Amy Lynn Bradley
Amy Lynn Bradley => Amy Lynn Bradley Information => Topic started by: Indigator on January 19, 2019, 10:06:39 AM
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My name is Trevor FRANCIS and I am the owner of Baytree Nursing Home in Worthing. I am rarely in England as I am the captain of a charter yacht. I spend a lot of my time sailing, however I am based in a place called PORLAMAR, which is on the island of MARGARITA. For the past 18 months I have been there, living off my boat in the 'MARINA HILTON' which is what the marina is known as because it is in close vicinity of the 'HILTON' Hotel. I have been back in the UK for about 4 weeks now. This visit is so that I can check on my business etc. Just over three weeks ago, on a Friday : I am sure it was the 16th May, I was in a restaurant on the AVENUE DE MAYO - the main road in the town of PORLAMAR. I was in there with a casual female aquaintance, having some lunch. This was about 1300hours. The restaurant is called 'LUGAR DE ENQUENTER' which means 'THE MEETING PLACE' in English. It's a typical cafe/restaurant, with rows of different tables in an open plan area. The tables are in no particular arrangement, and there are large glass windows that let in plenty of sunlight ; the restaurant faces South and so gets lots of light in. As it is in an open plan restaurant there was nothing to obstruct my view of
Page 4381 (Page 2 of 4) the other people in the restaurant. There were a few people in the restaurant. Just after about 1300hrs, the door opened and three females with a little girl came in. They sat down at a table opposite me, about 20 feet away from me. There were two tables between us, with one person at each, but they did not obstruct my view of their table. At first I did not take any notice because I was having trouble with my food - I had to send it back and the drinks were taking too long. Once I had sorted out my order, I glanced back at the table with the women and the small girl. I noticed that the little girl was white, with fair hair. There are sometimes white children in Venezuala, but not as fair as this child. She really stood out. I was transfixed. She was the absolute image of the missing Madeleine MC'CANN, with chin length straight fair hair, about 4 years old, a pretty little girl. What I noticed most prominently were her eyes - they were big and staring. Lots of things went through my mind - I wanted to jump up and grab her or shout out her name and see what reaction I would get from the girl. However I was afraid to do anything and cause a scene, as a huge raucous would have erupted, and it could have made things worse. Venezualan Police are not very helpful to foreigners and are very corrupt. I decided to get a good look to make sure it was her so I could come back to ENGLAND and reprt it. I shuffled in my seat so I could see 'Madeleine' clearly. The little girl sat facing me, with a female either side of her and one sitting on the opposite side, but not directly in front of the girl, so I could see her well.
Page 4382 (Page 3 of 4) I didn't pay much attention to the three women because I was concentrating on the little girl. However from what I..((Note : "would say" initially written but struck through here))..saw, I would say that they were all of Spanish/South American origin. Female 'one' I can describe as being heavily built, dark short bobbed hair. Female 'two' had bleached platinum blonde hair, with a slim build. The third female, 'female three' had long black hair, and she was heavily built. I can't remember how tall they were or what clothes they were wearing, but they were aged between their late 30's to early 40's. One of them was wearing a red top but I can't remember which one. They weren't very pretty. They seemed to be local women, as they didn't hesitate at finding a table when they came in and they seemed to know the waiters. One of the women sat next to the little girl was trying to feed her what looked like some sort of pasta dish. Although the girl looked to me to be healthy and well cared for, she was very sullen looking and refused to eat anything. Something just didn't fit - she looked unhappy and out of place. The women were talking amongst themselves and at the little girl. I couldn't understand what they were saying because they were speaking in Spanish. The little girl wasn't saying anything. I saw her from about 20 feet away for about 20-30 minutes. It was a sunny day and the restaurant was well lit. There were no obstructions in my view : I kept shifting in my seat, trying to get a good look without anyone noticing. As I left the restaurant I was about 4-5 feet away from the little girl. Her eyes met mine as I walked past and that's when
Page 4383 (Page 4 of 4) I saw the little blemish in her right eye - it was like a little fleck - I haven't been in England for all of the press coverage and updates about Madeleine MCCANN, but I have seen photos of her on the news. From what I saw of the little girl that day I would say that I am about 85% certain that it was in fact Madeleine McCANN, She watched as I left the restaurant. I went back to my boat and I didn't see her or the females again. I was wearing my prescription glasses throughout the whole time in the restaurant. Thinking about it, it makes sense to me that the girl could be Madeleine. I have been a seaman for many years and the sailing route from Portugal ; which is a common meeting place for boats, and on to the Canaries, Barbados, Trinidad and finally the Island of Margharita is a very well trodden one. Many people prefer to carry on to Margharita rather than stay in Barbados or Trinidad as it is much cheaper. It would also make sense for her to be there as it is easy for someone to hide her away where it is less touristy. At the time I wasn't sure what to do, so I decided to come back to England and tell police as I thought it would be a better idea to report a possible sighting of a little girl who looked just like the missing Madeleine McCANN. I want to be able to help the police in finding her and would be willing to support any police action.
(signed) : T Francis.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/TREVOR_FRANCIS.htm
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2462431/Madeleine-McCann-Police-say-Irish-family-seen-Maddie-taken.html?ito=feeds-videoxml
Who did the key witness see? Police focus on Irish family's claims they saw a family carrying a child away
Could Irish family have witnessed toddler being snatched?
Retired businessman saw man carrying blonde child
Thought at the time it was Gerry McCann, but proved to be elsewhere
By Rebecca Camber
PUBLISHED: 21:55 EST, 15 October 2013 | UPDATED: 05:13 EST, 16 October 2013
The new Crimewatch appeal focused on a claim by an Irish family that they saw a man carrying a child through Praia da Luz at around the time Madeleine McCann was found to be missing.
Two differing e-fits of the suspect were issued, and police say it is possible the family did see the three-year-old being spirited away by her abductor.
The sighting came when Martin Smith, a retired businessman in his 70s, was walking back to his apartment in the Algarve resort following a meal and drinks at a bar with his wife and children.
The Metropolitan Police have issued this e-fit picture of a man who they believe may be connected with Madeleine McCann's disappearance The Metropolitan Police have issued this e-fit picture of a man who they believe may be connected with Madeleine McCann's disappearance The Metropolitan Police have issued this e-fit picture of a man who they believe may be connected with Madeleine McCann's disappearance
Police detail new E-fit, burglaries and nighttime creche At a spot a six-minute walk from the McCanns’ holiday accommodation, they saw a man carrying a blonde child aged around four.
It was just before 10pm and the street lighting was poor.
More...Crimewatch callers 'name' Maddie suspect: McCanns delighted by overwhelming response to TV reconstruction
SARAH VINE: Maddie, my little girl and why life is a risk you can't avoid
Pictured: The innocent father who was key suspect in Maddie investigation for SIX YEARS until he was cleared by his daughter's 'frilly pyjamas'
Although Mr Smith admitted he was not wearing his glasses at the time he later said he thought the man could have been Gerry McCann.
New inquiries: Irishman Martin Smith, pictured, was in the resort with his family when Maddie disappeared and their evidence has led to hunt for new suspect Key witness: Irishman Martin Smith, pictured, was in the resort with his family when Maddie disappeared
This is an impossibility as dozens of witnesses confirmed he was at the holiday complex at
10pm. British police have also said they are certain that Mr McCann has nothing to do with his daughter’s appearance.
Speaking to Portuguese police a few weeks after Maddie disappeared, Mr Smith said it was ‘not possible to recognise the individual’.
His grandchildren were also unable to identify the man or the girl – but thought she could have been Madeleine.
Yet in September 2007 Mr Smith suddenly called police again to say he believed the man he saw could have been Gerry McCann.
He had been watching television coverage of the family returning to Britain. However numerous witnesses say they were with Mr McCann at the tapas restaurant at the time in question – so he could not possibly have been 500 yards away.
This has led to Mr Smith’s account being called into question.
The retired businessman from County Louth, Ireland, was staying in Praia da Luz with his wife Mary, now 65, his son Peter and his wife and their children.
He part owned an apartment in the resort and visited
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New inquiries: Irishman Martin Smith, pictured, was in the resort with his family when Maddie disappeared and their evidence has led to hunt for new suspect Key witness: Irishman Martin Smith, pictured, was in the resort with his family when Maddie disappeared
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http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/madeleine-mccann-key-witness-accuses-2433328
Madeleine McCann: Key witness accuses Portuguese police of not taking his vital prime suspect evidence seriously
16 Oct 2013 07:59 Retired businessman Martin Smith provided details for an e-fit of the prime suspect after spotting the mystery man close to where Maddie vanished
A key witness in the Madeleine McCann case claimed yesterday that Portuguese police failed to take his evidence seriously.
Retired businessman Martin Smith, 64, provided details for an e-fit of the prime suspect after spotting the mystery man carrying a child at 10pm close to where the three-year-old vanished more than six years ago.
But he said his information was virtually ignored by local officers because they were too busy chasing up another sighting of a man near Kate and Gerry McCann’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz 45 minutes earlier.
Scotland Yard detectives reinvestigating the case after six years have now established that the suspect Portuguese police were so keen to trace – spotted by holidaymaker Jane Tanner at 9.20pm – was just an innocent British tourist returning his own child from a crèche.
Missing Madeleine McCann
Innocent tourist: Tracing this man distracted Portuguese detectives, said Mr Smith
Mr Smith, a former Unilever executive, made a statement along with his wife Mary, daughter Aoife and son Peter soon after Madeleine vanished on May 3, 2007.
He helped compile e-fits a year later – but the images were not released at the time and were only made public for the first time earlier this week.
Speaking from his home in Drogheda, Co Louth, Mr Smith said that the Portuguese police did not seem to think his sighting was significant.
He added: “It looked as if they put 90% credence on the Jane Tanner sighting, maybe that wrong-footed them and they didn’t take our sighting as seriously. I was surprised it took six years to rule out the other sighting.”
He said he has met with Scotland Yard detectives twice over the past 18 months to help them with the new probe. He added: “We‘d all love to see the police get to the bottom of what happened.”
“We think about Madeleine a lot and we would love to see a conclusion to this case.
Mr Smith was with his wife, daughter, son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren on the night that the three year old vanished.
The family described the man they saw as white, with short brown hair and of average build and height, aged between 20 and 40.
Commenting on the Crimewatch documentary which was broadcast on Monday night he added: “The only new thing in the investigation is the elimination of Jane Tanner’s sighting.
“Apart from that from our point of view everything else remains the same in relation to what we said to the police and the media at the time. We have nothing more to add.”
At least two callers who responded to the TV appeal gave the same name for the two e-fits provided by the Smiths.
Finding the man and determining whether he was in Praia da Luz on the night the three-year-old vanished is a top priority of Scotland Yard detectives.
Around 1,000 people have contacted police as a result of the appeal.
They include a number of British people who were in the Algarve resort at the time. At least one ex-pat called from the town on Monday night.
Senior investigating officer Det Chief Inspector Andy Redwood said his team are working through the calls and material generated by the appeal.
A total of 330 calls were made to the Operation Grange incident room and 400 to BBC1 Crimewatch as well as 220 emails.
In a statement issued through their spokesman, Kate and Gerry McCann said: “We are absolutely delighted with the overwhelming public response to Crimewatch, which was broadcast last night.
“We know that the public desperately want to help the search for Madeleine.
“We are genuinely hopeful that one of more of these responses will lead to a major breakthrough in the investigation.”
They added: “If anyone was in Praia da Luz around the time of Madeleine’s abduction and has not spoken to the Metropolitan Police, or if they know who any of the e-fits might be, please have the courage to come forward and speak to the police in confidence.”
DCI Redwood added: “Detectives are now trawling through and prioritising that material. This will take time.”
Mr Redwood, who travelled to Holland yesterday to continue the appeal, said: “I will be repeating similar appeals in Holland this evening and in Germany tomorrow night.”
DCI Andy Redwood, SIO interview for Crimewatch
Continued appeal: DCI Andy Redwood
A reward of up to £20,000 is being offered for information leading to the identification, arrest and prosecution of those responsible for Madeleine’s abduction, he said.
There are 40 people answering calls at any time, and officers waiting to “action the information”.
Crimewatch editor Joe Mather said the response to the programme was “truly unprecedented”.
He said: “They received several names for the key 10pm sighting, the sighting of a man carrying a child towards the beach.
“Several different names but also several callers mentioned the same name for that man.”
Mr Mather said there were “inevitably a fair few calls” which were not helpful but there were “genuinely calls that were helpful” after last night’s broadcast.
During last night’s programme, Mr and Mrs McCann urged people to “rack their brains” and come forward with information.
Kate said: “Please, please have the courage and confidence to come forward now, and share that information with us, and you could unlock this whole case, so please.”
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The route of the potential abductor begins at apartment 5A of the Ocean Club, from where the three-year-old disappeared on May 3, 2007.
The man would have crossed a road leading to a poorly lit route alongside waste ground.
After a few steps he would have passed the CCTV camera belonging to the hotel.
Walking alongside the waste ground, the suspect would have entered a narrow street called Rua da Escola Primaria where he was spotted by Mr Smith, a retired business executive.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cctv-madeleine-mccann-snatcher-deleted-2467839
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2478087/Why-Madeleine-McCann-suspect-E-fits-kept-secret-5-years.html
The E-fits of a ‘new’ suspect for Madeleine McCann’s disappearance were drawn up five years ago – and suppressed.
Images of a man seen carrying a child through Praia da Luz at 10pm on the night the then three-year-old vanished were unveiled on BBC1’s Crimewatch two weeks ago.
