What are these “bizarre lengths” of which you speak? What bath? She had a shower then a bath in the same evening? If falling is the number one cause of death at home then the internet should be littered with examples of children falling off furniture to their near instant deaths. In fact it’s a wonder any of us let our kids sit on the sofa so apparently lethal they are if they fall off!
This is not how most doctors would describe their friends children when asked a simple question about how you entered the apartment (if at all);
she said ah no, I've had such a good, you know such a good day and afternoon err so you know, and Gerry's just obviously finishing off playing tennis and err so you know hopefully try and get them down and as I say we were just, you know I, I know, it does sound bizarre but I just looked at the three of them and I couldn't, you know they were just so well presented and so clean and immaculate it was, you know I was, and you know they just looked such healthy children, err you know, there's, there's you know nothing that normally''
1485 "Yeah.'
00:38:36 Reply "Triggers in my mind like that but it was just how well that they looked and err''
1485 "Try to remember where in, where they were in the apartment.'
Reply "Err, I mean the, the time that I was there err you know all, all of them err all the children and Kate were in the, err as soon as you go through the patio doors err you know they were all in the immediate area you know in front of you, err that was the area that they generally, you know when I saw them, so I didn't, no I didn't go any further into the apartment, you know it was just a conversation that I like, you know walked into the, you know through the French doors, I went into the lounge err you know the open plan area and err you know just had a brief conversation, you know things started off by as I say, saying about the, how well they looked and you know, it's early to get them ready for bed and then I said oh Gerry's, you know just finished over there, we're going over to play a bit of tennis, err I probably said is there any problems with that and she said ah no, no fine, you know carry on, and err you know perhaps a bit more of a conversation err but you know it, it wasn't many minutes that I was, was there.'
1485 "Yeah.'
00:39:55 Reply "But err certainly enough time just to see, you know, certainly the apartment, there was nothing that was untoward, that was you know err the children all looked extremely happy, there was no, you know signs of any problems with err you know Kate, you know or indeed the relationship that Kate had got with any of the three children. None of the children had been told off, none of the children looked like they were you know in trouble for anything, you know they were err still all talking and playing around. Err so you know it was just a very err transient you know that I'd gone in there, but as I say it just struck me how well they all looked.'
1485 "Yeah.'
Reply "And content I suppose is the other word to use.'
He's already described the children once earlier in the statement:
The three children were all you know dressed you know in their pyjamas, you know they looked immaculate, you know they were just like angels, they all looked so happy and well looked after and content and I said to Kate, you know it's a bit early for the you know, for the three of them to be going to bed, she said ah they've had such a great time, they're really tired and you know err so I say, you know I can't remember exactly what, what you know the night attire, what the children were wearing but white was the predominant err colour, but you know just to reinforce they were just so happy, you know seeing you know obviously Gerry wasn't there but they were just all, just so at peace and you know they looked like a family who'd had such a fantastic time and err yeah then I left there, went and got my stuff, went back to the tennis courts and then err there was me, Matt and Russell and I think Gerry played a little,IMO that's going some length to say everything was fine - when no-one has even asked him that question.
I've since come across another different version of events in an email sent from LP by DC 1756 Mike MARSHALL:
To: Ricard Paiva
From: DC 1756 Mike MARSHALL
Ref: David Payne
Date: October 24, 2007
Leicester Police Constabulary
Ricardo,
As requested, appended are the statements of Arul and Katherina Gaspar.
"I read carefully the written document/questionnaire provided by David Payne."
but was not able to extricate any other information besides what is already known. He declares that he saw Madeleine, for the last time, at 17H00 on 3/5/07 in the McCann apartment. Also present there were Kate and Gerry. He did not indicate the motive for being there or what he was doing. He also cannot indicate how long he stayed.
When asked with whom he was on the afternoon of May 3rd, he declares that this information was already offered to the police and cannot remember if anyone else was there.
He does not remember what he was wearing that afternoon.
He took part in the searches, having carried out most of them alone. He was at times accompanied by Matthew Oldfield.
He did not partake in the searches realized on the 4th of May, because, on this day, he spent to majority of time in the police headquarters.
For many questions, he does not give a complete response, affirming simply that he has already given this information to the Portuguese police in his declarations.
I examined once again the declarations of Fiona Payne. In her depositions, she states that she went to the McCann apartment, around 19H00, on the 3rd of May, together with Kate. She states afterwards that, 10 minutes later, the husband arrived; it is not clear which husband she refers to.
Her responses to the questions are vague. She continued to respond to questions with "they conform with my earlier deposition" or some similar statement. 6 statements from KM, GM, and DP and an email from UK Police reporting on a conversation with DP we have 5
different versions of what happened - and you don't think that needs further investigation? They differ on the time of DP's visit, who was there, how long before he returned to the tennis court, whether he was in the apartment or not and what time GM was playing tennis or was at the apartment..
KM (May 07) Payne visit not mentioned.
Bath at 20:30GM (May 07) Payne visit not mentioned.
No mention of playing tennis at 18:30 but instead says both parents went to the apartment with children at
18:30. Both him and KM had
bath at 19:30 to 20:30.DP (May 07) Does not talk about anything before 20:55 when describing events of May 3rd.
KM (Sept 07) Both her and GM and kids went to apartment at
17:30. GM left at 18:00 to play tennis. she had a shower at 18:30. DP knocked on door but didn't come in (
18:30/18:40). 30 second conversion. Gerry came back at 19:00. He maybe had a shower.
DP (Oct 07 - see above) .
He last saw MM at 17:00 in 5A. Both GM and KM were there.DP (April 08) Went to 5A at 18:30.
Did go in the apartment. GM not there. Can't remember what KM was wearing. Saw all the kids. Stayed 3-5 minutes.
GM (Sept 07) -
Tennis 18:00-19:00. 18:30 had discussion with DP. Asked DP to visit KM.
