Were the McCanns innocent in the eyes of the law?

[Brietta]

We just don't have the same arrogant sense of entitlement that the detractors seem to have.  We (if I may speak for fellow supporters) realised from the outset that finding Madeleine so many years after her disappearance was always going to be the tallest of orders, and speaking for myself I never really held out much hope that the child would be found and returned to her family.  Nevertheless I firmly believe that Madeleine was failed by the initial investigation and that she deserved the renewed efforts made by Op Grange put into discovering what may have happened to her.  I'm not hung up about the millions of pounds spent on the case, I really couldn't care less if it cost £10m or £50m, there are many other things the government spends vast sums of money on that will get me far more hot under the collar.

My sentiments exactly.

[stephen25000]

Hardly any surprise about the McCann backer comments above.

However, the only visible sense of entitlement, comes clearly from the McCann's and those who support them.

This expectation that everyone else, i.e. tax payers should pay for the McCann's incompetence as parents, is and remains truly beyond the pale. That doesn't even include the money spent by the Portuguese tax payers.

The PJ did the best in the circumstances, and it is abundantly clear, the SY one has not gone any further than the original PJ one, in determining what happened.

What is visible, of course, is the blame game.

Now, here's a thought, why don't the Mccanns apologize to both the British and Portuguese tax payers, for all the money spent, which came as a result of their actions in initiating this case.

[Eleanor]

We just don't have the same arrogant sense of entitlement that the detractors seem to have.  We (if I may speak for fellow supporters) realised from the outset that finding Madeleine so many years after her disappearance was always going to be the tallest of orders, and speaking for myself I never really held out much hope that the child would be found and returned to her family.  Nevertheless I firmly believe that Madeleine was failed by the initial investigation and that she deserved the renewed efforts made by Op Grange put into discovering what may have happened to her.  I'm not hung up about the millions of pounds spent on the case, I really couldn't care less if it cost £10m or £50m, there are many other things the government spends vast sums of money on that will get me far more hot under the collar.

My sentiments exactly.

[G-Unit]

We just don't have the same arrogant sense of entitlement that the detractors seem to have.  We (if I may speak for fellow supporters) realised from the outset that finding Madeleine so many years after her disappearance was always going to be the tallest of orders, and speaking for myself I never really held out much hope that the child would be found and returned to her family.  Nevertheless I firmly believe that Madeleine was failed by the initial investigation and that she deserved the renewed efforts made by Op Grange put into discovering what may have happened to her.  I'm not hung up about the millions of pounds spent on the case, I really couldn't care less if it cost £10m or £50m, there are many other things the government spends vast sums of money on that will get me far more hot under the collar.

It's not a sense of entitlement and it's not arrogant to expect our public servants to be accountable. If the relatives of the Hillsborough victims hadn't bothered to ask questions it would still be the victims bearing the blame. The days are gone when everyone respected those in authority and trusted them to do the right thing. Too many clay feet have been exposed for that. Anyone accepting things at face value these days is, frankly, foolish imo.

[Mr Gray]

Hardly any surprise about the McCann backer comments above.

However, the only visible sense of entitlement, comes clearly from the McCann's and those who support them.

This expectation that everyone else, i.e. tax payers should pay for the McCann's incompetence as parents, is and remains truly beyond the pale. That doesn't even include the money spent by the Portuguese tax payers.

The PJ did the best in the circumstances, and it is abundantly clear, the SY one has not gone any further than the original PJ one, in determining what happened.

What is visible, of course, is the blame game.

Now, here's a thought, why don't the Mccanns apologize to both the British and Portuguese tax payers, for all the money spent, which came as a result of their actions in initiating this case.

The Mccanns are victims of crime and have no need to apologise to anyone

[stephen25000]

The Mccanns are victims of crime and have no need to apologise to anyone

You have revealed your true colours there.

Madeleine is the victim in this case.