They are based on evidence from Irish holidaymaker Martin Smith and his family. At the same time, the British police team behind a new investigation revealed they had discounted a 9.15pm sighting of a man with a child by Jane Tanner, a friend holidaying with parents Gerry and Kate McCann and their three children.
It meant there was a new ‘timeline’ of Madeleine’s presumed abduction. Yet it emerged yesterday that the recently released E-fits were in fact contained in files produced five years ago by private investigators hired by the McCanns. Similarly, those private detectives had questioned the Tanner sighting and the timings associated with it.
But the E-fits were kept private, and the questioning of the Tanner sighting and related timeline were kept quiet. One detective said he was ‘utterly stunned’ to see his five-year-old dossier suddenly presented as new on TV.
The investigator told a Sunday newspaper: ‘I was absolutely stunned when I watched the programme... it most certainly wasn’t a new timeline and it certainly isn’t a new revelation. It is absolute nonsense to suggest either of those things... and those E-fits you saw on Crimewatch are ours.’
The McCanns are now fully behind the fresh police drive and release of the E-fits – but five years ago they were reluctant to issue them, possibly in part because witness Mr Smith’s account seemed inconsistent and unreliable.
Months after the disappearance and after seeing Gerry McCann on TV, Mr Smith told police that he thought the man he saw carrying a girl around Madeleine’s age at the very time she went missing reminded him of Gerry McCann himself.
Mr Smith has reportedly since withdrawn that claim – just as Portuguese police have officially told the McCanns they are no longer suspects for their daughter’s disappearance.
The couple have also won libel damages for false suggestions that they were in any way involved.
Numerous witnesses have also given statements making clear that Mr McCann was at his holiday complex at the moment the sighting occurred – which was at the very time when he and his wife started calling for help looking for Maddie.
But shortly after Mr Smith told police Mr McCann may have been the man he had seen carrying a little girl, a friend of the McCanns said: ‘Look at the facts. This man sees an individual carrying a child on the night Maddie vanished.
‘He waits 13 days to report this to the police, going back to Ireland in the meantime. At this stage he admits he has no idea who the man is. Almost four months go by before, after seeing him on TV, he feels that it could be Gerry.
‘The truth is that this is part of the victimisation of Gerry and Kate which has gone on from the very beginning by the Portuguese.’
In 2008, the McCanns used money from their charity fund to hire investigators from a firm called Oakley International, led by former MI5 surveillance officer Henri Exton, to look into the mystery – and they focused on the Smith sighting.
They produced a dossier and called for the E-fits to be published. They also suggested Madeleine could have died after wandering off.
The McCanns, who became embroiled in an unconnected financial dispute with Oakley International at around the time they received the dossier, responded by warning the detectives of legal action if they publicised their report.
A source close to the fund said the report would have been ‘completely distracting’ if it had become public.
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OFFICIAL INQUIRY FILES and DOCUMENTS
MARTIN SMITH & FAMILY STATEMENTS
HOLIDAY MAKER / WITNESSES
1606 to 1610 Witness testimony of Martin Smith taken 2007/05/26 with map of sighting
TRANSLATION BY INES/ALBYM
06 Processo 06 pages 1606 to 1610
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Date of Diligence: 2007.05.26 10H40
Location: DIC Portimao
Name: MARTIN SMITH
The witness states:
— That he comes to the process as a witness.
— Being of Irish nationality, he does not understand Portuguese in its written or oral form and is accompanied by an interpreter.
— That he has an apartment in Luz, Lagos, located in the Estela da Luz Urbanizaco, A1C. This apartment is co-owned by a friend whose name is Li** ON****. He normally visits Portugal three times a year. When here, he stays in the apartment. Concerning this period, he states that he arrived in Portugal on the 30th of April, 2007, with a booked return date of May 9, 2007. He arrived at Faro airport and flew out from Dublin.
— Concerning the facts under investigation, on the 3rd of May, he went with his family to the Dolphin restaurant in Praia da Luz where they dined. Around 21H00 they left the restaurant and headed toward 'Kelly's Bar'; about a 50 metre distance from the restaurant, following the path, as it is very short. The walk took him a few minutes. In 'Kelly's Bar' they consumed some drinks. They left that establishment around 21H55 as his son would be travelling very early the next day. This bar is located on Calheta Street.
— After leaving the bar, he travelled in the opposite direction and reached a set of stairs which gave access to Rua 25 de Abril (25th of April Street). On this artery they followed a second street, parallel to Rua 1 de Maio (1st of May Street) whose name he does not remember. He was heading toward his apartment (Estrela da Luz complex) which is located a little above the street Travessa da Escola Primária (Primary school crossing). As he reached this artery, he saw an individual carrying a child, who walked normally and fitted in perfectly in that area, in that it is common to see people carrying children, at least during the holiday season. This individual was walking the downward path, in the opposite direction to him and his companions. He is not aware where this person was headed. He only saw him as they passed each other. He assumed it was a father and daughter, not raising any suspicion.
— Urged, states that when he passed this individual it would have been around 22H00, and at the time he was completely unaware that a child had disappeared. He only became aware of the disappearance of the child the next morning, through his daughter, L*****, in Ireland who had sent him a message or called him regarding what had happened. At this point he thought that MADELEINE could have been the child he saw with the individual.
— Regarding the description of the individual who carried the child he states that: he was Caucasian, around 175 to 180m in height. He appeared to be about 35/40 years old. He had an average build, a bit on the thin side. His hair was short, in a basic male cut, brown in colour. He cannot state if it was dark or lighter in tone. He did not wear glasses and had no beard or moustache. He did not notice any other relevant details partly due to the fact that the lighting was not very good.
— He was wearing cream or beige-coloured cloth trousers in a classic cut. He did not see his shoes. He did not notice the body clothing and cannot describe the colour or fashion of the same.
— He states that the child was female, about four years of age as she was similar to his granddaughter of the same age. She was a child of normal build, about a metre in height though not being absolutely certain of that as she was being carried. The child has blonde medium-hued hair, without being very light. Her skin was very white, typical of a Brit. He did not notice her eyes as she was asleep and her eyelids were closed.
— She was wearing light-coloured pyjamas. He cannot state with certainty the colour. She was not covered by any wrap or blanket. He cannot confirm whether she was barefoot but in his group, they spoke about the child having no cover on her feet.
— Urged, he states that the individual did not appear to be a tourist. He cannot explain this further. It was simply his perception given the individual's clothing. He states that the individual carried the child in his arms, with her head laying on the individual's left shoulder, that being to the right of the deponent. He adds that he did not hold the child in a comfortable position, suggesting [the carrying] not being habitual.
— Having already seen various photographs of MADELEINE and televised images, states that the child who was carried by the individual could have been her. He cannot state this as fact but is convinced that it could have been MADELEINE, also the opinion shared by his family.
— Questioned, says that the individual did not speak nor did the child as she was in a deep sleep.
— States that it is not possible for him to recognise the individual in person or by photograph.
— Adds that in May and August of 2006, he saw ROBERT MURAT in Praia da Luz bars. On one of these occasions, the first, he was inebriated and spoke to everyone. He did not wear glasses at that time. He also states that the individual who carried the child was not ROBERT. He would have recognised him immediately.
— At being asked, states that when he saw the individual he was accompanied by his wife, MARY SMITH, his son, PETER SMITH, his daughter-in-law, S***, his grandchildren of 13 and 6 years of age (children of PETER) TA*** and CO**, his daughter AOIFE (12 years of age), and his other two grandchildren (AI****** (10 years old) and EI**** (four years old). These are children of his daughter B***** who was in Ireland.
— States also that when he passed this individual he was coming down the middle of the road, in the street, also that at that time traffic is minimal or non-existent.
— He adds that the group walked some metres apart from each other so they would have seen the individual in different positions.
— He adds a sketch indicating the route and the locale of the sighting.
— He has nothing else to offer the investigation.
— And nothing more was said. He reads and finds it in conformity, ratifies and signs together with the interpreter.
1611 to 1614 Witness testimony of Aoife Smith taken 2007/05/26
6-Processos, Volume VI, pgs. 1611 to 1614
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Date of Diligence: 2007.05.26 10h45
Location: This Department
Name: Aoife Smith
The witness states:
— Being an English citizen, and not understanding Portuguese neither spoken nor written, she is accompanied by an interpreter.
— On 30 April 2007 she travelled to Portugal on holiday, specifically to the Algarve. She came with her parents Martin and Mary Smith and her two nieces, AC and EC.
— They stayed in the Estrela Da Luz complex in Praia da Luz where her parents have an apartment.
— When they arrived at the apartment they met her brother, Peter Smith, her sister-in-law, S.McD.Smith, her nephew (six years old), CO** and the son of her sister-in-law, TA*** (13 years old).
— They came on holiday for about 10 days, having returned to Ireland on 9 May 2007. (She is not absolutely certain of the day).
— Her days on holiday were spent in the swimming pool of the complex where they were lodged, on the beach of Luz and in the shopping centre. Normally, they were spent in Praia da Luz - Vila da Luz.
— Dinner was taken between 19h00 and 20h00, in the apartment or in the Restaurants "Dolphin", "Cavaleiro da Luz", "Chaplin" or the "Marujo", all situated in the Praia da Luz area.
' When they ate at home they would not normally go out. When they went to eat at the restaurants they stopped by Kelly's Bar, situated, she thinks, on Calheta Street in Praia da Luz.
— Regarding the 3rd of May, 2007, she went, with all her family, to eat at the Dolphin restaurant, which is close to Kelly's Bar. When they left the restaurant, around 21H30, they headed toward Kelly's Bar. They stayed there for about 30 minutes.
— Around 22H00, they left Kelly's Bar. The group headed, on foot, for their apartment.
— Questioned, she responds that she knows the time that they left because her father and her brother decided to leave early that night. There were two reasons for this: one was the fact that her sister-in-law was not feeling very well and the other was because her brother, sister-in-law, nephew and son of her sister-in-law finished their holiday the next day and had to catch the morning flight returning to Ireland.
— Upon leaving the bar, they turned right and headed along the road for 40/50 metres. At this point, they again turned to the right and ascended a small street with stairs that give access to Rua 25 de Abril. As they were a large group (four adults and five children) they travelled apart from each other along the street with some more to the front and the others more behind. She does not remember how they were divided [who was where].
— The deponent remembers that upon reaching the top of the stairs, she looked to her left and saw a man (1) with a female child (2) in his arms, walking along the pavement of Rua 25 de Abril. He was walking in her direction at a distance of, give or take, two metres.
— The deponent crossed to the other side of Rua 25 de Abril and began walking up Rua da Escola Primária in the direction of the Estrela da Luz apartment complex.
— She did not see if the referenced individual with the child descended Rua das Escadinhas or if he continued along Rua 25 de Abril.
— It was the first time she saw that man. She does not remember seeing him at any time in any location.
— She has seen photographs of Madeleine McCann and thinks that it could have been her. Asked, she said she was 60% certain.
— The description below made about the man and the female child that the witness saw was made at around 22H00, when the lighting was weak.
— Questioned, states that probably she would not be able to recognise either the individual or the child.
Personal Description:
— (1) the individual was male, Caucasian, light-skinned, between 20/30 years of age, of normal physical build, around 1,70/1,75 metres in height. At the time she saw his face but now cannot remember it. She thinks that he had a clean-shaven face. She does not remember seeing tattoos, scars or earrings. She did not notice his ears. His hair was thick-ish, light brown in colour, short at the back (normal) and a bit longer on the top.
— His trousers were smooth "rights" along the legs, beige in colour, cotton fabric, thicker than linen, possibly with buttons, and without any other decoration.
— She did not see what he was wearing above his trousers as the child covered him almost completely at the top.
— She did not see what shoes he was wearing.
— The individual's gait was normal, between a fast walk and a run. He did not look tired, moving in a manner usual when one carries a child.
— (2) the child was female because she had straight long hair to the neck. The colour was fair/light brown.
— She is certain that the child was about four years old because her niece (who was in the group) is of the same age and they were the same size.
— She did not see the child's face because she was lying against the individual's left shoulder in a vertical position against the individual. She appeared to be sleeping. Her arms were suspended along her body and were not around the individual's neck. She did not look at the child's hands and cannot state the colour of her skin. She believes she was white.
— There was nothing covering the child, a comforter/blanket or any other piece of clothing but she only saw her back.
— She was wearing light trousers, white or light pink, that may have been pyjamas. She does not remember if they were patterned as it was dark. The material was lightweight/thin and could have been cotton.
— She also had a light top, with long sleeves. She did not see it well because the individual had his arms around the child. She is not sure if the child's top was the same colour as her trousers, saying only that it was very light. The fabric was the same as the trousers.
— Questioned regarding the shoes, she responded that she did not remember seeing any shoes, not remembering if the child had any or not.
— Asked to tell the truth, she affirms that what she has finished declaring is the truth of the facts, according to her knowledge.
— And nothing more was said. Reads and finds it inconformity, ratifies and signs together with her interpreter.
1615 to 1624 Witness Testimony of Peter Daniel Smith taken 2007/05/26 with map of sighting
6-Processos, Volume VI, pgs. 1615 to1624
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Date of Diligence: 2007.05.26 15H30
Location: DIC Portimao
Name: PETER DANIEL SMITH
The witness states:
— That he comes to the process as a witness.
— Being of Irish nationality, he does not understand Portuguese in its oral or written form and is therefore accompanied by an interpreter.
— States that his father owns an apartment in the town of Luz, Lagos, namely in Urban. Estrela da Luz, corresponding to A1C. His father comes to Portugal at least three times per year. The deponent went the first time that he travelled to Portugal.
