Lets have a look at the tapas-9 timeline and checks.

[pathfinder73]

We know that Mr McCann didn't call the police on his cell phone nor asked the Tapas staff to do it for him. Where was he ?

And I recall, certainly me, erm, erm, Dave, Matt and I think initially at least Gerry, just said ‘Look, let’s just’, erm, ‘let’s just split up and find’, erm, you know, ‘see if we can find her, see if she’s just wandered out’. (Russ)

[pathfinder73]

Then you believe they were doing all the checks they said they did, in spite of what an independent witness said !
The AG didn't.

Will you at least agree it was an audio check (except for one twin) ?
Then, if you agree, why didn't he do it at the window ?

I disagree on this issue. Matt did a window listening check just before 9pm and when he arrived back Gerry left to check again after he had just done it which is very unusual. Matt also explains this was the first time he had done an inside check for anyone else.

"After we’d eaten the starters I needed to go to the toilet and Matt and I said we would go and check on the children." (Russ)

"I stood up and Russell stood up and said he was going to go and check as well and Kate stood up and I said, you know, do you want us to go and check on, erm, do you want me to go and check on your kids, erm, and she said yes. And I think I offered at that point just because we had been together all week and we had similar routines and it just kind of seemed like a nice thing to do that would save her a journey back up and, you know, it may or it may not have been different. But, erm, I said that and she said yeah fine and she said that the patio door was open and go in through there. And there was me and Russell as well, so, erm, you know, it seemed, at the time, a very reasonable thing to do, even though it was the first time that we'd certainly done it." (Matt)

That after this check, he returned to the restaurant, saying that all the children were asleep. However, Gerry, Madeleine's father, went to the area of the apartments to check for himself if the children were asleep. (MO 4 May Statement)

[jassi]

Was Matt's apartment accessible the rear patio area, or did he have to enter via the carpark side? If the latter, did he exit the McCanns via the patio and then go round to the other side?

[AnneGuedes]

Was Matt's apartment accessible the rear patio area, or did he have to enter via the carpark side? If the latter, did he exit the McCanns via the patio and then go round to the other side?

All ground floors were accessible through the patios.
Mr Oldfield could, but didn't, have first entered the 5A through the patio, then come out through the door, since it wasn't locked.
Actually they all could have used the 5A as a short cut, taking care of shutting the door only on the way back.

Mr Payne, after seeing the angels, went out through the patio, though he had to change cloths for the tennis...

[Redblossom]

Was Matt's apartment accessible the rear patio area, or did he have to enter via the carpark side? If the latter, did he exit the McCanns via the patio and then go round to the other side?

Matts patio doors were accessible via the ltitle alleyway but they were always locked at night. He went to his flat first via the carpark, did his check, then went to Russells, where he found out his daughter wasnt well so he would be staying, then he went to the Mccanns apartment....possibly by using Russells back door as his statement of 10 May says he took the quickest route to the Mccanns flat

Eta oops cross posted with Anne

[pathfinder73]

Matts patio doors were accessible via the ltitle alleyway but they were always locked at night. He went to his flat first via the carpark, did his check, then went to Russells, where he found out his daughter wasnt well so he would be staying, then he went to the Mccanns apartment....possibly by using Russells back door as his statement of 10 May says he took the quickest route to the Mccanns flat

Eta oops cross posted with Anne

Yes that's what I read. Matt returned to the tapas after his final check at 5A and informed Jane that her daughter wasn't well. Jane quickly finished her main meal and then left. Thanks.

[AnneGuedes]

The quickest (time) route to the McCann flat wouldn't be passing through the O'Brien patio (always shuttered), which could be shorter only of 6/7 meters.

[Carana]

All ground floors were accessible through the patios.
Mr Oldfield could, but didn't, have first entered the 5A through the patio, then come out through the door, since it wasn't locked.
Actually they all could have used the 5A as a short cut, taking care of shutting the door only on the way back.

Mr Payne, after seeing the angels, went out through the patio, though he had to change cloths for the tennis...

Which door?

[AnneGuedes]

Logic is still missing in many directions.
Any police officer would say that interviews after a year have to be taken with a pinch of salt.

The McCann, who claimed different motives to enter through the patio, had a good reason to do it for basic audio checks : it was really shorter. They only had to climb the steps and, no need to slide the door-window, they would listen. That's more or less what they always did. Mr McCann said he never entered the children's bedroom and Mrs McCann was ready to leave at 10 pm if....
the fatal door etc.
For the McCann, listening at the door-window was like, for the others, to listen to the bedroom shutters. Just a bit quicker.

As Mr McCann, 20 minutes before, had made a visual check, was there a need to make another visual one, since they usually only listened ?
Mr Oldfield had a reason to enter in his own flat : his daughter hadn't been checked for half an hour and it had been only an audio check.
Why had the case of the little McCanns to be different ?
Why didn't Mr McCann say to Mr Oldfield he heard no crying at 9:10 ?

But this is not all.
Mrs McCann, at 10pm, went to check only on her children.
Why didn't she offer Mr Oldfield or was asked by him or went alone instead of with him ?

[AnneGuedes]

Which door?

The only one.

[Redblossom]

The quickest (time) route to the McCann flat wouldn't be passing through the O'Brien patio (always shuttered), which could be shorter only of 6/7 meters.

I dont think Matt exiting the front of 5D and walking through the car park , out and back down the corner to 5A is quicker than going out if 5D back door, more than 6/7 metres difference surely, anyway, doesnt matter

[jassi]

I dont think Matt exiting the front of 5D and walking through the car park , out and back down the corner to 5A is quicker than going out if 5D back door, more than 6/7 metres difference surely, anyway, doesnt matter

The back (patio) doors can't be locked from the outside. Did Matt also leave his patio door unlocked ?

[pathfinder73]

The quickest (time) route to the McCann flat wouldn't be passing through the O'Brien patio (always shuttered), which could be shorter only of 6/7 meters.

I think Matt left via front door from Russell's through the car park and then back down to 5A. Saying going through the patio first then changing it to gate first then patio door confused the situation.

"I went in to check on G**** and actually went in through the door, unlocked the door, looked in, into her room, all fine, came back out, shut the door, erm, went over to his (Russ) apartment and he said that E*** had been sick so he was staying back with her. So I went back and did the check on five 'A', on Madeleine and the kids, erm, and went back through the patio entrance, so through the gate, through the patio doors." (Matt)

[Redblossom]

The back (patio) doors can't be locked from the outside. Did Matt also leave his patio door unlocked ?

No he didnt, Im just saying its possible Matt left through the patio doors of Russells flat to go check in 5A as this seems the quickest way and he said he used the quickest way


Eta
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/MATTHEW-OLDFIELD-10MAY.htm

6th para under PART II

[pathfinder73]

No he didnt, Im just saying its possible Matt left through the patio doors of Russells flat to go check in 5A as this seems the quickest way and he said he used the quickest way

I think Matt left via Russell's front door as that's where he was when talking to Russ. He probably went straight through the car park and around to 5A.