Summers & Swan - A new book - Looking For Madeleine

[Alfred R Jones]

Incidentally the authors also talk of the group's obduracy, which is hardly a positive term to describe their behaviour, is it?

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obdurate

[slartibartfast]

It then goes on to clarify that the members of the holiday group refused to take part. If the authors really did want to re-write the facts they would surely have left this quote out!  Jeez, some people...

So why not say that first...

[Alfred R Jones]

So why not say that first...

so, are you saying that because the authors write this quote less than 150 words after stating that the prosecutor had given up  on the notion of a re-enactment but not before describing the McCann group's "obduracy", that the authors are .............?  Puh-lease!!!

[faithlilly]

so, are you saying that because the authors write this quote less than 150 words after stating that the prosecutor had given up  on the notion of a re-enactment but not before describing the McCann group's "obduracy", that the authors are ..............?  Puh-lease!!!

Admit it Alfred Summers, in this book, writes with all the literary sophistication and attention to detail of the manual labourer he once was.

[stephen25000]

Faithlilly is right.

The book is puerile rubbish based upon what I've read and the extracts from other sections I've seen.

[John]

What I don't understand is why Summers and Swan claim in their book that the evidence is indicative of a stranger abduction when even Scotland Yard don't even know what the crime was if any?

If they know so much why haven't they shared it with Redwood?

[faithlilly]

Another piece of slight of hand from our favourite authors when trying to explain why Gerry and Wilkins had not seen Tanner :

'It was already fairly dark- Tanner recalled the 'orangey' effect of the street lighting. The trio's memories were fuzzy on precisely where they had been standing or which way the had been standing as they chatted'

Nothing 'fuzzy' about Wilkins memory when giving his statement to the Leicestershire police on the 31st October 2007 

'He eventually made his way along Rua Dr Francisco toward the direction of Rua Dr Agostinho. At this time he was walking on the right side of the road passing the Tapas bar area to his left. He noticed the bad street lighting and although it was not completely dark there was enough light to see clearly. As he approached the corner of the McCanns apartment, he saw Gerry appear from the area of the gate. He crossed the road and engaged in general conversation with Gerry. At this time they were stood with Gerry's back to the building near to the gate and Jeremy facing him. Rua Dr Agostino was about 10-15 meters to his right and the pathway leading to the front of the apartment blocks about 5 meters to his left.
He was adamant that he did not see any one else in the area. When spoken to in reference to Jane Tanner walking by, he again stated that he saw no one. He also stated that he did not see or hear anyone to his right. He was aware of the recent picture in the papers re the person with a child wrapped in a blanket and in a males arms allegedly walking across the junction to his right but again stated that he did not see any one.'

Or indeed in the Tapas timeline handed to the PJ on the 10th May 2007.

'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. '

The question also has to be asked that if the lighting was so bad in the street that Wilkins couldn't see Tanner within two feet of him, as the author postulates, how could Tanner see so clearly the pattern on the child's pyjamas who was being carried many more feet away ?

So much for investigative churnalism eh !!

[DCI]

The question also has to be asked that if the lighting was so bad in the street that Wilkins couldn't see Tanner within two feet of him, as the author postulates, how could Tanner see so clearly the pattern on the child's pyjamas who was being carried many more feet away ?

So much for investigative churnalism eh !!

Shouldn't this question also apply to the Smith's family sightings


Dark alleyway, probably darker than the top of the road that had street lighting where Jane saw man.


Where they saw their man there's no light up the alleyway the till nearer the staff quarters. They even saw the child's eyes were closed.

[Alfred R Jones]

What I don't understand is why Summers and Swan claim in their book that the evidence is indicative of a stranger abduction when even Scotland Yard don't even know what the crime was if any?

If they know so much why haven't they shared it with Redwood?

Are you unaware of the fact that Scotland Yard have already said that the evidence is indicative of a stranger abduction?

[Alfred R Jones]

Another piece of slight of hand from our favourite authors when trying to explain why Gerry and Wilkins had not seen Tanner :

'It was already fairly dark- Tanner recalled the 'orangey' effect of the street lighting. The trio's memories were fuzzy on precisely where they had been standing or which way the had been standing as they chatted'

Nothing 'fuzzy' about Wilkins memory when giving his statement to the Leicestershire police on the 31st October 2007 

'He eventually made his way along Rua Dr Francisco toward the direction of Rua Dr Agostinho. At this time he was walking on the right side of the road passing the Tapas bar area to his left. He noticed the bad street lighting and although it was not completely dark there was enough light to see clearly. As he approached the corner of the McCanns apartment, he saw Gerry appear from the area of the gate. He crossed the road and engaged in general conversation with Gerry. At this time they were stood with Gerry's back to the building near to the gate and Jeremy facing him. Rua Dr Agostino was about 10-15 meters to his right and the pathway leading to the front of the apartment blocks about 5 meters to his left.
He was adamant that he did not see any one else in the area. When spoken to in reference to Jane Tanner walking by, he again stated that he saw no one. He also stated that he did not see or hear anyone to his right. He was aware of the recent picture in the papers re the person with a child wrapped in a blanket and in a males arms allegedly walking across the junction to his right but again stated that he did not see any one.'