— Concerning the period in question, states that he arrived in Portugal on the 26th of April of 2007 and had his return passage booked for the 4th of May of the same year. He arrived at Faro airport from the city of Dublin. That he arrived before his father, by choice, due to available days. He came accompanied by his wife, S***, and his two children TA*** and CO**, 13 and 6 years old respectively.
— He would like to clarify that on the 3rd of May, he and his family went to the Dolphin restaurant, situated in Praia da Luz, where they dined. Around 21H00 they left the restaurant and went to Kelly's Bar, about one minute away on foot. In Kelly's Bar (he does not remember the name of the street it is on) they had a few drinks, having left from there around 21H50/22H00.
— They left the bar, and went up some steps that give access to a road just above. On this road they took a side street, the name of which he does not know, in the direction of Estrela da Luz. Immediately at the beginning of this road he saw an individual carrying a child, who walked normally, with a fairly quick step because he was coming downhill. It appeared normal to him, like father and daughter. He adds that this individual was coming down the street, opposite to the direction of the deponent and his family. He does not know what direction the individual took as he only saw him as they passed each other.
— Urged, states that when he passed this individual it would have been around 21H55/22H00, and at the time he was completely unaware that a child had disappeared. He only found out about the disappearance of the child the next morning through someone he knew, the son of the builder of Estrela da Luz, who was also at the airport. The witness went to the airport given that, as planned, he intended to return to Ireland on that day
— At that time he did not associate the said individual with the disappearance, only after thinking on the subject and the coincidence of the time did he infer that MADELEINE could have been the child carried by the individual that he had seen.
— The description of the individual who carried the child was: Caucasian, around 175 to 180 cm tall. About 35 years, or older. He was somewhat tanned as a result of sun exposure. Average build, in good shape. Short hair, brown in colour. He does not remember if he wore glasses, or had a beard or a moustache. He did not notice any other relevant details as the lighting was bad.
— He also does not remember the clothing the individual wore or his shoes. He states that he did not notice those details as his pregnant wife was somewhat ill and he was constantly attending to her, not caring about observation of the individual.
— He states the child was female. She was perhaps two or three years old, in that she appeared to him to be a bit smaller than his niece of the same age. She was a child of normal build. She had blonde hair, of medium shade, not very light. Her skin was white, typically British. He did not notice her eyes as she was asleep, having closed eyelids.
— He does not remember her clothing very well but thinks it was lightweight summer clothing, light in colour. He does not remember if she was covered with any wrap or blanket. He cannot affirm if she was barefoot.
— He states that [the man] carried the child on his arms, with the head resting on the left shoulder, as such on the right of the deponent, appearing to him in a natural manner.
— Having already seen various photographs of MADELEINE and televised images, states that the child that was carried by the individual may have been her. He cannot state this as fact but is convinced that it could have been MADELEINE, an opinion shared by his family.
— Questioned, states that the individual did not speak nor did the child as she was sleeping deeply. He adds also that the individual did not try to hide his face or lower his look, [doing] nothing [that would be] perceived as strange.
— States that it would not be possible to recognize the individual in person or via photograph.
— At being asked, says that when he saw the individual, the deponent was accompanied by his wife, S***, his father MARTIN, his mother MARY, his children TA*** and CO**, 13 and 6 year old respectively, his sister AOIFE, 12 years old, and his two nieces AI******, 10 years, and EI****, 4 years, children of his sister B******, who was in Ireland.
— States further that when he passed the individual, the individual was coming down to his right, going around the deponent in the middle of the street. At that time the traffic was minimal or non-existent.
— He adds that the group walked some metres apart from each other, therefore they would have seen the individual in different positions.
— He adds a sketch indicating the route and place of the sighting.
— Adds further that his son TA*** was questioned in Ireland and said that the individual was dressed in a long-sleeved coat/jacket, black in colour, and that the child was barefoot.
— He has nothing else to offer the investigation.
— And nothing more was said. Reads and finds it in conformity, ratifies and signs together with the interpreter.
6-Processo 6 Pages 1619 to 1624
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http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/irish-couple-could-hold-the-key-to-solving-madeleine-mccann-case-29396720.html
Evidence provided at the time by members of the Smith family, from Maple Drive, Drogheda, Co Louth, was considered credible by the review officers.
Martin Smith and his wife Mary revealed to investigators how they saw a man carrying a young child through the streets of Praia da Luz in Portugal on the night Madeleine went missing.
She disappeared on May 3, 2007, from her family's apartment on the Algarve.
The Smith family told police how they had left Kelly's Bar in the resort at around 10pm
They then passed a man walking down the middle of the street who was carrying a girl aged about three to four years old.
It was claimed that the child's head was lying against the man's left shoulder and her arms were hanging down alongside her body.
Madeleine was almost four when she was reported missing by parents Gerry and Kate McCann.
The Smiths returned home the day after the incident and it was only after they had seen the media reports of Madeleine's disappearance that they noted the encounter's significance. They later travelled back to Portugal to give police a statement.
So far, the review team has examined more than 30,000 documents generating almost 4,000 fresh lines of inquiry, but still have one-third of the information to examine.
Irish Independent
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http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57608546-504083/madeleine-mccann-update-former-detective-believes-new-sketches-of-suspect-could-be-breakthrough-in-case/
October 21, 2013 5:53 PM PrintText
Madeleine McCann Update: Former detective believes new sketches of suspect could be breakthrough in case
Madeleine McCann murder mystery: Police release sketches in hope of new clues British police are launching a new appeal on television by releasing two composite sketches of a man who was seen the night of Madeleine McCann's disappearance six years ago.
/ CBS News
(CBS) - Last week, a British television program broadcast two police-artist renderings of a possible suspect in the Madeleine McCann case. The four-year-old disappeared from a resort in southern Portugal on May 3, 2007. Although Madeleine has never been found, Portuguese authorities closed the case in 2008.
However, Madeleine's parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, have continued to search for their missing daughter. And last year, police in England began to re-investigate the case by examining reports from Portuguese police, private investigators hired by the McCanns, and leads developed by the Metropolitan Police in London.
The renewed investigation is now publicly-focused on the two artist-renderings of a suspect. They were made in 2008 after McCann private investigators interviewed Martin and Mary Smith of Ireland, according to Ian Horrocks, a former Metropolitan Police detective. The Smiths were vacationing in Praia da Luz, Portugal the same week the McCanns and their three children were on holiday in the seaside town.
Man wanted for questioning in the disapperance of Madeleine McCann. Man wanted for questioning in the disapperance of Madeleine McCann.
/ Metropolitan Police
The Smiths said they saw a man carrying a blond child in his arms - the man was between 5'5" and 5'9" with light colored hair; the child had very white skin. The sighting was about 9:55 p.m. and 400 yards southwest of the McCanns' vacation apartment.
"48 Hours Mystery": Where's Maddy? [Feb. 11, 2009]
Though the police-artist renderings were made in 2008, and Portuguese police took statements from the Smiths, The Express, in England, reported today that British police did not learn about the drawings of a suspect until two years ago.
After Madeleine disappeared, Portuguese police considered the McCanns suspects in their daughter's disappearance for the next 14 months. And until very recently, Portuguese police did not allow their counterparts in the UK access to the case files in Portugal. Why not? Portuguese authorities said they considered the case closed. The McCanns are currently pursuing a defamation lawsuit against the former lead Portuguese detective on their daughter's case.
Another sketch of the man wanted for questioning in the Madeleine McCann case. Another sketch of the man wanted for questioning in the Madeleine McCann case.
/ Metropolitan Police
Ian Horrocks, a former detective in Britain, believes the world-wide broadcast of the artist renderings of a new suspect could be an important breakthrough, but he also advises caution. Horrocks points out that one of the main problems with the artist renderings is the fact that there are two different faces. "There's no way of knowing," says Horrocks, "which one is right."
Horrocks told Crimesider that the location of the Smiths' sighting - 400 yards from where the McCanns were staying - is also troubling. Horrocks estimates, "It could take 5 to 10 minutes for a person to walk that distance, carrying a child who has just been abducted." That, according to Horrocks is "too long a time, someone could raise an alarm," suggesting the abductor probably would have been more careful.
He speculates that if the Smiths' sighting is of Madeleine's kidnapper, then the chances are the suspect lived near the area where the they saw the person carrying the child.
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Images and E-fits
THE KEY SUSPECT
Two images of a man wanted in connection with the case were released today.
The man was spotted by the Smiths, an Irish family, who said they saw him carrying a small child at around 10pm on the night Madeleine went missing close to the McCanns’ apartment.
He is white with short brown hair and of medium build and height.
(https://i.imgur.com/5qZ8Ewj.jpg)
New suspect: These images have been released by police today
At around 10pm the Smiths, an Irish family, saw a man on Rua da Escola Primária, approximately 600 meters from the Ocean Club, carrying a young girl and walking in the direction of Rua 25 de Abril away from the McCann’s apartment.
They described the girl as four years old, wearing light-coloured pyjamas, with blonde hair and pale skin.
Two e-fits of the man were released today.
He is described as white, aged between 20 and 40, with short brown hair.
He is of medium build. Medium height and clean shaven.
In September 2008 a team of private investigators produce two e-fit images of the man seen by the Smiths but they are not made public until this week.
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http://www.mccannfiles.com/id162.html
Chapter 8 - A man carrying a child on the way to the beach - pages 111-114
30 July 2008
Thanks to 'blackberry' for translation
- The Smith family, from Ireland, is in Luz for holidays, staying at their own holiday apartment; four adults and 5 children: the father (retired, 58) his wife, his son (23 yr old) and daughter-in-law and their two children (ie, Mr Smith's grandchildren), his daughter (12), two additional grandchildren, 10 and 4, of another daughter back in Ireland.
- approx 21h55, they are returning from "Kelly's Bar", heading north, all spread out along the street
- they pass a man walking down the middle of the street, carrying a child, with the head against his left shoulder and the arms hanging down alongside the body, in light colored or pink pyjamas, bare feet, pale skin typical of British and blond, shoulder-length hair; the girl is about 3-4 years old, about 1 meter tall.
- The man is not dressed like a tourist; he's wearing cream or beige trousers, classic cut, of linen or cotton. He is white, 30-35 yrs, 1.70-1.80 meters tall, average build, physically fit, short, brown hair, with a face that looks tanned.
- Images of Robert Murat begin to circulate around the world
- Back in Ireland, the Smiths watch the news and learn of Jane's statement and the suspicions falling upon Murat.
- The father contacts the Irish police. He tells his story. The man he saw was NOT Murat. He knows Murat and it was not him.
- The father is almost certain that the girl he saw was Madeleine.
- The Smiths are secretly brought back to Portugal. On Saturday, 26 May, in Portimão, Smith and his two children are interviewed.
- Their testimony is credible, but given the lack of light in the area, they can't identify the man who was carrying the child.
- The described the way he walked and carried her; this image is strongly fixed in their memory.
Chapter 21 - An Irish family in shock - pages 197-199
- Sept 2007, McCanns return to UK
- Gerry exits the plane, carrying his son against his left shoulder, the child's arms down along his sides, down the stairs and across the tarmack Gerry walks
- The Smith family see this recording on the news at 22h00 and are hit hard: they know this person, this way of carrying a child and of walking. It is Gerry McCann, they believe with a high degree of certainty, that they saw on 3 May at about 22h00, carrying a 4 yr old girl who appeared to be deeply asleep
- The father contacts the police to communicate this new information. He says he has not slept since 9 Sept and is very upset. It's as if he re-lived the night he saw the man carrying the child. Seeing Gerry walk and carry the child, awoke something in his head...
- Still not completely convinced, he watches the news again on ITV and also on Sky.
- No, there are no doubts. Gerry McCann looks just like the same person he saw carrying the child on May 3.
- Smith, upset and worried about what he saw and has concluded, needs the investigators to contact him.
- In late September, the Portuguese police receive this information from Smith. This appears to be a piece of the puzzle.
- Now Jane Tanner's insistence at seeing the abductor go the other direction makes sense, removing attentions from the way Gerry walked, in the direction of the beach. The man carrying a child didn't walk east towards Murat's house, but west in the direction of the Smiths.
- This puzzle piece allows the investigators to reconstruct what happened on that cold night of 3 May. The puzzle is almost complete.
- We make the decision to bring the Smiths back to Portugal. They will be heard, and in legal and procedural terms, will give their identification using televised images, since a personal identification [of Gerry] is out of the question.
- A reconstitution of that night, with the Smiths, is seriously considered.
- But the Smiths don't return to Portugal.
- The Portuguese police changed their minds after GA leaves the team; they decide to use the international request mechanism [letters rogatory]
- This leads to absurd delays
- In the meantime, rumours abound that strangers to the investigation have found about about this witness and his family and, supposedly, have tried to talk to Smith, though their intentions in doing so are unknown.
Text: "Rua da Escola Primária, the location where the Smith family (black arrow) crosses paths with a man who was walking down the street (red arrow) carrying a child, on the 3rd of May 2007, at around 10 p.m." Photograph courtesy of Gonçalo Amaral, 'The Truth of the Lie'.
Most likely route taken from Apartment 5A
This map marks in red the most likely route taken, if the man seen by the Smith family was Gerry McCann and the starting point was the McCanns' apartment.
It is possible that another route may have been taken - straight down the R. Primeiro de Maio and then right into R. da Escola - but that route would have increased the likelihood of being seen, being on a main road and presumably reasonably well lit.
The route above appears to offer the greater degree of privacy as it passes waste land, is not overlooked by apartments or houses and would presumably have been considerably darker than the main road.
The meeting
This map shows the point at which the Smith family met and passed a man carrying a child.
The red line indicates the route of the man, the black line indicates the route of the Smith family, who were returning from Kelly's Bar.
