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

[Brietta]

Harrison ruled out burial and tentatively concluded that if Madeleine was dead, it was most likely her remains were jettisoned into the sea.

Report 22/08/2007
The dogs’ handler has submitted a separate report regarding the performance of the dogs (see appendix 4). However, it must be stated any such indications without any physical evidence to support them can not have any evidential value, being unconfirmed indications. Additionally I consider no inference can be drawn as to whether a human cadaver has previously been in any location without other supporting physical evidence.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/MARK_HARRISON.htm


When the Home Secretary gave the go ahead for a scoping exercise to be carried out in Madeleine McCann's case it is my opinion that Mark Harrison would almost certainly have been asked for a briefing on his time in Praia da Luz.

I think it is significant that when advising that there was sufficient evidence to justify reopening Madeleine's case, Scotland Yard confirmed that Madeleine's parents and friends were not considered to be either suspects or persons of interest.
The investigation into Madeleine's case was as an abduction and it was hoped that Madeleine could still be alive.

It would be quite bizarre if Mark Harrison's first hand experience and advice arising from it had not been sought in the early stages.  It would have been even more so if the information he imparted had been disregarded.

[G-Unit]

Report 22/08/2007
The dogs’ handler has submitted a separate report regarding the performance of the dogs (see appendix 4). However, it must be stated any such indications without any physical evidence to support them can not have any evidential value, being unconfirmed indications. Additionally I consider no inference can be drawn as to whether a human cadaver has previously been in any location without other supporting physical evidence.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/MARK_HARRISON.htm


When the Home Secretary gave the go ahead for a scoping exercise to be carried out in Madeleine McCann's case it is my opinion that Mark Harrison would almost certainly have been asked for a briefing on his time in Praia da Luz.

I think it is significant that when advising that there was sufficient evidence to justify reopening Madeleine's case, Scotland Yard confirmed that Madeleine's parents and friends were not considered to be either suspects or persons of interest.
The investigation into Madeleine's case was as an abduction and it was hoped that Madeleine could still be alive.

It would be quite bizarre if Mark Harrison's first hand experience and advice arising from it had not been sought in the early stages.  It would have been even more so if the information he imparted had been disregarded.

You have quoted from the report written after the events. Look what Harrison said before the dogs alerted in 5A;

Report 23/07/2007
The apartment in which the McCann's had stayed may present further opportunities to search. The use of a specialist EVRD (Enhanced Victim Recovery Dog) and CSI dog (human blood detecting dog) could potentially indicate on whether Madeline's blood is in the property or the scent of a dead body is present. In relation to the dead body scent if such a scent is indicated by the EVRD and no body is located it may suggest that a body has been in the property but removed.

[Brietta]

You have quoted from the report written after the events. Look what Harrison said before the dogs alerted in 5A;

Report 23/07/2007
The apartment in which the McCann's had stayed may present further opportunities to search. The use of a specialist EVRD (Enhanced Victim Recovery Dog) and CSI dog (human blood detecting dog) could potentially indicate on whether Madeline's blood is in the property or the scent of a dead body is present. In relation to the dead body scent if such a scent is indicated by the EVRD and no body is located it may suggest that a body has been in the property but removed.

Precisely.

Everything now is "after the event" of Mark Harrison's sojourn in Praia da Luz the purpose of which was to advise and assist the Policia Judiciaria in Madeleine McCann's case.

That time or his observations are not preserved in aspic.

As you yourself have pointed out on this thread ... one step leads to the next.

After the archiving of Madeleine's case a major step in the process was the scoping exercise undertaken by Scotland Yard to ascertain if there was sufficient evidence to allow Madeleine's case to be reopened.

The point I made was that Mark Harrison ... a renowned expert in the field ... who had been on the ground in Praia da Luz as part of the original investigation  ... would undoubtedly have been asked for a briefing.
Professional to professional ... I think his report could have put the brake on the whole exercise or certainly coloured it. 

As it was, when the reopening of Madeleine's case was announced the non-involvement of her parents and their friends in her disappearance was stressed.

In my opinion that would not have been the case had Mark Harrison's report to the new investigating team of officers indicated otherwise.

[G-Unit]

Precisely.

Everything now is "after the event" of Mark Harrison's sojourn in Praia da Luz the purpose of which was to advise and assist the Policia Judiciaria in Madeleine McCann's case.

That time or his observations are not preserved in aspic.

As you yourself have pointed out on this thread ... one step leads to the next.

After the archiving of Madeleine's case a major step in the process was the scoping exercise undertaken by Scotland Yard to ascertain if there was sufficient evidence to allow Madeleine's case to be reopened.

The point I made was that Mark Harrison ... a renowned expert in the field ... who had been on the ground in Praia da Luz as part of the original investigation  ... would undoubtedly have been asked for a briefing.
Professional to professional ... I think his report could have put the brake on the whole exercise or certainly coloured it. 

As it was, when the reopening of Madeleine's case was announced the non-involvement of her parents and their friends in her disappearance was stressed.

In my opinion that would not have been the case had Mark Harrison's report to the new investigating team of officers indicated otherwise.

The scoping exercise was nothing to do with Scotland Yard;

Former Home Secretary Alan Johnson commissioned a scoping exercise by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (Ceop) centre to look at the feasibility of carrying out a review of the case.
This was completed in March 2010.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13378289

It can only be speculation what went into the report as it was never made public.

