCanns proactively informed the donating public that they were using a large part of their donations to conduct private litigation then I will withdraw everything I have so far said and never mention it again

You know perfectly well no such quote exists and are simply deflecting yet again from the question I asked - why?  You made a claim, now you back it up.

[Alfie]

Why so early in the case would the public imagine ' legal fees' would mean libel litigation?  I think you're clutching at straws there Alfie. I'm sure at that juncture even the McCanns didn't think for one moment they'd have to take such action.

Again, not even an attempt to answer the question.  Why did people fall over themselves to give money to the McCanns in the first weeks of Madeleine's disappearance?  On what did the donors expect their money to be spent, do you think?  Did they all give knowing in advance that the police investigation would fail to find Madeleine, alive or dead, and therefore were giving money solely to fund a future search, do you think? 

[Alfie]

A young child goes missing tomorrow, it is in all the media for the next few weeks, the public send money to the family in support - do they give money conditionally, that it must not be spent on certain things in future, only to buy cuddly toys for the missing child, or what?  Do you give money to others in distress with conditions attached?

[ShiningInLuz]

And that is precisely the change of thread direction I predicted...

That is because, if there was no legal action on the horizon on 17 May 2007, it was rather odd to say the main use would be legal fees.

It begs the blindingly obvious question of what legal action Brian Kennedy thought might ensue, just a fortnight after Madeleine disappeared.

[stephen25000]

A young child goes missing tomorrow, it is in all the media for the next few weeks, the public send money to the family in support - do they give money conditionally, that it must not be spent on certain things in future, only to buy cuddly toys for the missing child, or what?  Do you give money to others in distress with conditions attached?

I would believe that most people Alfie would believe any money donated would be used to search for their missing child.

Paying legal expenses for the parents would never come into their thinking.

[G-Unit]

They were told on 17th May 2007 it would be used for legal fees, did the donations dry up as a result?  Why do you think people gave money to the McCanns in the first few weeks of Madeleine's disappearance?  For what purpose?  You seem to know everything so tell us why.

Sorry to butt in, but I have often wondered about that. I can only speak for myself, but my first thought following the news wasn't to wonder if the couple needed financial help. I might have thought it if they were in low paid jobs, but they weren't.

Gerry McCann received paid compassionate leave and Kate two month's pay from her employers, so lack of money shouldn't have been an immediate concern, despite Gerry's sister saying that family and friends had to rally round to pay the couple's mortgage. 

“Before its launch the fund had already raised £10,000 from medical colleagues of Gerry and Kate McCann and from a bucket of money filled up by visitors to Leicester’s Glenfield Hospital, where Madeleine’s father works“.
Guardian 17 May 2007
http://www.mccannfiles.com/id58.html

So despite the paid leave, someone decided to fundraise immediately and raised a significant amount before the Fund launch. Was that a member of staff or someone connected to the family? I know collecting buckets were dotted around the Ocean Club.

[Alfie]

That is because, if there was no legal action on the horizon on 17 May 2007, it was rather odd to say the main use would be legal fees.

It begs the blindingly obvious question of what legal action Brian Kennedy thought might ensue, just a fortnight after Madeleine disappeared.

Legal fees do not arise solely out of a need for taking legal action against another you know.

[Alfie]

Sorry to butt in, but I have often wondered about that. I can only speak for myself, but my first thought following the news wasn't to wonder if the couple needed financial help. I might have thought it if they were in low paid jobs, but they weren't.

Gerry McCann received paid compassionate leave and Kate two month's pay from her employers, so lack of money shouldn't have been an immediate concern, despite Gerry's sister saying that family and friends had to rally round to pay the couple's mortgage. 

“Before its launch the fund had already raised £10,000 from medical colleagues of Gerry and Kate McCann and from a bucket of money filled up by visitors to Leicester’s Glenfield Hospital, where Madeleine’s father works“.
Guardian 17 May 2007
http://www.mccannfiles.com/id58.html

So despite the paid leave, someone decided to fundraise immediately and raised a significant amount before the Fund launch. Was that a member of staff or someone connected to the family? I know collecting buckets were dotted around the Ocean Club.

Money poured in unsolicited.  People were stuffing Brian Kennedy's pockets with it.  Why do you suppose?  To fund a future private investigation?  Of course not.  It's what people do these days.  They see something upsetting on TV that really moves or touches them and they want to show their support.  Many do this by sending money.  In my experience they don't send money with caveats about what it can and can't be spent on. 

[ShiningInLuz]

Legal fees do not arise solely out of a need for taking legal action against another you know.

Doesn't get us any further forward on why Kennedy envisaged legal fees as the main use a mere fortnight after the disappearance.