The alternative route
This is the alternative route into R. da Escola if the man had walked straight down R. Primeiro de Maio and then turned right.
Close up of R. da Escola
This picture gives a close up of R. da Escola. The meeting took place roughly half way up this road.
The zig-zag building on the left can be clearly seen in the photograph reproduced from 'The Truth of the Lie' above.
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Martin Smith's sighting
Height:
175 to 180 cm tall (5’ 9’’ to 5’ 11’)
Age:
30-35
Hair:
Short, brown hair
Skin:
White
Top clothes:
A darker top. The man is not dressed like a tourist
Trousers:
Cream or beige trousers, classic cut, of linen or cotton
Build:
Average build, physically fit
Shoes:
Not specified
Carrying child:
Carrying a child, with the head against his left shoulder and the arms hanging down alongside the body
Child's description:
Bare feet, pale skin typical of British and blonde, shoulder-length hair; the girl is about 3-4 years old, about 1 metre tall
Child's clothes:
Light coloured or pink pyjamas
Witness testimony of Martin Smith, 26 May 2007
Witness testimony of Martin Smith, 26 May 2007
Date of Diligence: 2007.05.06
Location: DIC Portimao
Name: MARTIN SMITH
The witness states:
• That he comes to the process as a witness.
• Being of Irish nationality, he does not understand Portuguese in its written or oral form and is accompanied by an interpreter.
• That he has an apartment in Luz, Lagos, located in the Estela da Luz Urbanizaco, A1C. This apartment is co-owned by a friend whose name is L*** O*****. He normally visits Portugal three times a year. When here, he stays in the apartment. Concerning this period, he states that he arrived in Portugal on the 30th of April, 2007, with a booked return date of May 9, 2007. He arrived at Faro airport and flew out from Dublin.
• Concerning the facts under investigation, on the 3rd of May, he went with his family to the Dolphin restaurant in Praia da Luz where they dined. Around 21H00 they left the restaurant and headed toward "Kelly's Bar"; about a 50 metre distance from the restaurant, following the path, as it is very short. The walk took him a few minutes. In "Kelly's Bar" they consumed some drinks. They left that establishment around 21H55 as his son was due to return home very early the next day. This bar is located on Calheta Street.
• After leaving the bar, he travelled in the opposite direction and reached a set of stairs which gave access to Rua 25 de Abril (25th of April Street). On this artery they followed a second street, parallel to Rua 1 de Maio (1st of May Street) whose name he does not remember. He was heading toward his apartment (Estrela da Luz complex) which is located a little above the street that crosses the primary school. As he reached this artery, he crossed an individual holding a child. He notes that it is normal to see people carrying children, especially during the holiday season. This individual was walking the downward path, in the opposite direction. He is not aware where this person was headed. He only saw him as they passed each other. He assumed it was a father and daughter and thought nothing more of it.
• Urged, states that when he passed this individual, it must have been around 22H00. He did not know at the time that a child had disappeared. He only became aware of the disappearance of the child the next morning, from his daughter in Ireland. She had sent him a message or called him regarding what had happened. At this point he thought that MADELEINE could have been the child he saw with the individual.
• Regarding the individual he states that: he was Caucasian, around 175 to 180m in height. He appeared to be about 35/40 years old. He had a normal complexion, a bit on the thin side. His hair was short, in a basic male cut, brown in colour. He cannot state if it was dark or lighter in tone. He did not use glasses and had no beard or moustache. He did not notice any other relevant details partly due to the fact that the lighting was not very good.
• He was wearing cream or beige-coloured cloth trousers in a classic cut. He did not see his shoes and cannot describe the colour or form of the same.
• He states that the child was female, about four years of age as she was similar to his granddaughter of the same age. It was a child of normal complexion, about a metre in height. The child has blonde medium-hued hair, without being very light. Her skin was very white, typical of a Brit. He did not look at her eyes. As she was asleep and her eyelids were closed.
• She was wearing light-coloured pyjamas. He cannot state with certainty the colour. She was not covered by any other cover or sheet. He cannot confirm whether she was barefoot but in his group, they spoke about the child having no cover on her feet.
• Urged, he states that the individual did not appear to be a tourist. He cannot explain this further. It was simply his perception given the individual's clothing. He states that the individual carried the child in his arms, with her head laying on the individual's shoulders to the right of the deponent. He adds that he did not hold the child in a comfortable position.
• Having already seen various photographs of MADELEINE alongside her images on television, states that she may have been the child he saw. He cannot state this as fact but is convinced that it could have been MADELEINE. Indeed, this is the opinion of his family.
• Questioned, says that the individual did not speak nor did the child as she was in a deep sleep.
• States that it is not possible to recognise the individual in person or by photograph.
• Adds that in May and August of 2006, he saw ROBERT MURAT in Praia da Luz bars. On one of these occasions, he was inebriated and spoke to everyone. He did not use glasses at this time. He also states that the individual who carried the child was not ROBERT. He would have recognised him immediately.
• At being asked, states that he was accompanied by his wife, MARY SMITH and his son, PETER SMITH, his daughter-in-law, S***, and his grandchildren of 13 and 6 years of age (children of PETER) T**** and C***, his daughter AOIFE (12 years of age) and his other two grandchildren (A******* (10 years old) and E***** (four years old). These are children of his daughter B***** who was in Ireland.
• States also that when he passed this individual mid-street, traffic is minimal or non-existent.
• He adds that the group passed him some metres away so that they could make out the individual from various distinct positions.
• He has added a sketch indicating the direction of the locale and the sighting.
• He has no other elements to offer the investigation.
• And nothing more was said. He reads and finds it in conformity, ratifies and signs together with the interpreter.
Map showing the location of the Smith family sighting
Map showing the location of the Smith family sighting
Witness testimony of Aoife Smith, 26 May 2007
Witness testimony of Aoife Smith, 26 May 2007
Date of Diligence: 2007.05.26
Location: This Department
Name: Aoife Smith
The witness states:
• That she comes to the process as a witness.
• Being of Irish nationality, she does not understand Portuguese in its written or oral form and is accompanied by an interpreter.
• States that she arrived on her Portugal holiday on the 30th of April, 2007. She came with her parents MARTIN and MARY Smith and her two nieces.
• They stayed in the Estrela Da Luz complex in Praia da Luz where her parents have an apartment.
• Her brother PETER was already in the apartment when they arrived as was her sister-in-law, her nephew (six years old), C*** and the son of her sister-in-law, T**** (13 years old).
• They came with the intention of holidaying for about 10 days. The return passage was booked for May 9, 2007. She is not exactly sure of the date.
• Her holidays were spent in the complex pool, in Praia da Luz and in the central commercial district. Normally, however, they spent a lot of time in Luz villa.
• When dining in the apartment, it was normal for them not to venture out. When they did go to the restaurant, they would stop by Kelly's Bar, situated on Calheta Street.
• Regarding the 3rd of May, 2007, she went, together with the family, to eat at the Dolphin restaurant, which is close to Kelly's Bar. When they left the restaurant around 21H30, they headed toward Kelly's Bar. They stayed there for about 30 minutes.
• Around 22H00, they left Kelly's Bar. The group headed, on foot, for their apartment.
• Questioned, she responds that she knows the time because her brother and father decided to leave early that night. There were two reasons for this: her sister-in-law was not feeling very well and the other reason had to do with her brother, sister-in-law, nephew and son of her sister-in-law, who were catching a flight to Ireland the very next day.
• Upon leaving the bar, they turned right and headed along the road for 40/50 metres. At this point, they again turned to the right and ascended a small street that gives way to stairs. These stairs give access to Rua 25 de Abril. As it was a large group (four adults and five children) they travelled apart from each other along the street with one closer to the front and the others behind. She does not remember how they were separated.
• The deponent remembers that upon reaching the top of the stairs, she looked to her left and saw a man (1) with a child (2) in his arms, walking along the path Rua 25 de Abril. He was walking in their direction at a distance of, give or take, two metres.
• The deponent crossed to the other side of Rua 25 de Abril and began walking on the street that leads to the primary school, in the direction of their apartment complex.
• She did not see if the referenced individual with the child descended the street via the stairs or if he continued via the 25 of Abril street.
• It was the first time she saw that man. She does not remember seeing him at any time in that location.
• She has seen photographs of Madeleine McCann and thinks that it could have been her. She is about 60% certain.
• The below referenced description about the individual was taken around 22H00, when the lighting was weak.
• Questioned, states that she would probably not be able to recognise the individual or the child:
Description:
• (1) the individual was male, Caucasian, light-skinned, between 20/30 years of age, of normal complexion, normal physique, around 175/180 metres in height. At the time she saw him, she did see his face but now cannot remember any detail. She believes that he had a clean-shaven face. She does not remember any tattoos, scars or earrings. She did not look at his ears. His hair was thick-ish, light brown in colour, cut in a short style, short from behind (normal) and a bit longer on the top.
• His trousers were beige in colour, made of cotton, possibly with buttons, and without any other decoration.
• She did not see what he was wearing above his trousers as the child covered him completely from the top.
• She did not notice what shoes he was wearing.
• The individual's gait was normal. He did not look tired and walked normally while carrying the child.
• (2) the child was female . She had straight long hair to the neck. The colour was light/light brown.
• She is certain that the child was about four years old because her niece (who was in the group) is of the same age and same height.
• She did not see the child's face because she was lying against the individual's left shoulder in a vertical position against the individual. She appeared to be sleeping. Her arms were suspended along her body and were not around the individual's neck. She did not look at the child's hands and cannot state the colour of her skin. She believes she was white.
• There was nothing covering the child, a comforter/blanket or any other piece of clothing but she only saw her back.
• She was wearing light trousers, white or light-pink, that may have been pyjamas. She does not remember if they were patterned as it was dark. The material was light and could have been cotton.
• She also had a light top, with long sleeves. She did not see well because the individual had his arms around the child. She is not sure if the child's top was the same colour as her trousers but the trousers were light.
• Questioned regarding her shoes, she responds that she did not remember seeing any but cannot remember if the child had any or not.
• Urged, affirms that she has finished declaring the truth, according to her knowledge.
• And nothing more was said. Reads and finds it inconformity, ratifies and signs together with her interpreter.
Witness testimony of Peter Daniel Smith, 26 May 2007
Witness testimony of Peter Daniel Smith, 26 May 2007
Date of Diligence: 2007.05.26
Time: 15.30
Location: DIC Portimao
Name: PETER DANIEL SMITH
Nationality: Irish
Profession: Commercial Manager
The witness states:
• That he comes to the process as a witness.
• Being of Irish nationality, he does not understand Portuguese in its written or oral form and is accompanied by an interpreter, Lidia Nascimento.
• States that father owns an apartment in the Luz Villa, Lagos, specifically in the Estrela da Luz complex, corresponding to A1C. His father comes to Portugal at least three times per year. This was the deponent’s first time to Portugal.
• With regard to this period he states that he arrived in Portugal on the 26th of April 2007 and had his return passage (which he complied with) booked for the 4th of May of the same year. He arrived at Faro airport having left from Dublin. He arrived a few days before his father, by choice in relation to the days available. He was accompanied by his wife, S***, and his two children TA*** and CO** aged 13 and 6 respectively.
• He would like to clarify that on day of the 3rd of May, he and the family went to the Dolphin restaurant, situated in Praia da Luz, where they dined. At around 21H00, they left the restaurant and headed toward Kelly's Bar, which is about one minute away on foot. In Kelly's Bar (he does not remember the name of the street it is on) they had a few drinks and left there around 21H50/22H00.
• They left the bar, and went up a set of stairs that give access to a road just above. On this road, they walked towards another street (whose name he does not know) and headed for Estrela da Luz. At the beginning of this road, he saw an individual carrying a child. This individual was walking normally although with somewhat quick steps as he was walking downwards. He appeared normal to the witness, as if this were father and daughter. He adds that this individual was coming down the street, in an opposite direction to that of the witness and his companions. He does not know the destination the individual took as he only saw him while they passed each other.
• When asked, he states that when he passed this individual it was around 21H55/22H00 and he had absolutely no knowledge at that time that a child had disappeared. He only found out about disappearance of the girl the next morning by means of someone he knew, the son of the builder of Estrela da Luz, who was also at the airport. The witness went to the airport given that, as planned, he intended to return to Ireland on this day.
• At this time, he did not associate the individual with the disappearance, however after having thought about the subject and about the coincidence of the time, he inferred that MADELEINE could have been the girl who was being carried by the individual he saw.
• As regards the description of the individual carrying the girl he says: Caucasian, around 175 to 180 cm in height. He was around 35, or older. Slightly brown skin as a result of sun exposure. He had a normal complexion, in good form. He had short hair, brown in colour. He does not remember if he wore glasses, or if he had a beard or a moustache. He did not notice any other relevant details as the lighting was bad.
• Neither does he remember the clothing the individual wore or his shoes. He states that he did not look at these details as his pregnant wife was somewhat indisposed and he was constantly looking at her and therefore did not pay attention to observing the individual.
• He states the child was female. She was perhaps two or three years old. She appeared to be a bit smaller than his niece of the same age. It was a girl with a normal complexion. She had blond hair, of medium tone, without being very shiny. Her skin was white, typically British. He did not see her eyes as she was asleep and her eyelids were closed.
• He does not remember her clothing very well but believes it was light summer clothing light in colour. He does not remember if she was covered by any blanket or covering. He cannot say whether she was barefoot.
• Having now seen various photographs of MADELEINE and television images, he says that the child being carried by the individual might have been her. He cannot state this as fact but is convinced that it could have been MADELEINE. Indeed, this is the opinion shared by his family.
• When asked, he states that the individual did not say a word nor did the child as she was sleeping deeply. He adds that the individual did not try to hide his face or lower his gaze. He did not notice anything strange.
