Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Madeleine did slip and bang her leg, filmed on a family mobile phone video, as she boarded the holiday aircraft, causing some minor bleeding. .. The video was on youtube, but it has been removed or I cannot find it. Soiled clothes of Maddie were carried in that car.... The blood could have been transferred from the soiled clothes

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Has Cuddle Cat been questioned yet?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Thank you for that.

Right ok....

1) This would be a dry blood transfer which would leave a totally different pattern and residue to that of wet blood transfer. Something that only FSS and Portugese police will know, even with my interest and also my proffesion involving forensics there is not a lot coming out.

2) Why were the childs blood stained clothes in the McCanns hire car twenty five days after her dissapearance ? This is the fundemental question.

3) The car in question should still be impounded, I do not understand why they have been able to still drive it.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Yes, of course. They even hired a British dog to smell it. The dog detected the smell of a corpse on Cuddle Cat. Kate said it was contaminated from her clothes that had the smell of 6 dead people

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

We all know that the Portugese Police, have a secrecy law, following an incident, which they regret, and they brought it in, but the biggest problem there is, that when an english subject travels abroad, they are protected still by British Law, that is why, they have British consuls in there respective countries, we have allready been told that British police were in Portugal to hekp the case, what l stated was a British lawyer should be there, WHO has Portugese knowlege of the law, can you imagine a British holiday maker in a foriegn land, and listening to someone in the native tongue, they could be talking about you, and you wouldn't know would you. l think the handling of this case has been a total farce and appalling, And when l stated BRITISH LAW, we hold a British Passport, and therefore are protected by British law.:)

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Well Arthur when i have travelled abroad i always felt once i left the british isles i was in the jurisdication of the country i was travelling too not britain. If i had commited a crime in that country yes i would expect an english speaking lawyer but i wouldn't expect all the locals of that country to speak english just to make it easier for me.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

:tu:

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Hang on, I can't find anything other than the British police have handed over early findings from a forensic investigation which isn't even completed, and only traces of blood, not declared publicly as being Madeline's, was found in the rental car.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Hello Rizzyking, thank you for replying to the comment, let me just clarify, what l mean't to say, As l said you would be covered in legal terms via the British Consul, and they would supplier legal advisors.

Coming to the language barrier bit, IF you were to get into problems, you would expect, legal advice on the basis that if you were sitting in the room and they were talking, there language, you would need someone who understood that language, that is what l meant to say, and yes you are a british citizen and deserve the best, and l still say that the McCanns are innocent, and say that ' that ' money that has been building up should now be used to hire a private detective to find the girl.:)

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

The next time I'm in Saudi Arabia, I'll try to remember that because I can drink alcohol in Britain, and because I'm a British citizen, it must be OK for me to have a few lager shandies ;)

Talking about legal advisors, here's an interesting quote from the News of the World (yeah yeah yeah, I know).....

source: http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/0909_maddie.shtml

Actually, Mr McCann, I think you'll find that most people donated that money in order to help locate your daughter, not to help you get off any charges the Portuguese police make against you and your wife.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

True, but if you look on their website you will see that one of the objects of the fund is:-

1.1.3 To provide support, including financial assistance, to Madeleine’s family.

Perhaps he was hoping to use this clause to pay for his legal fees.

http://www.findmadeleine.com/fund/


.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

My parents used to brew their own beer and wine in Saudi, stong stuff too, many people would have to stagger home after one of their parties :)

That's always puzzled me.
How exactly is the donated money supposed to help find her?
Are they employing groups of people to roam Portugal looking for her, or hiring private investigators to work alongside the police?
Or do the police have access to the money to help them divert resources to searching for her (which they appear to have stopped doing)?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Presumably the money has been helping to pay for the vast international public awareness campaign the McCanns have been running and other expenses associated with it.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

There has been some criticism in US papers because they didn't do just that!

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Like meeting the pope ???

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

No like the web site, apparently the money the public donated has hardly been touched

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

The web site? It is sponsored by the web host and won't have cost a penny.