Any potential perpetrator(s)of a possible crime, if any occurred, has not been determined.

..and yes, the Mccann's do need to apologize. Their actions in leaving their children by themselves initiated this case.

[Alfie]

It's not a sense of entitlement and it's not arrogant to expect our public servants to be accountable. If the relatives of the Hillsborough victims hadn't bothered to ask questions it would still be the victims bearing the blame. The days are gone when everyone respected those in authority and trusted them to do the right thing. Too many clay feet have been exposed for that. Anyone accepting things at face value these days is, frankly, foolish imo.

Are you equating Operation Grange with the police cover up at Hillsborough?! 

[Alfie]

It's not a sense of entitlement and it's not arrogant to expect our public servants to be accountable. If the relatives of the Hillsborough victims hadn't bothered to ask questions it would still be the victims bearing the blame. The days are gone when everyone respected those in authority and trusted them to do the right thing. Too many clay feet have been exposed for that. Anyone accepting things at face value these days is, frankly, foolish imo.

Do you think the police are duty bound to give full disclosure on every single case they investigate, even if the case is not closed but just shelved pending new evidence?

[G-Unit]

Are you equating Operation Grange with the police cover up at Hillsborough?!

No. It's just an example, there's plenty others which cast doubt on the commitment and efficiency of our police.

[Alfie]

No. It's just an example, there's plenty others which cast doubt on the commitment and efficiency of our police.

The irony is Op Grange could give you the full disclosure you demand and you still wouldn't accept it if it didn't tell you what you wanted to hear.

[G-Unit]

Do you think the police are duty bound to give full disclosure on every single case they investigate, even if the case is not closed but just shelved pending new evidence?

No I don't. This case is different. The Met have never criticised those with the right and duty to investigate it, but others have. The inference was that the Met could achieve what the PJ couldn't. Having had more time, more money, more information and no media circus they ought to explain just what, if anything, they have managed to achieve.

[Brietta]

No I don't. This case is different. The Met have never criticised those with the right and duty to investigate it, but others have. The inference was that the Met could achieve what the PJ couldn't. Having had more time, more money, more information and no media circus they ought to explain just what, if anything, they have managed to achieve.

Having "more time" is a positive disadvantage in a missing child case.  May 2007 was the optimum time.

[G-Unit]

The irony is Op Grange could give you the full disclosure you demand and you still wouldn't accept it if it didn't tell you what you wanted to hear.

I don't have any desire to hear anything in particular except a clear explanation of their conclusions and disclosure of the evidence on which they are based. I may question their findings if their evidence doesn't make sense, and why not?

Unlike some, I have no investment in a particular theory. People like that seem prepared to go further than refusing to accept things, they attack anyone who doesn't say what they want to hear. You only have to look at the bashing Amaral, the PJ, Portugal, it's judges and it's Judiciary have been subjected to.

[G-Unit]

Having "more time" is a positive disadvantage in a missing child case.  May 2007 was the optimum time.

What a shame the UK didn't poke it's nose in at the time. Oh, hang on, it did and added to the confusion, according to Gamble's 'scoping report'.

Police chiefs fighting to be seen to be helping in the search for Madeleine McCann alienated Portuguese authorities and had a long-term impact on the investigation, report finds
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/madeleinemccann/11068928/Secret-Madeleine-McCann-report-finds-competing-British-forces-hampered-inquiry.html

[barrier]

About £12 to £13 millions worth, preferably with an explanation as to why so many officers were removed from dealing with serious crimes in London for so long.  That would do nicely.

I am not holding my breath.

Mind you, it would leave an awful lot of ammunition for the sceptics if the remit is abduction, and a Herculean effort does not dish up some evidence thereof.

I fully expect the moderators to be up to their eyeballs with deletions if such should happen.

For that reason OG can't fail to bring any evidence of an abduction not because of supposed sceptics but because of the time and money spent investigating a crime on a foreign soil.