• He says that it would not be possible to recognise the individual in person or from a photograph.
• When asked, he says that when he saw the individual, the witness was accompanied by his wife, S***, his father MARTIN, his mother MARY, his children TA*** and CO** aged 13 and 6 respectively, his sister AOIFE aged 12 and his two nieces AI****** and EI****, aged 10 and 4, the children of his sister B*****, who was in Ireland.
• He also says that when he passed the individual, the individual was descending to his right, and walked past the witness in the middle of the street, given that at that time the traffic was minimal or non-existent.
• He adds that the group were walking at a distance of some metres so that they were able to see the individual from various different positions.
• A sketch is attached showing the route and the location of the sighting.
• Adds also that his son TA*** was questioned in Ireland and said that the individual was wearing a long-sleeved coat, black in colour, and that the child was barefoot.
• He has no other elements to offer the investigation.
• And nothing more was said. Having read the statement and finding it to be in conformity, ratifies and signs together with the interpreter.
Local family may have seen missing Maddy, 06 June 2007
Local family may have seen missing Maddy Drogheda Independent
By Angela McCormick
Wednesday June 06 2007
A DROGHEDA family may have been the last people to see abducted four-year-old Madeleine McCann in Portugal.
The family isunderstood to have seen a child in the arms of a man on the night and at the time Madeleine was taken from her parents' apartments in Praia Da Luz.
They have reported the matter and recently gave statements to the Portuguese police.
The Portuguese police have asked the family not to speak to the press in case they compromise their investigations.
The family declined to give any details to the Drogheda Independent.
Portuguese police are convinced that the child, who vanished during a family holiday in the Algarve on May 3, was abducted.
A number of Drogheda-based families holiday in the nearby Estrela Da Luz apartments, part of a complex built by Drogheda man Gerry Fagan of Oceanico Developments.
'Estrela Da Luz is just around the corner from Praia Da Luz. Loads of Drogheda people go there. It is an absolute paradise,' said Jem O'Neill, a regular visitor.
http://www.mccannfiles.com/id162.htm
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Margarita, Caribbean. British yachtsman Trevor Francis, from Worthing, Sussex claimed to have seen a girl the "absolute image" of Madeleine on the Caribbean island on May 16 this year. His statement to Sussex police was forwarded in June to the Portuguese authorities, who passed it on to police in Venezuela.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/madeleinemccann/2529487/Madeleine-McCann-Five-reported-sightings.html
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http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.noticias24.com/actualidad/noticia/16613/un-ingles-dice-haber-visto-a-madeleine-mccann-en-porlamar/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dmadeleine%2Bmccann%2Bmargarita%26biw%3D1024%26bih%3D624
An Englishman claims to have seen Madeleine McCann in Porlamar
A British businessman who lives part of the year in Margarita, aboard a yacht, claims to have seen in a restaurant from Porlamar to Madeleine McCann, the British girl disappeared in a Portuguese tourist area just over a year.
The statements have been provided to the tabloid News of the World, and then redistributed by the Daily Mail.
A businessman claims to have seen Madeleine McCann in Venezuela just weeks ago, but was afraid to take if a scandal arming. New evidence of British Trevor Francis being considered "very seriously" by the team of private investigators Gerry and Kate McCann (parents) because it is the only alleged sighting of the girl in the talk of the distinctive spot having in his left eye.
Francis, 64 and owner of a yacht, told police in the UK that saw the small with three women in a restaurant on the island of Margarita in May, according to information released today.
However, said he did not alert anyone not wanting to make a fuss and worsen the situation told the Daily News of The World. "His eyes met mine when I passed him and saw the little smudge on her left eye as a sin. "
"I wanted to grab her or shout his name to see his reaction, but I was afraid to make a scandal ... a scandal would have armed and could have made things worse. I decided to look well to make sure she was to return to England and report it. "
This revelation occurs about a week after the police files were published according to the Portuguese law mandating judice raise after a certain period of time. The lawyers had access to the documents last week.
They are studying these documents for new runways that private detectives can follow in their own search for the girl who was out of an apartment in the resort of Praia da Luz on May 3 last year. The McCanns would be taken very seriously because this is the first sighting in the eye mark mentioned. Their private investigators delve into the link with Margarita, as the Caribbean islands are a regular shipping route from Portugal.
The witness, Francis, owns a home in Worthing, West Sussex, but now spends most of his time on his yacht five rooms in Margarita. Says he saw Madeleine with three women on May 16 this year at a restaurant located in Porlamar.
He said the girl fair skin contrasted with the appearance of the three Latino women he was. He added: "While the child was looked healthy and well cared for, looked sullen and refused to eat. He looked sad and out of place. I looked for about 20 or 30 minutes and decided to look more closely as I left the restaurant. I was about five feet of it. "
A number of sightings are being investigated, including one in a Belgian bank in which a security guard spotted a girl resembling Madeleine, next to a woman on CCTV images.
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http://metro.co.uk/2008/08/10/maddie-spotted-five-weeks-ago-358373/
Maddie ‘spotted five weeks ago’
Sunday 10 Aug 2008 7:10 pm
A British businessman claims he saw missing Madeleine McCann in the Caribbean five weeks ago.
Trevor Francis said he was sure the young blonde girl he saw was Madeleine because she had a distinctive mark on one of her irises.
‘I saw Maddie. I know it was her,’ he said. ‘I saw the unique blemish in her eye.’
The 64-year-old said he saw the girl with three South American or Spanish women in a restaurant on the Venezuelan island of Margarita.
‘There are sometimes white children in Venezuela but not as fair as this child. What I noticed most prominently were her eyes – they were big and staring,’ he said.
He said he wanted to intervene when he saw the girl but was afraid he would make the situation worse. Mr Francis, who owns a nursing home in West Sussex but mainly lives on his yacht in Margarita, has told police in Britain of the sighting. Clarence Mitchell, spokesman for Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry, said: ‘Mr Francis’ account mentions Madeleine’s eye which makes it perhaps more serious than other sightings.’ Maddie, then three, vanished more than a year ago while on holiday in Portugal.
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Madeleine sighting in the Caribbean just 12 weeks ago
10 Aug 2008 00:00 A little girl with Madeleine's unique eye blemish was seen in the Caribbean just 12 weeks ago.
A little girl with Madeleine's unique eye blemish was seen in the Caribbean just 12 weeks ago.
The sighting is being treated as "high priority" by Kate and Gerry's private investigators as it is the first to mention the distinctive mark in her right eye.
Briton Trevor Francis, captain of a charter yacht, is convinced he saw Maddy on the island of Margarita where he was moored.
The marina is on a direct shipping route from Portugal - where she was snatched. He saw three women in a restaurant on May 16 with a girl he is "85 per cent certain" was Madeleine.
Mr Francis has told British police: "I noticed that the little girl was white with fair hair.
"There are sometimes white children in Venezuela but not as fair as this child.
"She really stood out. She was the absolute image of the missing Madeleine McCann. She was very sullen-looking and refused to eat. She looked unhappy and out of place."
He added: "I shuffled in my seat so I could see 'Madeleine' clearly.
"I was about four or five feet away from the little girl. Her eyes met mine as I walked past and that's when I saw the little blemish in her right eye - it was like a little fleck."
British police advised Portuguese police to treat the sighting as "very high priority", but the files do not say what, if any, action was taken. The McCanns' spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "It is very encouraging that Mr Francis got close enough to see the mark, which we believe is unique to Madeleine.
"Our investigators will be speaking to him."
In another new sighting, Angolan Marco Ventura claimed he saw a girl identical to Madeleine in Portugal, in a Dutch-registered BMW, five weeks after she disappeared.
Two other witnesses have said they saw her in Holland.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/madeleine-sighting-in-the-caribbean-just-12-325726
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http://themaddiecasefiles.com/topic67-90.html
Processos Vol XVI
Page 4375
Service Information
Date: 2008-06-17
To: The Coordinator of the Criminal Investigation, Paulo Rebelo
From: Inspector Ricardo Paiva
Subject: Communication to join to the process files
Within the scope of the investigation referred to above into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, this police station received information from the British authorities, telling of an alleged sighting of the girl in the company of three women at about 13.00 on 16th May 2008 at the Lugar de Enquenter restaurant, situated in the Avenida de Mayo in Porlamar, Margarita Island, Venezuela.
The alleged sighting was reported to the British authorities by a sailor named Trevor Francis, captain of a sailing yacht who was staying at the Marina Hilton and had lunch at the restaurant that day.
The Liaison Officer of this police force in Venezuela was requested by fax to gather all the pertinent information about this subject as well as the diligences considered appropriate, in the sense of preserving elements (security camera images, contacts with eventual witnesses, etc) in order to check the reliability of this information.
I bring this to your knowledge.
Signed
Inspector Paiva
(Doc linked in TOC)
_________________
ines753@etb.net.co
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From : Abigail.Lunn@sussex.pnn.police.uk
Sent : 9th June 2008 16.07
To : Burrows Gary
Subject : Our Ref - Serial 598 09:06:08 Madeleine
Sensitivity : Confidential
------------------------Original Message------------------------
From : Lunn Abigail DL505
Sent : Monday 9th June 2008 16.05
To : 'Gary.'
Subject : Our Ref - Serial 598 09:06:08 Madeleine
Sensitivity : Confidential
DC Burrows,
I attended Baytree Nusring Home this afternoon and took a detailed 4 page statement from Trevor Francis, the owner.
Mr Francis is retired, however he is the Captain of a Charted Yacht that sails to various locations in the Carribbean. One of these is the Island of Margharita, where Mr Francis spends most of his time.
He is now back in England til next Monday.
Mr Francis says that he was in a restaurant called "LUGAR DE EQUENTER", which is (on, (sic)) one of the main roads in "PORLAMAR" on Margharita, on Friday 16th May 2008 with a casual female aquaintance at about 1300hrs.
He was having difficulty with his order, so when 3 females with a little girl walked in through the front door shortly after 1300hrs, he didn't take any notice at first. A few minutes later he glanced over and the little girl immediately stood out.
His first reason was that it was a fair haired white child, which is unusual on the Island. He said that, although he hasn't been in the UK for all of the Press coverage, he has seen pictures of Madeleine on TV and is sure that it was her.
The things that stood out for him were :
- She was approx 4yrs, white, fair collar-length hair, "pretty little girl".
Page 4378 (Page 3 of 4 )
- He says that she is the 'absolute image' of Madeleine.
- She looked 'sullen' and unhappy, and was refusing the food that one of the females was trying to feed her.
- When he walked past her on his way out, he was approx 4-5 feet from her, and he noticed a distinctive blemish in her right eye, like a fleck.
- He has said that he was so amazed by the little girl that he didn't pay any attention to the 3 women. All he could say was that they were all of South American/Spanish appearance, approx late 30's to early 40's. One female had bleached platinum blonde hair, of slim build, one was of a fairly heavy build with long dark straight hair and the other was of a heavy build with short dark bobbed hair. He says that the only distinctive thing about them was that they weren't very pretty !
- He also thinks that the women could possibly be local as they seemed to know the waiter, and didn't hesitate when finding a table - they seemed familiar with the place.
Mr Francis says he is 85% sure that it was in fact the missing Madeleine McCann. I have sent the statement and the statement taking notes via recorded delivery, marked urgent to the address you gave. This was done immediately after I finished taking the statement, at about 1600hrs before I booked off duty.
I hope that this information is sufficient until the statement arrives. I am on duty 0700-1600 hrs tomorrow, however if it is urgent then please call and speak to a Sergeant at Worthing.
Kind Regards
PC LUNN DL505.
(Noted here are several lines of Official Guidance relating to general issues regarding Confidentiality of documents relating to this "sighting")
Page 4379 (Page 4 of 4)
Ricardo Manuel Goncalves Paiva
_________________________________________
From : Hughes John (DC) ( John.Hughes443@leicestershire.pnn.police.uk) (Task@leicestershire.pnn.police.uk )
Date : 10th June 2008 12.22
To : Ricardo Manuel Goncalves Paiva
Subject : FW : D6507 1.pdf
Annexes : D6507 1.pdf
Further information on the sighting in Margarita.
DC John Hughes
___________________________________
From : Long Lindsay
Sent : 10th June 2008 12.20
To : Task
Subject : D6507 1.pdf
Thank you for your cooperation.
Leicestershire Constabulary.
4380 to 4383 Witness statement of Trevor Francis (English)
16-Processo 16 - Pages 4380 to 4383
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4380
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4381
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4382
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4383
Table of Contents : Processo Vol 16..(PDF pages 249-252)...Pages 4380 to 4383-"Witness statement of Trevor Francis (English)"
Vol 16 Page 4380 (Page 1 of 4) (Handwritten statement)
09/06/2008 15.17 01243843566 (COPY - A3895) PAGE 01/04
SUSSEX POLICE
RESTRICTED (when complete)
Statement of Mr Trevor FRANCIS
Age if under 18...018....(if over 18 insert 'over 18') Occupation : Retired.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This statement (consisting of....4....page(s) each signed by me) is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and I make it knowing that, if it is tendered in evidence, I shall be liable to prosecution if I have wilfully stated anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true.