Theres a Million quid in the fund now and they are still asking for donations.:erm:

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

The administrators/trustees of that fund include some family members doesn't it? I do not think that such funds need to be audited for public scrutiny.

Also I assmume that some media quarters will have donated their resources free of charge. Additionally the use of Phil Greens(is that his name) jet, the trip to see the Pope (Whos website no longer acknowledges them), the public displays at football grounds etc etc didnt cost them anything at all.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I can't see how the publicity has cost them a thing so far.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

so what will happen to the money, when she is found, dead or alive???

sorry, but I am not helping bad parents, some people out there would love to have kids but cant, these idiots left there kids to go out for a meal in a foreign country.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Thats an interesting question. Let's assume the parents are found innocent of any involvement, and Maddies body is never found. Will this fund keep on growing and growing?

If the parents are found guilty, are all donators entitled to a refund?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I would imagine in either case it would be donated to charity that would be the correct thing to do.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

The McCanns are now using the media to try and discredit the police, a job made easier but the suggestions of incompetence earlier in the case. A lot is being done via other family members like they usually do.

Doesnt mean they are guilty or not but I dislike the way they are doing it. Just looks bad to go around claiming you've been framed and saying that the only reason you care is because it means they are not looking for her.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

yeah, their charity, or the maddy charity.......

sorry I just see they will never stop asking for cash, I think they were getting used to jet setting it in famous peoples planes.

oh, and what happened to never leaving portugal until she is found???? is this another lie from them?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Taken from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6986514.stm


'The McCanns can be recalled to Portugal with five days' notice. They are being advised by Michael Caplan QC and Angus McBride, from London legal firm Kingsley Napley.

Mr Caplan acted for former Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet when Spain attempted to extradite him from the UK in 1999. '

Oh aye, and how are they paying for this then............

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I have to be honest i don't like the way they have used family and friends to get their side of events out. Sometimes they act as you would expect parents to act and on other times they act as though they are guilty it is just one more confusing aspect of this whole thing. I think recent events cast more light on them as people then anything else.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

14. What is the money being spent on?

The Fund is supporting the McCann family during their search for Madeleine and in ensuring a high profile of Madeleine’s abduction is maintained. As at the end of July 2007, only a small proportion of the money raised has been spent. This has been on awareness raising items e.g. wristbands, website, family expenses and professional fees, including concerning international law on child abduction and the costs of setting up the Fund. The directors are considering the future strategy of the Fund to ensure effective use of funds


http://www.findmadeleine.com/fund/faq.asp

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I agree. The language being used in the Sun today for example paints a picture that they are innocent, having gone through enough already, and basically the Portuguese are out of order to name them as suspects.

Trying to discredit the Portuguese police by revealing accounts of plea bargains, as well as slating the decision to make them suspects, assuming they are totally innocent of any wrong doing, is, in my opinion a dangerous approach to take.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

In my personal opinion the text I have highlighted seems rather nondescript

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

so basically, no matter what happens, keep giving us money so we can do a moonbeams!!!!!

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Hmm this isn't some sort of piggy bank for them to dip into as they see fit, however much they might like it to be, the reason why their is still a million in the bank is because the trustee's have behaved responsibly with it and because of the red tape involved in spending it

So far only £70,000 has been spent – on setting up a website, running a press office, producing wristbands, T-shirts and posters and paying legal fees.

and IIRC the legal fee's weren't there own but the ones associated with setting up a company


http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/...spend-%C2%A31m

---------- Post added at 11:42 ---------- Previous post was at 11:31 ----------

I wouldn't have thought they'd raise much after she is found, what do you suggest they should do with any cash left over then, spend it on a big party :rolleyes:

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I quite agree with what you're saying, the point im trying to make (albeit badly) is that from the description (or rather lack there of) it would appear that the money could be used by them for defence costs.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I think this FAQ is interesting too:-

13. I’ve heard that Kate and Gerry McCann might benefit from the Fund. Is this true?
Yes – the Fund provides support to Kate and Gerry. One of the reasons the Fund was established was to support Madeleine’s family. The objects specifically include financial assistance. The directors approve all payments to Kate and Gerry, with family members not having a vote. When considering whether proposed payments are reasonable, the directors consider donor intentions in addition to the Fund’s objects.
To date, much of the expenditure incurred by Kate and Gerry has been covered by donations in kind being made by generous benefactors.

