Chapter 21 A Verdade Da Mentira - The Truth About The Lie - Goncalo Amaral~ ~ ~
.The real reason plod is so reluctant to share couldn't possibly be that their files wouldn't stand scrutiny, could it?
I shall try and expand this tomorrow if possible, but time may be of the essence on the morrow, and late enough this evening I have borrowed Joana's text complete with highlights.
Madeleine police files under wraps
Thousands of British police files detailing the hunt for Madeleine McCann will not be released unless those behind her disappearance are brought to justice.
Senior Leicestershire Police officers have remained tight-lipped about their role co-ordinating the search for the toddler since she vanished from a Portuguese holiday resort in May 2007.
But analysts at the force have drawn up a list detailing the mass of information they have gathered and considered whether they would ever release any of it to the general public.
The paperwork includes everything from correspondence with Government ministers, minutes of police meetings, details of leads and sightings to copies of letters from the McCann family.
Leicestershire Police said they will not release any information while the inquiry is ongoing and will never reveal the tactics of their investigation. But internal documents suggest some papers may eventually be published.
They stated: "Anything in relation to the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann will not be released whilst it remains ongoing.
"Consideration may be given to releasing certain material, ie, that which would not reveal police tactics, when the circumstances surrounding Madeleine's disappearance are fully known and the person/people involved have been brought to justice and a suitable period for any appeal has elapsed."
Madeleine, from Rothley, Leicestershire, disappeared on May 3 2007 from Praia da Luz, nine days before her fourth birthday.
An investigation into her disappearance was carried out by the Portuguese police, supported by Leicestershire Police.
The force is responsible for co-ordinating British inquiries under the codename Operation Task.
in Press Association
From the Leicestershire Police, released on 18th December 2009: Operation Task Publication strategy
I have chopped this about and consolidated it into one for convenience, the questions are academic because no matter what it is you wish to know the answer is invariable.
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Update:
These are the emails emanating from Leicestershire plod relating to Gail Cooper's statement, I only use these as an example because I am familiar with them.
Of others similar I am sure there are many, if not in content then in tone.
Although I have highlighted some of the passages that show the extraordinary familiarity that exists between plod and McCann, might I ask you to look at the thing as a whole.
Now a cop I ain't, but when I read what is writ here, and let us not forget, McCann is still an arguido, he is at this time the chief suspect of the Portuguese authorities.
Given that this is his status in the affair I do find a couple of things rather odd. If we read the tone that is prevalent throughout these communications, I cannot help but come to the conclusion that Leicestershire plod know something.
Something they are privy to, something that has Rebelo stamped all over it, something that suggests that this is not an investigation at all, that in fact it's just the dotting of the "i"s and the crossing of the Ts prior to the whole thing being swept under the rug.
I don't know how investigations are run, but surely they are not run like this, not with the suspect in tripartite discussions with the two police forces charged with solving the case of a missing three year old, surely not.
---------------------------3965 to 3972 Service information re: Gail Cooper & artist impression
15-Processos Vol XV Page 3966
Fax
Date: 16th January 2008
From: Stuart Prior
To: Ricardo Paiva
Subject: Forward sketch
Annexes: BK – MM present at (sic) Jan 08, Gail Cooper (2) doc, Paul Gordon (3) doc, Trudy dawkin (2) doc, tanner description 2 doc,
Summary of second statement Tanner doc.
Ricardo,
Please get back to me as soon as possible with your instructions.
The power point attached was completed by the McCanns but the statements were all taken by UK police.
The Jane Tanner description was taken from the press and also from the summary of her statement.
Does Paolo want the sketches showing to Paul Gordon or do we want to get a new sketch prepared by Paul. There is some urgency around this as we need to decide prior to the Gail Cooper artist impression appearing in the UK press.
Does he want Gail re-interviewing re the new information.
Do you want the husband and son (although this may be difficult due to the son’s medical condition) of Gail Cooper interviewing.
Do you want the other witness, the friend of Alfred Schuurman’s tracking down if they are in the UK.
How are you going to deal with possible press issues.
What are you planning around Mr Kennedy or the private investigation firm.
We do not have Afred Schuurman or Gail’s husband or son in our system.
Gail Porter’s statement was sent to Portugal on 23rd May and Paul Gordon’s was sent to Portugal prior to 14th May.
I will need to get back to the McCanns as he asked to be updated, how would Paolo want this conducting and what information am to provide them They are very excited about this potential lead.
Give me a call back.
Thanks
Stu-----------------------------------
3982 to 3983—Witness statement of Gail Cooper 2007.05.21 (in English)
3996 Email re: Gail Cooper’s latest statement (English)
3997 to 4002—Witness Statement of Gail Cooper 2007.01.16 (in English)
Omitted, can be viewed here.----------------------------------
4003 to 4004 Email from Stuart Prior to the PJ (in English)
15-Processos Vol XV Page 4003 to 4004
4003
Fax
Date: 18th January 2008
From: Stuart Prior
To: Ricardo Paiva
Subject: BC4 Memo, Gail Cooper doc. Gail Cooper statement, Iris Morgan doc, report Morgan doc, Rex Morgan doc.
Ricardo,
All the docs attached in this and the next two emails as discussed earlier today.
