Did OC reception let Madeleine down?

[sadie]

Matt went to Reception, asked them to call the police  and left there obviously thinking that was happening.  As far as he was concerned the Police were on their way.   He was not to know that reception had let Madeleine down.

196

[pathfinder73]

Matt went to Reception, asked them to call the police  and left there obviously thinking that was happening.  As far as he was concerned the Police were on their way.   He was not to know that reception had let Madeleine down.

I know Matt was sent to reception to call the police but they didn't know if they were on their way. They only had to call Matt to check it had been done. Nothing in Matt's rog interview except that John Hill and Gerry came down to main reception 30 minutes later at around 10:40.  The police were called at 10:41 - it's in the files.

[sadie]

I know Matt was sent to reception to call the police but they didn't know if they were on their way. They only had to call Matt to check it had been done. Nothing in Matt's rog interview except that John Hill and Gerry came down to main reception 30 minutes later at around 10:40.  The police were called at 10:41 - it's in the files.

In order that the police would be called, Matt had reported that Madeleine had vanished at Main Reception.

Having done that he would expect for reception to call the police, as would any one.  Kate and Gerry would know that Matt had been to reception for the police to be called ... as far as everyone there would be concerned it was just a case of waiting a few minutes .... a very few minutes, they would have expected. 

Think about it PF, what would be the point in asking Matt if the police were on their way?  He was out searching and couldn't know; he didn't speak the language anyhow.  He had done his job reporting it and asking for the police to be called.

[G-Unit]

In order that the police would be called, Matt had reported that Madeleine had vanished at Main Reception.

Having done that he would expect for reception to call the police, as would any one.  Kate and Gerry would know that Matt had been to reception for the police to be called ... as far as everyone there would be concerned it was just a case of waiting a few minutes .... a very few minutes, they would have expected. 

Think about it PF, what would be the point in asking Matt if the police were on their way?  He was out searching and couldn't know; he didn't speak the language anyhow.  He had done his job reporting it and asking for the police to be called.

Faced with the indisputable fact that the police were not called following his request Matt has to concede in his rog interview that he didn't know if they had been called or not. It's quite clear they weren't called while he was there. He doesn't seem to have been totally convinced about the abduction himself, actually;

I think if I'd done anything differently I would have stood by the desk and said, no, you must ring now, you really must, rather than just sort of saying, oh, you know, and sort of at the back of my mind thinking, well maybe they're right, maybe I'll go back and she's just turned up and that'll be absolutely fantastic, maybe I'm wasting his time, but I didn't stand over the desk and say, do it.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/MATTHEW-OLDFIELD-ROGATORY.htm
 

[sadie]

Faced with the indisputable fact that the police were not called following his request Matt has to concede in his rog interview that he didn't know if they had been called or not. It's quite clear they weren't called while he was there. He doesn't seem to have been totally convinced about the abduction himself, actually;

I think if I'd done anything differently I would have stood by the desk and said, no, you must ring now, you really must, rather than just sort of saying, oh, you know, and sort of at the back of my mind thinking, well maybe they're right, maybe I'll go back and she's just turned up and that'll be absolutely fantastic, maybe I'm wasting his time, but I didn't stand over the desk and say, do it.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/MATTHEW-OLDFIELD-ROGATORY.htm

Now 9 - 10.30pm, is that a busy time for checking in?  Anyone know? 

I rather think that I have read that people arrived around that time, but please correcdt me if I am wrong.

I am old and have travelled more than most .... I have wide experience of Reception staff at check in time.  They single-mindedly attend to new holidaymakers, almost without exception ignoring other holidaymakers.

Added to this is the fact that OC had a standard procedure to go thru in event of unwanted events.  The last thing that they would want is the Police there; bad for business !  Maybe they did call someone, maybe they called the police .... but Matt wouldn't know who because he didn't speak the lingo .... and we certainly dont know.