(signed) : T Francis
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Tick if witness evidence is visually recorded....(No tick indicated)
My name is Trevor FRANCIS and I am the owner of Baytree Nursing Home in Worthing. I am rarely in England as I am the captain of a charter yacht. I spend a lot of my time sailing, however I am based in a place called PORLAMAR, which is on the island of MARGARITA. For the past 18 months I have been there, living off my boat in the 'MARINA HILTON' which is what the marina is known as because it is in close vicinity of the 'HILTON' Hotel. I have been back in the UK for about 4 weeks now. This visit is so that I can check on my business etc. Just over three weeks ago, on a Friday : I am sure it was the 16th May, I was in a restaurant on the AVENUE DE MAYO - the main road in the town of PORLAMAR. I was in there with a casual female aquaintance, having some lunch. This was about 1300hours. The restaurant is called 'LUGAR DE ENQUENTER' which means 'THE MEETING PLACE' in English. It's a typical cafe/restaurant, with rows of different tables in an open plan area. The tables are in no particular arrangement, and there are large glass windows that let in plenty of sunlight ; the restaurant faces South and so gets lots of light in. As it is in an open plan restaurant there was nothing to obstruct my view of
Page 4381 (Page 2 of 4)
the other people in the restaurant. There were a few people in the restaurant. Just after about 1300hrs, the door opened and three females with a little girl came in. They sat down at a table opposite me, about 20 feet away from me. There were two tables between us, with one person at each, but they did not obstruct my view of their table. At first I did not take any notice because I was having trouble with my food - I had to send it back and the drinks were taking too long. Once I had sorted out my order, I glanced back at the table with the women and the small girl. I noticed that the little girl was white, with fair hair. There are sometimes white children in Venezuala, but not as fair as this child. She really stood out. I was transfixed. She was the absolute image of the missing Madeleine MC'CANN, with chin length straight fair hair, about 4 years old, a pretty little girl. What I noticed most prominently were her eyes - they were big and staring. Lots of things went through my mind - I wanted to jump up and grab her or shout out her name and see what reaction I would get from the girl. However I was afraid to do anything and cause a scene, as a huge raucous would have erupted, and it could have made things worse. Venezualan Police are not very helpful to foreigners and are very corrupt. I decided to get a good look to make sure it was her so I could come back to ENGLAND and reprt it. I shuffled in my seat so I could see 'Madeleine' clearly. The little girl sat facing me, with a female either side of her and one sitting on the opposite side, but not directly in front of the girl, so I could see her well.
Page 4382 (Page 3 of 4)
I didn't pay much attention to the three women because I was concentrating on the little girl. However from what I..((Note : "would say" initially written but struck through here))..saw, I would say that they were all of Spanish/South American origin. Female 'one' I can describe as being heavily built, dark short bobbed hair. Female 'two' had bleached platinum blonde hair, with a slim build. The third female, 'female three' had long black hair, and she was heavily built. I can't remember how tall they were or what clothes they were wearing, but they were aged between their late 30's to early 40's. One of them was wearing a red top but I can't remember which one. They weren't very pretty. They seemed to be local women, as they didn't hesitate at finding a table when they came in and they seemed to know the waiters. One of the women sat next to the little girl was trying to feed her what looked like some sort of pasta dish. Although the girl looked to me to be healthy and well cared for, she was very sullen looking and refused to eat anything. Something just didn't fit - she looked unhappy and out of place. The women were talking amongst themselves and at the little girl. I couldn't understand what they were saying because they were speaking in Spanish. The little girl wasn't saying anything. I saw her from about 20 feet away for about 20-30 minutes. It was a sunny day and the restaurant was well lit. There were no obstructions in my view : I kept shifting in my seat, trying to get a good look without anyone noticing. As I left the restaurant I was about 4-5 feet away from the little girl. Her eyes met mine as I walked past and that's when
Page 4383 (Page 4 of 4)
I saw the little blemish in her right eye - it was like a little fleck - I haven't been in England for all of the press coverage and updates about Madeleine MCCANN, but I have seen photos of her on the news. From what I saw of the little girl that day I would say that I am about 85% certain that it was in fact Madeleine McCANN, She watched as I left the restaurant. I went back to my boat and I didn't see her or the females again. I was wearing my prescription glasses throughout the whole time in the restaurant. Thinking about it, it makes sense to me that the girl could be Madeleine. I have been a seaman for many years and the sailing route from Portugal ; which is a common meeting place for boats, and on to the Canaries, Barbados, Trinidad and finally the Island of Margharita is a very well trodden one. Many people prefer to carry on to Margharita rather than stay in Barbados or Trinidad as it is much cheaper. It would also make sense for her to be there as it is easy for someone to hide her away where it is less touristy. At the time I wasn't sure what to do, so I decided to come back to England and tell police as I thought it would be a better idea to report a possible sighting of a little girl who looked just like the missing Madeleine McCANN. I want to be able to help the police in finding her and would be willing to support any police action.
(signed) : T Francis.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/TREVOR_FRANCIS.htm
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http://newsoutlines.blogspot.com/2008/08/i-spotted-maddies-tell-tale-eye-i-was.html
8/10/2008 Posted by Winnower
I spotted Maddie's tell-tale eye
Exclusive
Ross Hall
10 August 2008
The News of the World
New sighting brings hope to Gerry & Kate
A VITAL new witness in the hunt for Madeleine McCann has told cops: "I saw Maddie. I know it was her-I saw the unique blemish in her eye."
Businessman Trevor Francis is certain he spotted the missing five-year-old in Venezuela just WEEKS ago. Because of the remarkable eye detail, Gerry and Kate McCann regard this as one of the most significant sightings.
********************************
I was too afraid to grab her
Exclusive
Ross Hall
10 August 2008
The News of the World
Witness was sure restaurant girl was missing; Maddie but was fearful of causing a scene
THE British businessman who swears he spotted Madeleine McCann in the Caribbean just weeks ago has told of the haunting moment he saw the tell-tale blemish in her eye.
In a dramatic statement to police back in the UK yacht skipper Trevor Francis, 64, said the girl was with three women in a restaurant on the Venezuelan island of Margarita.
He recalled: "Her eyes met mine as I walked past and that's when I saw the little blemish in her right eye-it was like a little fleck."
And he added: "I wanted to grab her or shout out her name and see what reaction I would get.
"But I was afraid to do anything and cause a scene... a huge ruckus would have erupted and it could have made things worse.
"I decided to get a good look to make sure it was her so I could come back to England and report it."
Unlike all other reported sightings, fresh witness Trevor is the FIRST to get a clear view of the unique blemish matching Madeleine's eye.
McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell last night said the detail of his description was very significant.
He added: "The investigation team are looking into this seriously. The eye makes it potentially more serious than other sightings."
Our revelation climaxes a week in which the Portuguese police case files
were released, highlighting reported sightings across the world since Madeleine went missing from the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz a year ago. Many have already been discredited or ruled out.
Pretty
But now the McCanns' private investigators are making urgent enquiries into the Margarita connection. Caribbean islands are on a regular sailing route from Portugal
Divorced dad of two Mr Francis, 64, built and owns a nursing home in Worthing, West Sussex, but spends most of his time on his five-bedroom yacht Northern Seas based in Margarita.
On a recent trip home to check on business interests he made a detailed hand written statement to Sussex cops revealing he's certain he saw Madeleine on May 16 this year in the Lugar de Equenter restaurant in the town of Porlamar.
"I was in there having some lunch," said Trevor. "There was lots of light and nothing to obstruct my view.
"The door opened and three females with a little girl came in. They sat down at a table opposite me about 20 feet away. At first I did not take any notice as I was having trouble with my order. Then I glanced back and noticed the little girl was white with fair hair.
"There are sometimes white children in Venezuela but not as fair as this child. She really stood out. I was transfixed.
"She was the absolute image of the missing Madeleine McCann with chin-length straight fair hair, about four years old, a pretty girl.
"What I noticed most prominently were her eyes-they were big and staring. I shuffled in my seat so I could see 'Madeleine' clearly. I didn't pay much attention to the three women because I was concentrating on the little girl.
"However from what I saw I would say that they were all of Spanish/South American origin.
"Female '1' I can describe as being heavily built, dark short bobbed hair. Female '2' had bleached platinum blonde hair, with a slim build.
"The third had long black hair, she was heavily built. They were late 30s to early 40s. They weren't very pretty. They seemed to be local women as they didn't hesitate at finding a table when they came in and they seemed to know the waiters. One of the women was trying to feed the girl what looked like some sort of pasta dish.
"Although the girl looked healthy and well cared for, she was very sullen looking and refused to eat anything. Something just didn't fit. She looked unhappy and out of place.
"The women were talking amongst themselves and at the little girl. I couldn't understand, they were speaking in Spanish.
"The little girl wasn't saying anything, I watched her for about 20-30 minutes and decided to get a close look as I left the restaurant. Then I was four to five feet away." That was the dramatic moment Trevor spotted the tiny eye blemish. He said: "I haven't been in England for all of the press coverage and updates about Madeleine McCann but I have seen photos of her on the news. From what I saw that day I am about 85 per cent certain that it was in fact Madeleine McCann."
The eye blemish - often referred to as the "mark of Madeleine"-has formed a key part in the campaign to highlight her disappearance. It is played up prominently on posters and videos. It is actually what doctors call a coloboma-or defect-of the iris. Figures suggest it occurs in only about 0.007 per cent of the population.
Witness Trevor's son Ben, 22, of Worthing told us last night: "My dad is a very serious, credible and intelligent man. He's not the sort of person who would make things up. And he'd certainly never lie about something like this." Meanwhile, dozens of specialist police were drafted into Brussels yesterday after a bank security guard reported he saw a girl resembling her on Monday. He spoke out after case files revealed Scotland Yard had warned the child could have been stolen to order for a Belgian paedophile gang.
As detectives studied the CCTV pictures from the KBC bank in the rundown immigrant Molenbeek district, other officers trained in search techniques joined the hunt.
A spokesman said: "We're taking this very seriously. House-to-house searches have started, and numerous people are being spoken to. We're determined to establish exactly who the little girl in the CCTV images is."
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Restaurant Lugar de Encuentro
En Porlamar - Nueva Esparta
Dirección: Av. 4 de Mayo, Cruce con Calle San Francisco, Frente Bingo Charaima, Genoves, Porlamar, Margarita
Telefono(s): (0295)264.5182/6267
E-mail: blasrodriguezve@yahoo.com
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4380 to 4383 Witness statement of Trevor Francis (English)
16-Processo 16 - Pages 4380 to 4383
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4380
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4381
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4382
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4383
Table of Contents : Processo Vol 16..(PDF pages 249-252)...Pages 4380 to 4383-"Witness statement of Trevor Francis (English)"
Vol 16 Page 4380 (Page 1 of 4) (Handwritten statement)
09/06/2008 15.17 01243843566 (COPY - A3895) PAGE 01/04
SUSSEX POLICE
RESTRICTED (when complete)
Statement of Mr Trevor FRANCIS
Age if under 18...018....(if over 18 insert 'over 18') Occupation : Retired.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This statement (consisting of....4....page(s) each signed by me) is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and I make it knowing that, if it is tendered in evidence, I shall be liable to prosecution if I have wilfully stated anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true.
(signed) : T Francis
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tick if witness evidence is visually recorded....(No tick indicated)
My name is Trevor FRANCIS and I am the owner of Baytree Nursing Home in Worthing. I am rarely in England as I am the captain of a charter yacht. I spend a lot of my time sailing, however I am based in a place called PORLAMAR, which is on the island of MARGARITA. For the past 18 months I have been there, living off my boat in the 'MARINA HILTON' which is what the marina is known as because it is in close vicinity of the 'HILTON' Hotel. I have been back in the UK for about 4 weeks now. This visit is so that I can check on my business etc. Just over three weeks ago, on a Friday : I am sure it was the 16th May, I was in a restaurant on the AVENUE DE MAYO - the main road in the town of PORLAMAR. I was in there with a casual female aquaintance, having some lunch. This was about 1300hours. The restaurant is called 'LUGAR DE ENQUENTER' which means 'THE MEETING PLACE' in English. It's a typical cafe/restaurant, with rows of different tables in an open plan area. The tables are in no particular arrangement, and there are large glass windows that let in plenty of sunlight ; the restaurant faces South and so gets lots of light in. As it is in an open plan restaurant there was nothing to obstruct my view of
Page 4381 (Page 2 of 4)
the other people in the restaurant. There were a few people in the restaurant. Just after about 1300hrs, the door opened and three females with a little girl came in. They sat down at a table opposite me, about 20 feet away from me. There were two tables between us, with one person at each, but they did not obstruct my view of their table. At first I did not take any notice because I was having trouble with my food - I had to send it back and the drinks were taking too long. Once I had sorted out my order, I glanced back at the table with the women and the small girl. I noticed that the little girl was white, with fair hair. There are sometimes white children in Venezuala, but not as fair as this child. She really stood out. I was transfixed. She was the absolute image of the missing Madeleine MC'CANN, with chin length straight fair hair, about 4 years old, a pretty little girl. What I noticed most prominently were her eyes - they were big and staring. Lots of things went through my mind - I wanted to jump up and grab her or shout out her name and see what reaction I would get from the girl. However I was afraid to do anything and cause a scene, as a huge raucous would have erupted, and it could have made things worse. Venezualan Police are not very helpful to foreigners and are very corrupt. I decided to get a good look to make sure it was her so I could come back to ENGLAND and reprt it. I shuffled in my seat so I could see 'Madeleine' clearly. The little girl sat facing me, with a female either side of her and one sitting on the opposite side, but not directly in front of the girl, so I could see her well.