[Brietta]

The scoping exercise was nothing to do with Scotland Yard;

Former Home Secretary Alan Johnson commissioned a scoping exercise by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (Ceop) centre to look at the feasibility of carrying out a review of the case.
This was completed in March 2010.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13378289

It can only be speculation what went into the report as it was never made public.

It does seem to be rather illogical that those involved in the scoping exercise under one government leading to the review of the case by the next government would totally ignore Mark Harrison's expertise.
Which in conjunction with his first hand experience of crucial elements of the archived investigation flagged him up as a very obvious person to consult.

It may well be speculation ... but rather obvious that a man with Harrison's skill sets ... and operational experience of the case would most certainly be consulted in the first instance.
Just as it would have been appropriate to speak to the other British police professionals who had feet on the ground in Luz during the Amaral investigation.

Why would it have been otherwise?  In my opinion it would have been an elementary diligence in any meaningful research being carried out to investigate if Madeleine's case should be reopened or not.

[Brietta]

I think Mark Harrison is a man who had an open mind when it came to innovative techniques for information gathering despite being singularly underwhelmed by Danie Krügel's invention he certainly had some progressive views.

Quote
The time after a crime has been committed, during which there is a maximum potential for the recovery of forensic evidence, is referred to as "the golden hour" by Mark Harrison, MBE, special adviser to the UK's National Crime & Operations Faculty (NCOF).

Harrison, an 18-year veteran of British policing, is on loan from the Bedfordshire Police to the NCOF, a national organization in the UK that provides special services during complex investigations.

He commonly uses HDS technology as a "stand off" device, allowing him to approach the scene in stages by scanning from the outer perimeter and moving into the heart of the scene.

"The laser doesn't care if its day or night," Harrison said. "It captures the information and allows me to interrogate the crime scene with my laptop before it has been disturbed." End quote
http://www.govtech.com/public-safety/Crime-Scene-Investigation.html


I think it was possible he viewed 'enhanced' dogs as an experiment in themselves and at the time Martin Grime and his team were the best option.
Indeed had the Amaral investigation accepted the initial offer made to deploy them the investigation may have taken a different turn. Particularly as it was indicated the dogs "work most effectively within a 28-day time frame"

Maddie hunt: Send in dogs The Sun
 By Ian Hepburn and John Askill
Published: 23 May 2007
http://www.mccannfiles.com/id157.html

I think the problem lies not so much with Harrison and Grime but in the way the dog inspections were clearly misinterpreted by the Portuguese investigation which had run out of options. Followed by the propaganda swallowed hook line and sinker bolstered by the flawed understanding which led to the McCanns being made arguidos.

All of that was percolating in the background and should have been rectified with the release of the files into the public domain ... that it wasn't only goes to prove the power of propaganda. 

[Angelo222]

The only way a body could have been hidden at sea is if it had been taken out in a boat and weighted down.  Given the conditions the night Maddie disappeared I find that theory a bit unlikely.

[ferryman]

Which would, of course, fully explain why Harrison concluded his third and final report:

I am currently of the opinion on the available information and statistical datasets that if death has occurred, that it is possible that Madeleine McCann’s body has been disposed into the sea at Praia da Luz. (See my second report entitled “NPIA OP TASK Search Doc Beach and Marine”).

Harrison clearly thought it was possible.  And clearly didn't think a body might get washed up on shore.

[ferryman]

In conclusion there is no intelligence specific to this case or generic datasets
that support a scenario of beach burial. Additionally the digability study and
coastal dynamics of the Praia Da Luz beach further limit this as a viable
scenario.

Mark Harrison

There is the confirmation that Harrison ruled out burial on the beach.

[slartibartfast]

Mark Harrison

There is the confirmation that Harrison ruled out burial on the beach.

You need to read what you post. He says no evidence and experience says it unlikely. That does not equal ruled out.

[G-Unit]

It made perfect sense the extend the search to the McCann's villa following the alerts in 5A. They were looking for further evidence. The only person who thinks they may have been looking for a body is you, no-one else.

[sadie]

Why didn't the PJ follow the requirements for a police investigation  to cover ALL scenarios?
Including that of an abduction ?

[Robittybob1]

It made perfect sense the extend the search to the McCann's villa following the alerts in 5A. They were looking for further evidence. The only person who thinks they may have been looking for a body is you, no-one else.

That can't be right the people searching even on the first night were searching for a body as well as an alive Madeleine.

[G-Unit]

That can't be right the people searching even on the first night were searching for a body as well as an alive Madeleine.

If you read you will see what I was replying to. Ferryman suggesting Harrison et al  extended the search to the McCann's villa because they thought there might be a body in there. Obviously that wasn't the reason.

[ferryman]

It made perfect sense the extend the search to the McCann's villa following the alerts in 5A. They were looking for further evidence. The only person who thinks they may have been looking for a body is you, no-one else.

The only thing to emerge from the so-called 'search' of the villa was perfectly obscene extended video shots of boxes of anti-Parkinsonian medication taken by Kate's father, no doubt intended to reinforce the impression of some link between drugs and Madeleine's alleged 'demise'.

The 'inspection' of the villa was a disgrace, capped only by the following 'inspection' in the gym ....