I feel sorry for Matt.  He tried to help three times and three times his help "came unstuck" for one reason or another ... and now he is being torn apart by people who dont know all the facts

I REALLY feel sorry for him.

[mercury]

This is all bollocks

No one in an emergency would be in any doubt whether police were called or not....theyd know or they wouldnt

[G-Unit]

Now 9 - 10.30pm, is that a busy time for checking in?  Anyone know? 

I rather think that I have read that people arrived around that time, but please correcdt me if I am wrong.

I am old and have travelled more than most .... I have wide experience of Reception staff at check in time.  They single-mindedly attend to new holidaymakers, almost without exception ignoring other holidaymakers.

Added to this is the fact that OC had a standard procedure to go thru in event of unwanted events.  The last thing that they would want is the Police there; bad for business !  Maybe they did call someone, maybe they called the police .... but Matt wouldn't know who because he didn't speak the lingo .... and we certainly dont know.

I feel sorry for Matt.  He tried to help three times and three times his help "came unstuck" for one reason or another ... and now he is being torn apart by people who dont know all the facts

I REALLY feel sorry for him.

Matt gave the facts. He admits he didn't know if the police were called or not. He admits that he was partially persuaded that Madeleine may have just wandered and be there when he got back. Facts from the horse's mouth.

No-one is tearing him apart. He clearly wasn't 100% convinced of the abduction or he wouldn't have succumbed to the suggestion that she could have been found while he was away.

[sadie]

Matt gave the facts. He admits he didn't know if the police were called or not. He admits that he was partially persuaded that Madeleine may have just wandered and be there when he got back. Facts from the horse's mouth.

No-one is tearing him apart. He clearly wasn't 100% convinced of the abduction or he wouldn't have succumbed to the suggestion that she could have been found while he was away.

Matt willingly did what he was asked to do

He would be treated like someone from another planet (ignored) if Reception were booking new guests in

If reception phoned the police or John Hill (etc), Matt would not have understood.  He did not speak Portuguese

[G-Unit]

Matt willingly did what he was asked to do

He would be treated like someone from another planet (ignored) if Reception were booking new guests in

If reception phoned the police or John Hill (etc), Matt would not have understood.  He did not speak Portuguese

There is no evidence that new guests were being booked in. I'm sure Matthew would have mentioned it if he was ignored for that reason.

The receptionist made no phone call to anyone while Matthew was present according to his account. [John Hill, by the way, didn't speak Portuguese]

Matthew can't be blamed for his failure to alert the police. I'm sure if he had been convinced of the abduction he would have been much more forceful.

[ShiningInLuz]

Now 9 - 10.30pm, is that a busy time for checking in?  Anyone know? 

I rather think that I have read that people arrived around that time, but please correcdt me if I am wrong.

I am old and have travelled more than most .... I have wide experience of Reception staff at check in time.  They single-mindedly attend to new holidaymakers, almost without exception ignoring other holidaymakers.

Added to this is the fact that OC had a standard procedure to go thru in event of unwanted events.  The last thing that they would want is the Police there; bad for business !  Maybe they did call someone, maybe they called the police .... but Matt wouldn't know who because he didn't speak the lingo .... and we certainly dont know.

I feel sorry for Matt.  He tried to help three times and three times his help "came unstuck" for one reason or another ... and now he is being torn apart by people who dont know all the facts

I REALLY feel sorry for him.

The bulk of guests were checked in via 2 methods.

First, those taking the MW flight got on a large bus and on the trip from Faro to the OC they were booked in and given a key.  They did not go through OC 24hr reception.

Second, those not using the MW flight made their own way to the OC reception and checked in the old fashioned way.  This included the McCann/Payne group, the Berry group and the Balu group.  They all arrived sometime in the afternoon, early enough to attend the welcome do.

I can't say for definite that no-one checked in the 9.00 to 10.30pm slot, but I can't remember anything like that in any statement.

[sadie]

The bulk of guests were checked in via 2 methods.