Page 4382 (Page 3 of 4)
I didn't pay much attention to the three women because I was concentrating on the little girl. However from what I..((Note : "would say" initially written but struck through here))..saw, I would say that they were all of Spanish/South American origin. Female 'one' I can describe as being heavily built, dark short bobbed hair. Female 'two' had bleached platinum blonde hair, with a slim build. The third female, 'female three' had long black hair, and she was heavily built. I can't remember how tall they were or what clothes they were wearing, but they were aged between their late 30's to early 40's. One of them was wearing a red top but I can't remember which one. They weren't very pretty. They seemed to be local women, as they didn't hesitate at finding a table when they came in and they seemed to know the waiters. One of the women sat next to the little girl was trying to feed her what looked like some sort of pasta dish. Although the girl looked to me to be healthy and well cared for, she was very sullen looking and refused to eat anything. Something just didn't fit - she looked unhappy and out of place. The women were talking amongst themselves and at the little girl. I couldn't understand what they were saying because they were speaking in Spanish. The little girl wasn't saying anything. I saw her from about 20 feet away for about 20-30 minutes. It was a sunny day and the restaurant was well lit. There were no obstructions in my view : I kept shifting in my seat, trying to get a good look without anyone noticing. As I left the restaurant I was about 4-5 feet away from the little girl. Her eyes met mine as I walked past and that's when
Page 4383 (Page 4 of 4)
I saw the little blemish in her right eye - it was like a little fleck - I haven't been in England for all of the press coverage and updates about Madeleine MCCANN, but I have seen photos of her on the news. From what I saw of the little girl that day I would say that I am about 85% certain that it was in fact Madeleine McCANN, She watched as I left the restaurant. I went back to my boat and I didn't see her or the females again. I was wearing my prescription glasses throughout the whole time in the restaurant. Thinking about it, it makes sense to me that the girl could be Madeleine. I have been a seaman for many years and the sailing route from Portugal ; which is a common meeting place for boats, and on to the Canaries, Barbados, Trinidad and finally the Island of Margharita is a very well trodden one. Many people prefer to carry on to Margharita rather than stay in Barbados or Trinidad as it is much cheaper. It would also make sense for her to be there as it is easy for someone to hide her away where it is less touristy. At the time I wasn't sure what to do, so I decided to come back to England and tell police as I thought it would be a better idea to report a possible sighting of a little girl who looked just like the missing Madeleine McCANN. I want to be able to help the police in finding her and would be willing to support any police action.
(signed) : T Francis.
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Restaurant Lugar de Encuentro
En Porlamar - Nueva Esparta
Dirección: Av. 4 de Mayo, Cruce con Calle San Francisco, Frente Bingo Charaima, Genoves, Porlamar, Margarita
Telefono(s): (0295)264.5182/6267
(https://i.imgur.com/17wP7Te.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/mFx7N2S.jpg)
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(https://i.imgur.com/49VO46k.jpg)
Crucial witness: Trevor Francis is convinced he saw Maddie
Monday, August 11 2008
'I saw Madeleine in Venezuela just weeks ago - and even spotted the tell-tale mark in her eye,' claims new witness
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 5:10 PM on 10th August 2008
A businessman has claimed he saw Madeleine McCann in Venezuela just weeks ago - but was too afraid to grab her in case he caused a scene.
The new evidence from Briton Trevor Francis is reportedly being treated 'very seriously' by Gerry and Kate McCann's private investigation team as it is thought to be the only sighting where the distinctive mark in Madeleine's right eye is mentioned.
Francis, a 64-year-old yacht skipper, told police in the UK he saw the little girl with three women in a restaurant on the Venezuelan island of Margarita in May, according to reports today.
However, he says he did not raise the alarm because he did not want to cause a scene and make the situation worse.
He told the News of the World: 'Her eyes met mine as I walked past and that's when I saw the little blemish in her right eye - it was like a little fleck.
'I wanted to grab her or shout out her name and see what reaction I would get. But I was afraid to cause a scene...a huge ruckus would have erupted and it could have made things worse.
'I decided to get a good look to make sure it was her so I could come back to England and report it.'
This latest revelation comes almost a week after police files were released under Portuguese law following the lifting of the period of judicial secrecy in the case.
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(https://i.imgur.com/g4GEGUh.jpg)
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AAV Yacht in Marina del Morro, Porlamar
(https://i.imgur.com/TE4CbQT.jpg)
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http://www.wheres-madeleine.info/maddie2.html
10/08/2008
I WAS AFRAID TO GRAB HER
Witness was sure restaurant girl was Maddie but feared causing a scene
By Ross Hall, 10/08/2008
A VITAL new witness in the hunt for Madeleine McCann has told cops: I saw Maddie. I know it was herI saw the unique blemish in her eye.
Businessman Trevor Francis is certain he spotted the missing five-year-old in Venezuela just WEEKS ago.
Because of the remarkable eye detail, Gerry and Kate McCann regard this as one of the most significant sightings.
Trevor, who swears he spotted Madeleine McCann in the Caribbean just weeks ago, has told of the haunting moment he saw the tell-tale blemish in her eye.
In a dramatic statement to police back in the UK yacht skipper Trevor Francis, 64, said the girl was with three women in a restaurant on the Venezuelan island of Margarita.
He recalled: Her eyes met mine as I walked past and thats when I saw the little blemish in her right eyeit was like a little fleck.
And he added: I wanted to grab her or shout out her name and see what reaction I would get.
But I was afraid to do anything and cause a scene. . . a huge ruckus would have erupted and it could have made things worse.
I decided to get a good look to make sure it was her so I could come back to England and report it.
Unlike all other reported sightings, fresh witness Trevor is the FIRST to get a clear view of the unique blemish matching Madeleines eye.
McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell last night said the detail of his description was very significant.
He added: The investigation team are looking into this seriously.
The eye makes it potentially more serious than other sightings.
Our revelation climaxes a week in which the Portuguese police case files were released, highlighting reported sightings across the world since Madeleine went missing from the familys holiday apartment in Praia da Luz a year ago.
Many have already been discredited or ruled out.
But now the McCanns private investigators are making urgent enquiries into the Margarita connection.
Caribbean islands are on a regular sailing route from Portugal Divorced dad of two Mr Francis, 64, built and owns a nursing home in Worthing, West Sussex, but spends most of his time on his five-bedroom yacht Northern Seas based in Margarita.
On a recent trip home to check on business interests he made a detailed hand-written statement to Sussex cops revealing hes certain he saw Madeleine on May 16 this year in the Lugar de Equenter restaurant in the town of Porlamar.
I was in there having some lunch, said Trevor.
There was lots of light and nothing to obstruct my view.
The door opened and three females with a little girl came in.
They sat down at a table opposite me about 20 feet away.
At first I did not take any notice as I was having trouble with my order.
Then I glanced back and noticed the little girl was white with fair hair.
She really stood out There are sometimes white children in Venezuela but not as fair as this child.
She really stood out. I was transfixed.
She was the absolute image of the missing Madeleine McCann with chin-length straight fair hair, about four years old, a pretty girl.
What I noticed most prominently were her eyesthey were big and staring.
I shuffled in my seat so I could see Madeleine clearly.
I didnt pay much attention to the three women because I was concentrating on the little girl.
However from what I saw I would say that they were all of Spanish/South American origin.
Female 1 I can describe as being heavily built, dark short bobbed hair.
Female 2 had bleached platinum blonde hair, with a slim build.
The third had long black hair, she was heavily built.
They were late 30s to early 40s.
They werent very pretty.
They seemed to be local women as they didnt hesitate at finding a table when they came in and they seemed to know the waiters.
One of the women was trying to feed the girl what looked like some sort of pasta dish.
Although the girl looked healthy and well cared for, she was very sullen looking and refused to eat anything.
Something just didnt fit.
She looked unhappy and out of place.
The women were talking amongst themselves and at the little girl. I couldnt understand, they were speaking in Spanish.
The little girl wasnt saying anything, I watched her for about 20-30 minutes and decided to get a close look as I left the restaurant.
Then I was four to five feet away.
That was the dramatic moment Trevor spotted the tiny eye blemish.
He said: I havent been in England for all of the press coverage and updates about Madeleine McCann but I have seen photos of her on the news.
From what I saw that day I am about 85 per cent certain that it was in fact Madeleine McCann.
The eye blemish often referred to as the mark of Madeleinehas formed a key part in the campaign to highlight her disappearance.
It is played up prominently on posters and videos.
It is actually what doctors call a colobomaor defectof the iris.
Figures suggest it occurs in only about 0.007 per cent of the population.
Witness Trevors son Ben, 22, of Worthing told us last night: My dad is a very serious, credible and intelligent man.
Hes not the sort of person who would make things up.
And hed certainly never lie about something like this.
Meanwhile, dozens of specialist police were drafted into Brussels yesterday after a bank security guard reported he saw a girl resembling her on Monday.
He spoke out after case files revealed Scotland Yard had warned the child could have been stolen to order for a Belgian paedophile gang.
As detectives studied the CCTV pictures from the KBC bank in the rundown immigrant Molenbeek district, other officers trained in search techniques joined the hunt.
A spokesman said: Were taking this very seriously.
House-to-house searches have started, and numerous people are being spoken to.
Were determined to establish exactly who the little girl in the CCTV images is.
Extract From:www.notw.co.uk
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El Lugar de Encuentro
Av. 4 De Mayo (Cl. San Francisco), Porlamar,
Latin American Restaurant
(https://i.imgur.com/wVX5gQJ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ImH17UI.jpg)
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http://www.abrebrecha.com/263353_Gobierno-bolivariano-dignifica-la-enseñanza-reinaugurando-UENB-grupo-Zulia-y-CEI-Simón-Bolívar.html
Grupo Zulia, Porlamar Schools, Margarita Island, Venezuela, February,2013
(https://i.imgur.com/VbvKiBC.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Lb0aFT2.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/t67nT9d.jpg)
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(https://i.imgur.com/YC1NTa4.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/aV7IAxk.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jGjJq1r.jpg)
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(https://i.imgur.com/zPb2ULE.jpg)
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(https://i.imgur.com/e3MwlYp.jpg)
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http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/TREVOR_FRANCIS.htm
OFFICIAL INQUIRY FILES and DOCUMENTS
TREVOR FRANCES MADELEINE SIGHTING
Sitemap
This information belongs to the Ministério Público in Portimão, Portugal.
It was released to the public on 4 August 2008 in accordance with Portuguese Law
4376 to 4379 Email from Stuart Prior to PJ re: possible sighting in Sussex
TRANSLATED BY INES
16- Processo 16 pages 4376 to 4379
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4376
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4377
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4378
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4379
Table of Contents : Processo Vol 16..(PDF pages-245-248 )...pages 4376 to 4379-"Email from Stuart Prior to PJ re: possible sighting in Sussex"
Vol 16 Page 4376 (Page 1 of 4 )
Our Ref - Serial 598 09:06:08 Madeleine
Ricardo Manuel Goncalves Paiva
From : Prior Stuart
Date : 9th June 2008 19.34
To : Ricardo Manuel Goncalves Paiva
Cc : Baraclough Nigel
Subject : FW : High priority Action 3895 re possible sighting of Madeleine McCann.
Sensitivity : Confidential.
Ricardo
as just discussed on the phone.
Nigel
Ricardo called in re the subscriber for the girl's call, any news yet ?
Ta Stu
Stu Prior
Detective Superintendent
Crime Support Department
Leicestershire Constabulary
From : Prior Stuart
Sent : 9th June 2008 19.07
To : Burrows Gary ; Graham Michael
Cc : Baraclough Nigel
Subject : FW : High priority Action 3895 re possible sighting of Madeleine McCann.
Sensitivity : Confidential.
Thanks for this Gary.
I still think we have to deal with it as a high priority until we know the Portuguese position.
Nigel, have one of our staff had a chance to speak with the informant to get a feel for him and any info he may have ?
Thanks
I also think we then need to get it to Portugal to get them to initiate enquiries as they wish.
If you let me know when its been sent I will contact Ricardo and advise him.
Thanks
Stu
Stu Prior
Detective Superintendent
Crime Support Department
Leicestershire Constabulary
Page 4377 (Page 2 of 4 )
From : Burrows Gary
Sent : 9th June 2008 16.45
To : Prior Stuart
Cc : Baraclough Nigel
Subject : RESTRICTED : - High priority Action 3895 re possible sighting of Madeleine McCann.
Importance : High
Sensitivity : Confidential
Sir,
I have received this report back from an Officer in the Sussex Police Force as a result of a high priority action I asked to be completed this morning. The precis of the statement below may be of interest to you in relation to the girl's description.
The original statement is in the post to myself and will be submitted with the action.
I am aware that we have had many "possible" sightings but feel this may need to be sent to Portugal for their information as soon as possible.
If it is felt that this is of no more a priority than any of the others then please disregard this e-mail.
Gary Burrows
DC 663
___________________________________
From : Abigail.Lunn@sussex.pnn.police.uk
Sent : 9th June 2008 16.07
To : Burrows Gary
Subject : Our Ref - Serial 598 09:06:08 Madeleine
Sensitivity : Confidential
------------------------Original Message------------------------
From : Lunn Abigail DL505
Sent : Monday 9th June 2008 16.05
To : 'Gary.'
Subject : Our Ref - Serial 598 09:06:08 Madeleine
Sensitivity : Confidential
DC Burrows,
I attended Baytree Nusring Home this afternoon and took a detailed 4 page statement from Trevor Francis, the owner.
Mr Francis is retired, however he is the Captain of a Charted Yacht that sails to various locations in the Carribbean. One of these is the Island of Margharita, where Mr Francis spends most of his time.
He is now back in England til next Monday.
Mr Francis says that he was in a restaurant called "LUGAR DE EQUENTER", which is (on, (sic)) one of the main roads in "PORLAMAR" on Margharita, on Friday 16th May 2008 with a casual female aquaintance at about 1300hrs.
He was having difficulty with his order, so when 3 females with a little girl walked in through the front door shortly after 1300hrs, he didn't take any notice at first. A few minutes later he glanced over and the little girl immediately stood out.
