Mark Harrison and the searches he recommended and took part in.

[Alfie]

It wouldn't make any difference whatsoever. The whole point of the exercise imo is an attempt to absolve Harrison of any responsibility for the search of the McCann's villa, hire car and clothes. Why? Because in the opinion of some 'armchair experts' those searches a) made no sense and b) were badly done.

Of course it's unlikely that anyone else would have thought of searching the villa. The PJ weren't trained searchers and they had no experience of using those dogs. Only Harrison and Grime imo knew that the dogs might find their target scents in the villa due to cross contamination.

Given the alerts in 5A it made perfect sense to search other McCann locations in order to connect the alerts to them, rather than merely to the accommodation they had occupied.

In other words they went into the McCann villa with the expectation, hope even, of corroborating the alert in apartment 5A - what effect does that expectation have on unconscious handler cueing I wonder...? &%+((£

[ferryman]

It's interesting that Harrison should have written re-search which has an entirely different meaning than research.

You use a hyphen to convey a meaning different than that that would be conveyed without the hyphen.  So, for example, extra marital sex is quite different from extra-marital sex.

So re-search would mean search again, which can't be right, since, at the time that reference was written no searches at all had been conducted.

 &%+((£

[ferryman]

And in fact, this was written on 23 July:

McCann's Apartment.

The apartment in which the McCann's had stayed may present further
opportunities to search.

Key word highlighted, further.

By 23rd July, there had already been some (prior) reconnoitre of the apartments.

We know the same is true of Murat's vehicle.

So Amaral's boss recommended that areas already searched should be searched again, with the dogs, and (for good measure) threw in instruction that areas hitherto unmentioned should also be searched: all cars associated with the enquiry, all accommodation lived in by the McCanns (etc) ....

[jassi]

You could also say that searching anywhere provided further opportunity to search.

[ferryman]

You could also say that searching anywhere provided further opportunity to search.

Not on 23 July.

[G-Unit]

In other words they went into the McCann villa with the expectation, hope even, of corroborating the alert in apartment 5A - what effect does that expectation have on unconscious handler cueing I wonder...? &%+((£

Sorry, Alfie, that was me speculating as to why they may have decided to search the villa. The reason isn't actually given in the files.

[Alfie]

Sorry, Alfie, that was me speculating as to why they may have decided to search the villa. The reason isn't actually given in the files.

What other reasons could there have been for searching the villa?

[ferryman]

What other reasons could there have been for searching the villa?

I actually know the answer to that

[G-Unit]

I actually know the answer to that

Joao Carlos puts it quite clearly on 1st August;

Faced with the new matters brought to the file through the dog search reports above....which [search results] support that Madeleine McCann may have died inside apartment 5A, Ocean Club, Luz, Lagos....In order to allow us to thoroughly examine this situation, which could have its conclusion through new evidence...it is...requested that a magistrate issue search warrants for [the above two locations] to enable us to recover new items/clues
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/59-DA-27.htm

[G-Unit]

What other reasons could there have been for searching the villa?

That's the only one I could think of. You?

[Carana]

I haven't read all of this thread, so apologies if this has already been raised.


Mark Warner Creche at Praia Da Luz.

This is the location of the last confirmed sighting by a person independent of family members of Madeleine McCann. Although this location was within the original search area it may well benefit from a further search using enhanced detecting methods for human remains. This will depend on the size of any outside grounds and concealed areas inside the building.


Was this area ever searched?

[ferryman]

I haven't read all of this thread, so apologies if this has already been raised.


Mark Warner Creche at Praia Da Luz.

This is the location of the last confirmed sighting by a person independent of family members of Madeleine McCann. Although this location was within the original search area it may well benefit from a further search using enhanced detecting methods for human remains. This will depend on the size of any outside grounds and concealed areas inside the building.


Was this area ever searched?

Processo pages 2056 and 2057

These two pages are an official document for the case file regarding the search dog examination of areas around the Ocean Club, Praia da Luz, Lagos on 1 August 2007.

The thirteen participants are indicated as being four members of the Policia Judiciaria (PJ); UK NPIA specialist, Mark Harrison; the UK dog handler Martin Grime, and another English police officer, Jose Freitas [known to be a Portuguese-speaking officer with Scotland Yard]; the English Springer spaniel - Eddy; and five officers from the GNR (national police force).

The area surrounding the Ocean Club having been previously assessed with respect to place-names, soil characteristics and proximity to apartment 5A [refer Mark Harrison's report for details], the following areas were selected for search by the "cadaver" dog, all without results:

1 - Between 06h40 and 07h15 the area between Rua da Piteira and Rua da Oliveira;
2 - Between 07h25 and 07h45 the area immediately adjacent to the property known as "Beijaflor" in Rua da Figueira, which area was accessed through the electricity sub-station on Rua do Ramalhete;
3 - Between 07h55 and 08h05 the dirt road and area immediately adjacent to the residence known as "Casa Azul", in front of the residence known as "Casa Pandora", on Rua da Figueira;
4 - Between 08h20 and 08h40 the area between the residences known as "Casa Pandora" and "Quinta Mimosa", in front of the residence known as "Casa Ladeira".

Photographs and a map showing the areas is included in the report. The work stopped at 09h00.

That suggests not.

[Alfie]

That's the only one I could think of. You?

No.  They believed the McCanns were guilty, the dog alerted in Apartment 5a and so they went to the villa in the hopes of finding incriminating evidence.  My point is, with this hope and expectation in mind,  I wonder if unconscious handler cueing can be ruled out as a reason for the alerts there?

[Robittybob1]

I actually know the answer to that

Could you tell us then please?  If you can't do it on the board a PM will suffice.

[ferryman]

Could you tell us then please?  If you can't do it on the board a PM will suffice.

Have pmd you.