I wonder how many donors knew what the money would be used for when they made their donation?

I can see there being some bad feeling between the family members and non-family members of the board when it comes down to deciding whether to allow "financial assistance" payments to be made to members of the family.

As for using the fund money to pay for publicity items, such as wristbands & T-shirts, wouldn't you think that the McCanns would prefer to use their own money to pay for such items? Wouldn't you think that it would make them feel that little bit better about themselves if they put their hands in their pockets and paid for items publicising the disappearance of their own daughter, then donated the proceeds to the fund.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I know what you meant and as I said I don't think the trustee's would allow it, besides if you believe what you read in the papers as many here obviously do, wealthy benefactors have financed most of their 'awareness trips', not to far fetched to assume that they'd pay their legal fees is it?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

If some of the money was used to pay for wrist bands and posters then why are they charging for these on their website?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Because they aren't a charity! Besides charities presumably make similar stuff from donations and then sell to supporters, perhaps they should have given them away but presumably the people running it know what they are doing

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I presume the proceeds are then put back into the fund.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

It's also unfair to the police, who are unable to do defend their actions due to the privacy laws! Something we should have in this country, properly why the media is so keen to vilify them. Yet the press/family members continue to make comments to the media to try and spin what is going on in their favor. Trying to portray the incidents as the police trying to cover up their own failures, and 'wasting time' on 'setting-up' the McCanns instead of looking for Madeleine.

None of us can be sure if that is true or not. The police will not say. But the idea that we should take a side and that they have gone though enough is stupid. If they are suspects, then they should be treated as suspects and the police should do their jobs. If they are innocent then that will be shown, if they are not, they'll go to jail. None of this can be changed by a media campaign.

Comments from Family members, untrusted information from newspapers, and sympathy for the parents do not make them innocent (or guilty for that matter)

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Where do you think the Portuguese press are getting all their information from?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I always thought that 'fund' was to help out the family - essentials like food, accomodation, pay the mortgage while they are on compassionate leave, expenses like hire car costs while they are in portugal. basically 'support' while they are not earning from their jobs so they can pay for the cost of looking for their daughter.

everyone who donated would have expected it to be financial assistance to a family who'd had their child abducted - not a fund to provide financial assistance to defend parents accused of killing their child.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

From maddies fund faqs...

Madeleine’s fund is a non-charitable not-for-profit company, which has been established to help find Madeleine McCann, to support her family, and to bring her abductors to justice.
.
.
To procure that Madeleine’s abduction is thoroughly investigated and that her abductors, as well as those who played or play any part in assisting them, are identified and brought to justice

If the funds are used in fees for any defence lawyer if they do appear in court as suspects, then some could argue the fund is also being used to stop those who played a part in the abduction to avoid jail.

While there is a finger of suspicion pointed at them it will be totally wrong to use the funds to pay for a legal defence. If they are innocent then they will get their costs back anyway, besides they are not short of a few bob or not (although that could be questioned based on their reluctance to pay for child care on holiday).

Assuming they are not charged, but intead social servies take them to court for neglect. Would it be okay to use the fund then? No it wouldnt. So why should it be ok to use it for this defence action (if it goes that far)

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

... and the Portuguese legal status of 'Arguido' doesn't make them guilty either.

I'm staggered that after so long, so many people on this side of the Channel seem unwilling or unable to take on board the simple fact that the Portuguese have a judicial, inquisitorial system that is different to ours, with different checks and balances built in.