Or indeed in the Tapas timeline handed to the PJ on the 10th May 2007.

'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. '

The question also has to be asked that if the lighting was so bad in the street that Wilkins couldn't see Tanner within two feet of him, as the author postulates, how could Tanner see so clearly the pattern on the child's pyjamas who was being carried many more feet away ?

So much for investigative churnalism eh !!

Nothing fuzzy about Jez's memory..?
From his rogatory:

When I left the street, I remember seeing Gerry on the other side of the same. I believe that there was some speculation in the press regarding the circumstances of this encounter. I remember that I crossed the street to talk to Gerry. According to what I remember, Gerry was walking when I spotted him. As I mentioned previously, I assumed that he had gone to check on the children and was headed back to the Tapas Bar.
From what I remember, the conversation happened right there on the pathway but I am not certain who was located exactly where.

Relative to the time we conversed;

I am more certain of this than I am of our relative positions.

Another piece of baseless propaganda from Faithlilly - why am I not surprised!

[faithlilly]

Nothing fuzzy about Jez's memory..?
From his rogatory:

When I left the street, I remember seeing Gerry on the other side of the same. I believe that there was some speculation in the press regarding the circumstances of this encounter. I remember that I crossed the street to talk to Gerry. According to what I remember, Gerry was walking when I spotted him. As I mentioned previously, I assumed that he had gone to check on the children and was headed back to the Tapas Bar.
From what I remember, the conversation happened right there on the pathway but I am not certain who was located exactly where.

Relative to the time we conversed;

I am more certain of this than I am of our relative positions.

Another piece of baseless propaganda from Faithlilly - why am I not surprised!

When is Wilkins memory of the event going to be clearest, seven months after the event or a year after the event ?

Wilkins memory of the visibility at the time :

'Q. Relative to the visibility and lighting conditions;
I believe that the time I left it was dusk (the term lusco-fusco used in this statement is a Portuguese expression to define those brief moments when day and night intermingle in an undefined state, dusk, when day isn't still night) or nighttime when I returned and I do not remember if it was already dark when I spoke with Gerry. There were no weather conditions that impacted visibility. Given the lighting and the atmospheric conditions, I believe that it would have been possible to see if an individual was near but evidently, the greater the distance, the harder the difficulty in seeing. I would say that when I spoke with Gerry it was possible to recognize someone I knew who was passing on foot at the crossing at the top of the hill or to describe approximately someone unknown from that distance.'

Q. Relative to the passerby/transient
I can affirm that it was a quiet street and it was very unlikely that someone could have passed by be in this way but this as an assumption and I do not remember anything having happened.

[John]

Nothing fuzzy about Jez's memory..?
From his rogatory:

When I left the street, I remember seeing Gerry on the other side of the same. I believe that there was some speculation in the press regarding the circumstances of this encounter. I remember that I crossed the street to talk to Gerry. According to what I remember, Gerry was walking when I spotted him. As I mentioned previously, I assumed that he had gone to check on the children and was headed back to the Tapas Bar.
From what I remember, the conversation happened right there on the pathway but I am not certain who was located exactly where.

Relative to the time we conversed;

I am more certain of this than I am of our relative positions.

Another piece of baseless propaganda from Faithlilly - why am I not surprised!

He didn't appear to be too fuzzy back in 2007 when he did this sketch.

[faithlilly]

He didn't appear to be too fuzzy back in 2007 when he did this sketch.

Indeed John.

There are only three ways Jez could have been standing

A) Facing Gerry in which case he would have seen Tanner pass behind Gerry
B) Facing down towards the tapas bar in which case he would have seen Tanner approach
C) Facing up towards the road junction in which case not only would he have seen Tanner as soon as She had passed Gerry but would very likely have seen the man carrying the child too.

There is simply no way around it and for the author's to suggest otherwise is disingenuous to say the keast.

[stephen25000]

Are you unaware of the fact that Scotland Yard have already said that the evidence is indicative of a stranger abduction?

Are you satisfied that Faithlilly has adequately demonstrated Summers & Swan's alleged dishonesty - are you letting her defamatory accusation stand?

Evidence such as what ?

There is certainly no proof of abduction, that would be a complete myth..................

[faithlilly]

Seems Summers and wife have spat their dummies out of the pram and removed all trace of their book from their Facebook page.