First, those taking the MW flight got on a large bus and on the trip from Faro to the OC they were booked in and given a key.  They did not go through OC 24hr reception.

Second, those not using the MW flight made their own way to the OC reception and checked in the old fashioned way.  This included the McCann/Payne group, the Berry group and the Balu group.  They all arrived sometime in the afternoon, early enough to attend the welcome do.

I can't say for definite that no-one checked in the 9.00 to 10.30pm slot, but I can't remember anything like that in any statement.

I rather thought that one of the O.C.drivers commented on his late evening pick ups from Faro airport in his statement.

I am only doing this from memory and would be happy to be disproved on this.

[ShiningInLuz]

I rather thought that one of the O.C.drivers commented on his late evening pick ups from Faro airport in his statement.

I am only doing this from memory and would be happy to be disproved on this.

Bernadino De Abreu Pereira da Silva.  Clocked because he said he worked till 8.30pm, and the PJ picked up a phone call of his in Luz at 9pm.  He was shuttling people around the OC.  The phone call was cleared as being to his wife.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/BERNARDINO-SILVA.htm#p15p4114

[sadie]

Bernadino De Abreu Pereira da Silva.  Clocked because he said he worked till 8.30pm, and the PJ picked up a phone call of his in Luz at 9pm.  He was shuttling people around the OC.  The phone call was cleared as being to his wife.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/BERNARDINO-SILVA.htm#p15p4114

Thank you SIL   Have only just noticed your response.

-snip-  from above file
when his working day finished at 20.30, he says that on this day, as well as on others, he was delayed because he had to carry out the transport, even though it was late, of some tourists. At this time he was driving the minibus belonging to the establishment. H e also says, that on this day, as well as the transport already referred to, he was late because of the fact that some tourists did not have the key to their apartment.
-snip-

So his normal day finished at 20.30, but he was delayed (a late flight in?) and he was driving the minbus at 9pm.  He transferred people from the airport at Faro to the Aparthotel, Ocean Club. 

It is some 55-60  50-55 miles from Faro airport to PdL and mainly it was on ordinary roads as opposed to autoroute, so in a loaded vehicle of that type and that age probably it would take a little over an hour. 

If he phoned his wife at 9 pm at the start of the journey, then they would have arrived just before the time that Matt was trying to get the receptionists to call the PJ.  I bet it was chaos at reception with check in of new guests, at that time.

[sadie]

Thank you SIL   Have only just noticed your response.

-snip-  from above file
when his working day finished at 20.30, he says that on this day, as well as on others, he was delayed because he had to carry out the transport, even though it was late, of some tourists. At this time he was driving the minibus belonging to the establishment. H e also says, that on this day, as well as the transport already referred to, he was late because of the fact that some tourists did not have the key to their apartment.
-snip-

So his normal day finished at 20.30, but he was delayed (a late flight in?) and he was driving the minbus at 9pm.  He transferred people from the airport at Faro to the Aparthotel, Ocean Club. 

It is some 55-60 miles from Faro airport to PdL and mainly it was on ordinary roads as opposed to autoroute so in a loaded vehicle of that type and that age probably it would take a little over an hour. 

If he phoned his wife at 9 pm at the start of the journey, then they would have arrived just before the time that Matt was trying to get the receptionists to call the PJ.  I bet it was chaos at reception at that time.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/BERNARDINO-SILVA.htm#p15p4114

Please note SIL, that it doesn't say that at 9pm he was shuttling people around OC.  In fact I cant see where it says he was shuttling people anywhere around OC, but seems he did airport shuttle duties.

[ShiningInLuz]

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/BERNARDINO-SILVA.htm#p15p4114

Please note SIL, that it doesn't say that at 9pm he was shuttling people around OC.  In fact I cant see where it says he was shuttling people anywhere around OC, but seems he did airport shuttle duties.

There is nothing in the files to suggest he did airport shuttle duties.