Far too many column inches (and forum posts) have been made out of this.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

They do seem to be following though with the case against the McCanns though.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...283359,00.html

Not sure if the information is accurate.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

so if it is found that they done it, does that mean their fund will pay bringing them to justice? :erm:

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

A four year old girl is missing, potentially dead. multiple large searches have as of yet failed to turn up the child either alive or dead. The finger of suspicion points towards the parents. The McCanns have used the media at every available oppurtunity in their search for their missing child. I'm not suprised at the amount of either column inches or posts on the subject at hand in the slightest.

I'd also bet that the majority of the column inches have been driven by the McCanns themselves

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Interesting (imho) final paragraph in the Times Online article.

"Portuguese police refuse to say why the couple have been made official suspects. Under Portuguese law police can not question someone as if they had committed a crime unless they are a “suspect”. It could simply be that police wanted to ask the couple about the evidence they had collected, and that the seriousness of the process has been misunderstood and exaggerated by cultural and language differences. The McCanns believed that they were about to be charged with Madeleine’s death, but it does not appear police disclosed any crucial evidence to them. "

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Hmmmmmm so....


1) Why the claims of 'They offered me a deal if i confessed' ?
2) 'They are trying to frame Kate'

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

media hype, that probably they want you to hear, to make you all believe they are innocent by using their family and friends to push these stories out....

remember they lied from the start

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

If I were G+K McCann I would be telling their family and friends to "shut the **** up". With friends like these who needs enemies.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

My post was rather tongue in cheek.

Lied ? source ?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Don't think its been mentioned yet, but the case against the McCanns is going to be turned over to the public prosecutor:

http://www.itv.com/News/DailyDebateA...-McCanns3.html

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I think danielf mentioned it, I dont think that this is really big news though ? once they were made official suspects. Portugese law states that the case must be reviewed by a public prosecutor.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

so they only left the kids for 30 mins, oh wait, did that not end up to be left them for an hour? if thats not a lie I dont know what is, especially if your kids are involved.

something has never seemed right in this case from the offset.
for me anyway.

but to be honet I for one have had enough of them

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

whoah steady tiger !! I was merely asking ;)


And as for the bit i have bolded above. I couldnt agree more !

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

nothing about you dude.

just about the whole situation, there are other kids out there who are still being abducted, but for these two they just want media exposure, even if she is found in either state, they will not be finished with the media.

they really should have been strung up from the offset because they were not interested in their kids, where as people who cant have kids would probably have done a better job.....

I wish i could get my computer to not show anything about them at all

ik

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Chris, no one here is saying they are definately guilty. People are saying it could be. They are suspects, and the police are treating them as such. No one knows for a fact if the police are looking at them as 'real' suspects.

As for your comments regarding people on this side of teh Channel, you should see what is being written about them in Portugal, and what the Portuguese actually thing of them. I'd assume that they know the technocalities of the Arguido system (in fact the entire legal process) a lot better than us, and its still not stopping them thinking the McGanns have had a large part to play in Maddie's dissappearance.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Kate McCann gave an interview to "The Independent" in early August ...

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/cri...cle2836182.ece

After reading it, do you stand by your comments, especially the "strung up" remark? And do the other members of the McCann's party also deserve that sentence? Some of them also left their children alone on the same basis, or does your judgement only apply to the parents whose child disappeared?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Frankly, the McCanns do deserve some of the blame, I'm afraid...

Bearing in mind the fact that the Mark Warner complexes make a virtue of their childcare facilities, why the hell weren't they being used? Moreover, it wouldn't occur to anyone to leave the kids alone (at 3 and 2) in this country, so why was it alright to do so in a foreign country?

Ignoring the fact that, in 90% of cases, a family member is involved in the disappearance, I don't particularly believe that the McCanns were implicitly involved. However, and as unfortunate as it may be, their actions contributed to what happened :shrug:

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I don't know if all of these were directly from the mouth's of the McCanns, or whether it was mis-reporting by the media, but:-

1) We checked on them every half hour.
Later changed to "We checked on them regularly/very regularly/very, very regularly)*

2) We could see the apartment from the tapas bar.
They could see the apartment building, but not their ground floor apartment.