We are still working on one or two aspects and I will get back to you over this and for any further direction from yourselves over facial recognition.
As we have discussed I have given Gerry a brief update just saying that the other descriptions are different to the artists impressions completed by Gail and identified by Jane. That the witnesses appeared genuine which indicates a number of charity collectors in the area prior to Madeleine being taken. I informed him everything has been forwarded to yourselves.
We have not spoken with Jane at all and will not share our e fits with anybody except yourselves unless you request this from us. It appears there were at least three charity collectors if not more in the area in the weeks prior to Madeleine being taken.
I am told that the artist impression by Gail Cooper is likely to hit the media over the weekend and I will update you on the effects of this next week, although we are not involved in this in any way at all.
Hope all is well.
Spk soon.
Stu----------------------------------
4005 to 4006 Further information re: Gail Cooper (in English)
4004
Fax
Date 18th January 2008
From: Graham Michael
To: Stuart Prior
Dear Ricardo
Please see the attached information for your attention and consideration
Rex Morgan
He is the father of Linda Simms who contacted us to report males in P da luz who had been collecting money for a local charity. A statement has been obtained from him along with a statement from his wife, Iris Morgan.
Iris Morgan has also completed an e fit image and she was also shown the sketch completed by Gail Cooper. She does not recognise this individual. The e fit does not match the sketch.
Denise Ashton
She has been shown the sketches completed by Gail Cooper and she does not recognise this person as the individual. A statement will be forwarded to you on Monday 21st January.
Charlotte Pennington
I have spoken with Charlotte Pennington this morning and she has no additional information to give. She confirms that she was statemented by the PJ very shortly after Madeleine went missing and she recalls making further contact when the e fit regarding the alleged sighting in Belgium was in the media. She has been spoken to by a private investigator (Neil Hogan) working on behalf of Método 3. Charlotte assured me that she has only relayed to him the same information that she has already given to the PJ and to me (per email dated 7th August 2007).
Regards,
Mick---------------------------------------
The light blue highlights below may be of little or no significance, I don't really know why I highlighted what I did, maybe it's the stretch from penny ante con man to Child abductor extraordinaire, or maybe, given the McCanns were still arguidos and squarely in the frame by any policing standards, it all has the smell of bullshit about it.
But the heavy blue highlight is a different animal altogether.
Rich men throw money at causes all the time, be they worthy or not. Now our rich man in question, Brian Kennedy, doesn't seem content to just throw his few bob in, he feels he has to actively involve himself in the case.
What I do find odd about Kennedy, is whenever we hear about his active involvement, there always seems to be a witness somewhere in the equation. As I say, most odd.
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4005 to 4006 Further information re: Gail Cooper (in English)
15-Processos Vol XV Page 4005
Leicestershire Constabulary
From: DC Burrows
To: DI Graham Op Task
Date: 17-01-2008
Subject: Gail Cooper
I report with reference to the above.
On Wednesday 16th January 2008 I spoke to the above person in relation to a sighting of a suspicious male on P da L beach on 20th April 2007 and the again on 22nd April 2007.
Gail had previously made a statement to the police regarding a male attending her villa on Friday 20th April 2007 where he was asking for money for an orphanage.
She maintains the information is correct in that statement.
She went on to say that since making that statement she had not given the circumstances much thought and believed that the information she had given the police had been dealt with accordingly and that the male did not feature in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. She believed that he was some sort of con man.
It was not until the 7th January 2008 when her attention was drawn to an article in the Daily Mirror where a report stated that a man had reported a similar incident regarding a male asking for money for an orphanage. The newspaper featured a telephone number asking people with any information to contact them.
Gail stated it was her daughter P***** who contacted the Daily Mirror and gave them Gail’s mobile number. The newspaper then contacted her rather than Gail phoning them herself.
She stated she told them about the incident where a man had come to her villa collecting money for the orphanage on Friday 20th April. (As per her original statement).
I asked Gail why she did not mention the other two potential sightings of the male on Friday 20th April and Sunday 21st (sic) April to either the police when she made her first statement and also when she first spoke to the Daily Mirror.
She said it never crossed her mind and she never gave it a thought on either occasion. It wasn’t until her daughter prompted her about it that she remembered the male on the beach believing it was the same man who had attended the villa. She stated she did not see the full relevance of it until the article in the newspaper appeared.
Gail was asked about further involvement with the media and she stated as far as she was concerned there would be no further publications.
She was advised accordingly in dealing with the media and to date she has not had any problems, other than a photographer was sent to her mother’s address which she did not particularly want.
She mentioned a man called Brian Kennedy who was working for the McCanns. H e had sent an artist down to do a sketch of the man she saw at the villa.
I asked her if she had seen the previous suspect sketch which had been in the media for several months. She said she may have done in passing but had not paid any particular attention to the media and very rarely had a newspaper.
She had been told by the media that it may appear in the News of the World but as far as she was aware there had been nothing in the paper last Sunday (13.01.08).
I asked her about her son who she had mentioned in her previous statement as having health problems. She stated he is a paranoid schizophrenic and has to take strong medication. Although we did not see him, Gail strongly advised us he would not be capable of making a statement because of this.
I submit this report for your attention.
C. Burrows.
h/t Pamalan gerrymccannsblogs Gail cooper
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