His first reason was that it was a fair haired white child, which is unusual on the Island. He said that, although he hasn't been in the UK for all of the Press coverage, he has seen pictures of Madeleine on TV and is sure that it was her.
The things that stood out for him were :
- She was approx 4yrs, white, fair collar-length hair, "pretty little girl".
Page 4378 (Page 3 of 4 )
- He says that she is the 'absolute image' of Madeleine.
- She looked 'sullen' and unhappy, and was refusing the food that one of the females was trying to feed her.
- When he walked past her on his way out, he was approx 4-5 feet from her, and he noticed a distinctive blemish in her right eye, like a fleck.
- He has said that he was so amazed by the little girl that he didn't pay any attention to the 3 women. All he could say was that they were all of South American/Spanish appearance, approx late 30's to early 40's. One female had bleached platinum blonde hair, of slim build, one was of a fairly heavy build with long dark straight hair and the other was of a heavy build with short dark bobbed hair. He says that the only distinctive thing about them was that they weren't very pretty !
- He also thinks that the women could possibly be local as they seemed to know the waiter, and didn't hesitate when finding a table - they seemed familiar with the place.
Mr Francis says he is 85% sure that it was in fact the missing Madeleine McCann. I have sent the statement and the statement taking notes via recorded delivery, marked urgent to the address you gave. This was done immediately after I finished taking the statement, at about 1600hrs before I booked off duty.
I hope that this information is sufficient until the statement arrives. I am on duty 0700-1600 hrs tomorrow, however if it is urgent then please call and speak to a Sergeant at Worthing.
Kind Regards
PC LUNN DL505.
(Noted here are several lines of Official Guidance relating to general issues regarding Confidentiality of documents relating to this "sighting")
Page 4379 (Page 4 of 4)
Ricardo Manuel Goncalves Paiva
_________________________________________
From : Hughes John (DC) ( John.Hughes443@leicestershire.pnn.police.uk) (Task@leicestershire.pnn.police.uk )
Date : 10th June 2008 12.22
To : Ricardo Manuel Goncalves Paiva
Subject : FW : D6507 1.pdf
Annexes : D6507 1.pdf
Further information on the sighting in Margarita.
DC John Hughes
___________________________________
From : Long Lindsay
Sent : 10th June 2008 12.20
To : Task
Subject : D6507 1.pdf
Thank you for your cooperation.
Leicestershire Constabulary.
4380 to 4383 Witness statement of Trevor Francis (English)
16-Processo 16 - Pages 4380 to 4383
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4380
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4381
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4382
16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4383
Table of Contents : Processo Vol 16..(PDF pages 249-252)...Pages 4380 to 4383-"Witness statement of Trevor Francis (English)"
Vol 16 Page 4380 (Page 1 of 4) (Handwritten statement)
09/06/2008 15.17 01243843566 (COPY - A3895) PAGE 01/04
SUSSEX POLICE
RESTRICTED (when complete)
Statement of Mr Trevor FRANCIS
Age if under 18...018....(if over 18 insert 'over 18') Occupation : Retired.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This statement (consisting of....4....page(s) each signed by me) is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and I make it knowing that, if it is tendered in evidence, I shall be liable to prosecution if I have wilfully stated anything which I know to be false or do not believe to be true.
(signed) : T Francis
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tick if witness evidence is visually recorded....(No tick indicated)
My name is Trevor FRANCIS and I am the owner of Baytree Nursing Home in Worthing. I am rarely in England as I am the captain of a charter yacht. I spend a lot of my time sailing, however I am based in a place called PORLAMAR, which is on the island of MARGARITA. For the past 18 months I have been there, living off my boat in the 'MARINA HILTON' which is what the marina is known as because it is in close vicinity of the 'HILTON' Hotel. I have been back in the UK for about 4 weeks now. This visit is so that I can check on my business etc. Just over three weeks ago, on a Friday : I am sure it was the 16th May, I was in a restaurant on the AVENUE DE MAYO - the main road in the town of PORLAMAR. I was in there with a casual female aquaintance, having some lunch. This was about 1300hours. The restaurant is called 'LUGAR DE ENQUENTER' which means 'THE MEETING PLACE' in English. It's a typical cafe/restaurant, with rows of different tables in an open plan area. The tables are in no particular arrangement, and there are large glass windows that let in plenty of sunlight ; the restaurant faces South and so gets lots of light in. As it is in an open plan restaurant there was nothing to obstruct my view of
Page 4381 (Page 2 of 4)
the other people in the restaurant. There were a few people in the restaurant. Just after about 1300hrs, the door opened and three females with a little girl came in. They sat down at a table opposite me, about 20 feet away from me. There were two tables between us, with one person at each, but they did not obstruct my view of their table. At first I did not take any notice because I was having trouble with my food - I had to send it back and the drinks were taking too long. Once I had sorted out my order, I glanced back at the table with the women and the small girl. I noticed that the little girl was white, with fair hair. There are sometimes white children in Venezuala, but not as fair as this child. She really stood out. I was transfixed. She was the absolute image of the missing Madeleine MC'CANN, with chin length straight fair hair, about 4 years old, a pretty little girl. What I noticed most prominently were her eyes - they were big and staring. Lots of things went through my mind - I wanted to jump up and grab her or shout out her name and see what reaction I would get from the girl. However I was afraid to do anything and cause a scene, as a huge raucous would have erupted, and it could have made things worse. Venezualan Police are not very helpful to foreigners and are very corrupt. I decided to get a good look to make sure it was her so I could come back to ENGLAND and reprt it. I shuffled in my seat so I could see 'Madeleine' clearly. The little girl sat facing me, with a female either side of her and one sitting on the opposite side, but not directly in front of the girl, so I could see her well.
Page 4382 (Page 3 of 4)
I didn't pay much attention to the three women because I was concentrating on the little girl. However from what I..((Note : "would say" initially written but struck through here))..saw, I would say that they were all of Spanish/South American origin. Female 'one' I can describe as being heavily built, dark short bobbed hair. Female 'two' had bleached platinum blonde hair, with a slim build. The third female, 'female three' had long black hair, and she was heavily built. I can't remember how tall they were or what clothes they were wearing, but they were aged between their late 30's to early 40's. One of them was wearing a red top but I can't remember which one. They weren't very pretty. They seemed to be local women, as they didn't hesitate at finding a table when they came in and they seemed to know the waiters. One of the women sat next to the little girl was trying to feed her what looked like some sort of pasta dish. Although the girl looked to me to be healthy and well cared for, she was very sullen looking and refused to eat anything. Something just didn't fit - she looked unhappy and out of place. The women were talking amongst themselves and at the little girl. I couldn't understand what they were saying because they were speaking in Spanish. The little girl wasn't saying anything. I saw her from about 20 feet away for about 20-30 minutes. It was a sunny day and the restaurant was well lit. There were no obstructions in my view : I kept shifting in my seat, trying to get a good look without anyone noticing. As I left the restaurant I was about 4-5 feet away from the little girl. Her eyes met mine as I walked past and that's when
Page 4383 (Page 4 of 4)
I saw the little blemish in her right eye - it was like a little fleck - I haven't been in England for all of the press coverage and updates about Madeleine MCCANN, but I have seen photos of her on the news. From what I saw of the little girl that day I would say that I am about 85% certain that it was in fact Madeleine McCANN, She watched as I left the restaurant. I went back to my boat and I didn't see her or the females again. I was wearing my prescription glasses throughout the whole time in the restaurant. Thinking about it, it makes sense to me that the girl could be Madeleine. I have been a seaman for many years and the sailing route from Portugal ; which is a common meeting place for boats, and on to the Canaries, Barbados, Trinidad and finally the Island of Margharita is a very well trodden one. Many people prefer to carry on to Margharita rather than stay in Barbados or Trinidad as it is much cheaper. It would also make sense for her to be there as it is easy for someone to hide her away where it is less touristy. At the time I wasn't sure what to do, so I decided to come back to England and tell police as I thought it would be a better idea to report a possible sighting of a little girl who looked just like the missing Madeleine McCANN. I want to be able to help the police in finding her and would be willing to support any police action.
(signed) : T Francis.
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The McCanns now have detectives working around the world at a reported cost of £166,000 a month.
Among the possible sightings they are following up, also apparently ignored by the Portuguese, is one by a British yachtsman on the Caribbean island of Margarita last May.
Trevor Francis, 64, of Worthing, West Sussex, said: 'I saw the little blemish in her right eye. She was the absolute image of Madeleine.'
He said the girl was in a restaurant with three women who looked Spanish. She seemed 'sullen' and refused to eat.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/portuguese-police-ignored-kidnapper-in-the-shadows-outside-madeleines-bedroom-6818652.html
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(https://i.imgur.com/AMqtp6I.jpg)
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http://goncaloamaraltruthofthelie.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-06-16T23%3A19%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=1
Amaral's Summary of the Smith sighting
Chapter 8
A MAN WITH A CHILD IN HIS ARMS
May 3rd, after 9.27pm, Dolphin restaurant,
Vila da Luz
The Smiths, from Ireland, are spending their holiday in Praia da Luz. After having dinner at the restaurant, they go to Kelly's bar, 50 metres away. They leave there at around 9.55pm to go back to their apartment in Estrela da Luz, west of the Ocean Club, 300 metres further on. They don't stay late because the next morning one of them has to go back to Ireland. It's a big family, of four adults and five children: the father, aged 58, retired, and his wife; their 12 year-old daughter; their two grand-children aged 10 and 4 (their mother stayed in Ireland); their son accompanied by his wife - who is pregnant - and their two children aged 13 and 6.
They go in a northerly direction, the group spreading out; the children are never far away from the adults. There's nobody about. They climb a few steps to reach 25 de Abril street, cross it and turn left into 1 de Maio street, that runs along the west side of the Ocean Club. They haven't gone 30 metres when they come across a man walking up the middle of the road. He is carrying a child in his arms, head resting on his left shoulder. The Smiths don't see the face of the little girl, whose arms hang by her sides. She is dressed in pale-coloured, maybe pink, pyjamas; her feet are bare, she is white and she has blonde hair that covers her neck. The individual's appearance gives the impression that he is not a tourist. He is wearing cream-coloured or beige trousers, classic in style, perhaps linen or cotton. He is a white man, aged around 30 to 35, with no other distinguishing features: he is between 1.70m and 1.80m tall, is visibly in good physical condition; his brown hair is cut short, his face is tanned.
At this time, images of Robert Murat - considered to be the main suspect - begin to be circulated all over the world. After they return to Ireland, the Smiths continue to follow the case. They learn that, according to Jane Tanner's statements, Murat is definitely the man encountered on the night of the abduction. Mr Smith then gets in touch with the Irish police to relate what he saw on the night of May 3rd. He insists, categorically, that the man they came across with the little girl in his arms was not Robert Murat. He is sure of it because he knows him. With hindsight, he is utterly convinced that the little girl was definitely Madeleine. We secretly organise for the Smiths to come to Portugal. On May 26th, in the offices of the Department of Criminal Investigation in Portimão, we interview the father and his son. What they say seems credible. However, because of the dim street lighting, they say they would have a hard time formally recognising the man who was carrying the child. On the other hand, they describe very clearly how the man was holding the little girl and how he was walking. That scene is indelibly printed in their memory. After their interview, they went back to the scene, accompanied by investigators. They indicate the precise place where they came across the man.
Their coming to Portugal as well as their statements are kept secret. Within a few days, they go back to Ireland, but contact is maintained: they undertake to let us have any further details they remember. We finally have credible witness statements about that stranger who, on the night of May 3rd, was walking in the streets of Vila da Luz with a child in his arms.
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Text: "Rua da Escola Primária, the location where the Smith family (black arrow) crosses paths with a man who was walking down the street (red arrow) carrying a child, on the 3rd of May 2007, at around 10 p.m." Photograph courtesy of Gonçalo Amaral, 'The Truth of the Lie'.
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http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/so ... r-10104793
'Someone is protecting Madeleine McCann's kidnappers' claims cop who spent years hunting her
Someone is protecting Madeleine McCann ’s kidnappers, says a detective who hunted for her for three years. As Kate McCann faced her 10th Mother’s Day without Maddie, retired Det Insp Dave Edgar broke his silence for the first time to open his files.
Revealing findings, that a child-sex gang most likely took the three-year-old, he said: “Someone knows what happened and it’s time they came forward.”
22:11, 26 MAR 2017
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McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell holds up a photo-fit of a woman
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Clarence Mitchell, left, and David Edgar with their e-fit
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http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/ma ... 51031.html
Portuguese police visit waste ground at centre of Madeleine McCann search
Portuguese police have visited the waste ground in Praia da Luz where the search for Madeleine McCann is due to start early next week.
Several PJ officers examined the area on foot and by car yesterday/on Wednesday after travelling to the Algarve holiday resort from their base in Faro an hour's drive away.
Faro police chief Luis Mota Carmo - who has held several meetings with the British detective leading the hunt for Madeleine McCann - led the site survey.
Last night it was reported the area the British police have been given permission to dig up is waste ground near to the spot where a man carrying a girl in pink pyjamas was seen the night Madeleine disappeared more than seven years ago.
It had been thought British police would start their search at fenced-off land next to the Ocean Club holiday complex where Madeleine was staying with her family.
But the Portuguese detectives were spotted going over wasteland next to 25th of April Street, a short walk west from the centre of Praia da Luz.
The large area of scrubland overlooking the Med is the only site British police have so far been given permission to search, Portuguese media reported.
Respected Portuguese daily Jornal de Noticias said a search team with police from the two countries would re-examine the site at the start of next week before cordoning off the areas they intend focusing on.