3) The bedroom window shutter had been jemmied open.
The resort manager said that the shutter had not been forced open.

4) The apartment doors were locked.
The apartment doors were left unlocked.

5) Each member of the party took a turn in checking on all the children.
In that case, how did Gerry McCann cross paths with another woman in their party, who was going to check on her children, after he had checked his children at 9:05? (This was the same woman who claimed she had seen a man carrying a child in his arms).

* I have read a couple of different reports about the 9:30 check. One report says that another member of the group checked on the McCann children by simply listening at the door to check they weren't crying. Another report says that he looked in the window (but I thought the shutter was down?) and saw the 2 younger children and some crumpled bedclothes, which he assumed Madeleine was asleep under. Either way, he didn't see Madeleine.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Leicestershire Police and Social Services to meet discuss the case according to the bbc ticker

I wonder why ?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Because their duty of care demands that they do so?

'Meet to discuss' is not the same as 'confiscate their kids'. No doubt that's how some of the tabloids will spin it tomorrow however. I'm disapppointed that even the BBC considers it big enough news to put it on the ticker.

This wall-to-wall coverage is becoming stifling. They were followed home from the airport by a helicopter yesterday, for pity's sake ...

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

If what's been dreported on the story on the beeb is true then Social services and the police are meeting this week to discuss the case. It will be interesting to see what the outcome of that is.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6986514.stm

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

What did you expect ???

P.S Duty of care ?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

It's exactly what I expected, sadly. :(

Yes ... :confused:

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Yes I agree its not like they asked for it after all.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Sorry, I dont see why UK social services would be be getting involved ? (Im quite probably missing the obvious?)

The BBC says that they are getting together (Police and Social Services) to discuss 'their response' to the case ?

Forgive me for being thicker than a whale omelette but brain is not working :D

---------- Post added at 14:47 ---------- Previous post was at 14:47 ----------

Warning: The quoted post may contain large amounts of sarcasm :D

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Absolutely. They asked for help to publicise their case in order to find their missing daughter. I don't see how tailing them home from the airport meets their request.

Assuming of course that you're being extremely sarcastic, I don't see how it serves any news agenda either. Even the likes of Harold Shipman and Ian Huntly weren't tailed around the countryside by helicopter.

The McCanns are under suspicion of harming one of their children. It is quite normal for Social Services to consider whether they need to intervene to ensure the safety of the remaining children in the family. Police would have to be involved if a decision was made to remove the other children.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

The McCanns were wrong, I agree, and they will bitterly regret leaving their children alone until the day they die, I'm sure. I just don't think they derserve to be "strung up" for what they did as had been suggested, and I think some of the other criticisms of them are unfounded. :rolleyes: Kate McCann answered the criticisms as to why they thought it was safe to leave the children alone in her interview with The Independent. We know how tragically wrong she was.

I also hope Social Services don't take any action against the couple. It would only make an awful situation even worse, assuming they are innocent in her disappearance. If they did, they have to take action against the other parents too. Otherwise they'd be penalising the McCanns for being the unlucky (for want of a better word) ones.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

To be fair though neither Shipman or Huntley went to the PR media campaign levels that the McCanns have. I mean the pope ???? I can understand trying to find your child but whats the pope going to do ???????????

Thanks for the explanation on the second part, thought as much but the old noggin is not working today at all !

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Yes true but.....visits to the Pope, trips to Americia, what was that all about?
Team McCann popping up every 5 minutes making statements.
If you court and control the media in the way the way they have, they cannot turn off the tap, when it suits them.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Chris T "Absolutely. They asked for help to publicise their case in order to find their missing daughter. I don't see how tailing them home from the airport meets their request.

Assuming of course that you're being extremely sarcastic, I don't see how it serves any news agenda either. Even the likes of Harold Shipman and Ian Huntly weren't tailed around the countryside by helicopter."


Agree - I have said this before but the media are a law unto themselves. Anyone who seeks their involvement had better be aware that if/when the story goes cold they can and will make it up as they go along and are only too happy to bite the hand that feeds them.

As much as I can't believe how the McCanns acted with their children initially, I do think they should be left alone until the authorities decide whether they are going to be charged. What effect is all of this stuff having on their other children? They've done nothing wrong and don't deserve to be put through all this media attention. As for the press - just how many more pictures of the McCanns do we need?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

It's never safe to leave a child on their own though !!! I'm not a parent and even I know if i had three young children I would not leave them without adequate supervision in place !!!

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I totally agree, and I'd be the last person calling for a news blackout. I have worked on a newsdesk, I know how it goes. However for the same reason, I think one or two news editors have taken leave of their senses lately.

I don't think the McCanns can expect to be left alone. On the other hand, I don't think the PCC Code's 'public interest' defence can be invoked to excuse some of the excessively intrusive tactics being used this week.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

No, it's never "safe" but it happens. I'm a parent of four children, all are happy and healthy, despite not having a perfect mother, although I never actually left them alone to go out socially. But my parents regularly left me asleep when I was as old as Madeleine to go to the pub near their house and my husband's parents did the same with their 8 children and went considerably further living in a very isolated house. Talking to friends this seems to have been quite common in previous generations and still happens a lot more than one would believe reading blogs and message boards now.

But children become more "precious" with each generation it seems.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

yeah, my thoughts would have been (and i apologise for the disrespect) 'f**k the pope, I've got a kid to find'.

I think part of the problem is that they haven't helped themselves - given that their original story changed so many times, or had holes poked in it, people can't help but wonder if they are lying, rather than being 'confused'.

The possible differences between when the children were supposedly checked on, and the last time there were actually checked on, leaves a big window in which something could have happened - and I can't see any valid explanation as to why they wouldn't tell the truth there - the damage has been done, not giving people the correct time frame would surely mean they would be looking in a smaller search area than they would be with real timings?
Were they worried it would make them look bad/worse than they already seemed? - again surely your thoughts would be 'f**k everyone, find my kid - and Ill worry about the repercussions later'

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Didn't the Daily Express run 30 front pages in a row or something about here?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Yes, I agree I think the media coverage of this story has been crazy and if the McCanns are charged, well... you aint seen nothing yet.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I wouldn't be surprised. I even saw Diana bumped down to second place on the Express' front page a couple of weeks ago by a 'Maddie' headline. I think that counts as hysteria on the Express newsdesk.

---------- Post added at 15:32 ---------- Previous post was at 15:29 ----------

I think you're right. I have visions of OJ Simpson, and I'm not happy. I don't think we need a news media in this country that indulges that sort of sensationalist coverage.

The Press has been pushing against the boundaries pretty hard in recent months, regarding what can and cannot be said whilst a criminal trial is in progress. If they are showing so little respect for our own legal procedures, then Heaven only knows what will happen if they get to cover a high-profile trial in another country which will place no reporting restrictions on the media in the UK.

*If* it comes to a trial, of course.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

The black and white minstrel show, comedians being sexist and racist all things that used to occur, does not mean it is acceptable though.......

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

We use to send kiddies up chimneys too!

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

On the contrary, I think sexism and racism are acceptable, but not in good taste, as a part of the freedoms of speech and expression we used to enjoy. And children are too often stifled by the "protection" they are subjected to.

That's not to say that leaving children as young as the McCanns were/are is a good thing, but nor do their parents deserve the condemnation they have received IMO.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Slightly off-topic, but wow! :shocked:

You wouldn't be a white middle-class male, by any chance? ;)

I personally think cannibalism is acceptable, but not in good taste (unless you add enough seasonings........).

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

[QUOTE=freezin;34393562]On the contrary, I think sexism and racism are acceptable, but not in good taste, as a part of the freedoms of speech and expression we used to enjoy. And children are too often stifled by the "protection" they are subjected to.

That's not to say that leaving children as young as the McCanns were/are is a good thing, but nor do their parents deserve the condemnation they have received IMO.[/QUOTE]


Erm, they don't ? And why would that be ?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

...and clowns always taste funny

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

erm, are we still talking about cannibalism? :erm:

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

my boss is wondering why i've just spat my coffee onto my keyboard, and am giggling like a bufoon

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Because none of us are perfect, because the McCanns are being tried in kangaroo courts all over the web by people who don't have access to all the evidence, perhaps?

Do you agree with the poster who thinks they should be "strung up"?

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/.....ilies/wink.gif

No, I wouldn't, but thank you for asking, not assuming, this time. ;)

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

dude, they have had time to discuss what to say to the media, they should not have left their kids alone no matter what?
if you have kids, do you go out for meals with your other half, and leave 3 children all under 4 alone?????????

yes I stand by what I say....

so you condone their actions to go out for a meal? and leave their kids alone in a foreign country for about an hour to socialise?

I dont even care what is getting said in interviews, I bet they asked for cash for the interviews as well, bloody cheek.

If I was an editor, I would say get all dirt on them

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

They are, hence the 'did they sedate the kids so they can go out for dinner' theory.

Today's Mirror's headlines "Kate weeps in Maddy's room' A good example of overdoing it to the point people get sick of it, which in turns turns to dislike and anger against them in the end. They wanted the media, the media will use them to whatever sells papers.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

OMG, you're Ann Coulter!:shocked:



:D

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

that is a new one to me, not heard that one......

anyway, thats me out of here

ik

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

No I don't think they were right to leave their children on their own and they realise that now. But I don't think they deserve to be strung up for it. It does make me wonder what kind of punishment you would reserve for people who physically abuse their children to the point of murder.

And tabloid editors will do what they need to do with one eye on increasing their sales. I hope for more balanced reporting from the broadsheets. However, I'd be disgusted with any editor that wanted to "get dirt on them". I don't have much time for the British press, but I hope we haven't sunk that low yet.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Freezin this was a couple both of whom have very good jobs in a resort that we are told has excellent child facilities so WHY THE HELL DIDN'T THEY MAKE USE OF THEM. If they had just had a babysitter if they had put them in a creche we wouldn't be having this discussion. That is the reason why they have a case to answer and until they have answered that case many many people will not be happy.

As for the media sorry we have all seen how the media behaves so don't tell me the mc'canns were totally ignorant of what could happen and if they are that ignorant\naive then sorry it's their problem. Should they be "strung up" for routinely leaving their children no of course not should they be "strung up" if they had anything to do with what has happened to maddie no that would be an easy let off.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I have no idea why they didn't use the child care facilities. None of the newspapers seem to have asked that question AFAIK.

I'm not telling you anything of the sort! The McCanns used the media to help publicise their search for their daughter. As the search has so far turned up nothing, perhaps they regret that now. And if they were active in their daughter's disappearance, I hope they are punished to the fullest extent of the law. I don't believe they are though.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Second paragraph wasn't aimed at you freezin sorry should have made that clearer. It was aimed at the whole "poor mc'canns under the nasty media spotlight" brigade that thought it was good to get the media involved in the beginning but now seem shocked the media are turning.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Sky now claiming that a FULL DNA match for Madeleine has been found in the hire car

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

I read an interesting article in one of tonights free London papers saying how the UK team that have provided the forensics test results to the portuguese team are 100% confident of their findings.

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

That would be the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham if I remember rightly

Dont suppose there is an online link to this article ?

Re: Toddler 'abducted' during holiday
 

Sky source says a full match, which seems to contradict the source in yesterday's Observer - link
"Revealing the details behind the decision to shift the focus of the investigation onto the McCanns, the source said that in addition to the blood at the holiday flat, DNA evidence had been found in a car rented by the McCanns more than two weeks after Madeleine went missing.
He said that while both samples had matched Madeleine's DNA, since they had degraded over time, this was based on an incomplete picture - only 15 of the available 20 genetic markers usually used for such analysis were found: 'Nineteen out of 20 is what we consider conclusive. In this case, they could extract only 15 - but all of the 15 exactly matched Madeleine's DNA.' "