Enough is Enough - The McCann Saga

I see that opinions are varied on whether or not this will be a whitewash, but I think truth and justice will prevail for the missing child.

This case is not contained within the UK, other countries are involved.  The McCanns ex private detectives are currently facing criminal charges in Spain and Hallagen faces similar charges in the US. Newspaper reports from the time the McCanns employed these crooks, suggest that they were paid huge amounts of money from the Madeleine Fund, and any amount of evidence could be revealed in these forthcoming trials. 

In addition to this, the McCanns are claiming £1.2m damages from Goncalo Amaral, the co-ordinator in the original Portuguese investigation  who wrote The Truth of the Lie, a book based on the police investigation and TV1, the Portuguese television company who made a documentary of the book.  Attempts to settle this claim broke down in January and therefore a full libel trial must now go ahead, and a court date is imminent.  I think we can be pretty certain that Goncalo Amaral and TV1 will fight this claim vigorously and of course, whatever is said in Court can be reported in the UK press.

In my opinion, it is very unlikely that Portugal will bow down to the UK, and accept the blame for the failed investigation and the yearly bashing of their tourist industry by the McCanns.  Scotland Yard have said many times that they are supporting the work of the Portuguese investigation and there is no hint of animosity between the two forces, other than the blatantly manufactured stories of the popular UK press.  Why on earth would the Portuguese say their own investigation was shambolic and the beautiful Algarve is a haven for paedophiles?

From the recent press stories, if we discard the fluff, we can see that Scotland Yard are opening their own investigation, which of course will mean that any British suspects can be interviewed and charged here in the UK.  Those very expensive extradition lawyers employed by the McCanns, are now redundant as a full investigation can take place on British soil.  

This case is simply too complex to cover up indefinitely.  Any of those involved could break the pact and spill the beans at any time.  We can only imagine Scotland Yard detectives interviewing Jane Tanner?  Even the staunchest pro McCanns avoid using her nonsensical sighting as evidence of an abduction - are seasoned homicide detectives really going to accept it? 

The CPS visiting Portugal is a huge development in this case. Logically, they can only be involved if a trial is to take place in the UK.  They are legal prosecutors, not investigators, and I don't think they would fly out to Portugal if the suspects had not yet been identified.  

I know we have had a lot of ups and downs over the years, and at times it has seemed as though the McCanns are being protected, but I get the feeling that protection is no longer there.  Put simply, they have gone too far.  The ambitious Gerry and Kate saw the Madeleine Fund as a leading 'charity', one that would last forever more.  Their rage and anger I think, stems from frustration at their not being able to sustain the level of donations they achieved prior to their arguido status in 2007. The blame for this fell squarely on the shoulders of Goncalo Amaral and he had to be discredited at all costs.  

However, their vendetta has 'cost' them dear, so too have all their other legal attempts to shut down opposition. They have allowed their vanity and relentless pursuit for publicity to overshadow common sense. They believed they were invincible and their 'little company' would grow into a giant corporation, employing top libel lawyers to crush any dissenters.  All very high risk, but I have a feeling they went through a lot worse in May 2007, and if they could overcome that, anything else would be a piece of cake. 

The McCanns have said 'they will never stop - and if they money runs out, they will raise more' - and therein I think lies the problem. They are never going to go away, and no PM, government, nor Great British public, will ever be free of their demands. Maybe someone has finally said, enough is enough. 

       

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

I'm having a fantasy love affair at the mo.  I have found over the years that fantasy ones are much better for my health and bank account.  You can dump them without the hassle of restraining orders and moving house.  

The current object of my dysfunctional desires, is the simply scrumptious Henry VIII, I am, I am, in the wonderful and oft repeated Tudors on BBC2.  So he executed two of his wives - but at least you knew he was single!  On the plus side he bought his Queens (just saying His QUEENS, makes my toes tingle) lots of diamonds, pearls and big country estates.  I totally get why 6 of them were up for it.   

I'm trying to wean myself away from this current obsession by finding a down side to him.  Of course his real name isn't Henry, or Big Hal, its Rhys something, which, sad to say, doesn't quite capture the sexy allure of this God and my current fantasy boyfriend. Aw shucks, I'd be quite happy to call him 'Your Majesty'.

Enough already. However, even in my little fantasy world, where everything should be sweetness and light, its not.  I also have the hots for his best mate, hereinafter known as Your Grace, who just happens to be the new Superman!  I hasten to add, that my little fantasy world doesn't generally involve any 'how's yer father', (not with my arthritis, and him being superman) - but I digress.  I now have to go see the movie, on the basis of 'im being in the Tudors! Doh! 




Ps.  My sons have never forgiven me for taking them to see Little Buddha when they kids!  All these superhero films are payback :(

CENSORSHIP MCCANN STYLE

Having watched the case of Madeleine McCann since May 2007, and read the extensive police files, I do not believe there was an abduction.

Apparently not believing the abduction makes me a 'hater' and a 'pitchforker' and a stalker of the grieving parents.  

I don't hate the parents, I don't own a pitchfork and as for stalking, I merely read the same press releases as everyone else and sometimes I comment.  

This has led to a hate campaign against me that is malicious, spiteful and ridiculously disproportionate. I have never abused, insulted or accused anyone of anything. In trying to understand the nature of this dirty campaign, we need only look at the words of Kate McCann in regard to the detective who led the search for her missing daughter.  She wants him to feel misery and fear, indeed she wants anyone who does not believe her to feel misery and fear and her supporters are more than happy to carry out her wishes, as a quick scan of their antics on twitter will confirm. 

Recently these supporters have attacked my book Cry and You Cry Alone, by claiming that I have lied about St. Anne's Convent. I haven't.  All the details of my case are a matter of public record, and I have since been fortunate enough to meet up with peers who were at St. Anne's at the same time as myself, many of whom suffered far worse experiences at the hands of the nuns, than myself.  These cyber trolls who are attacking me, are also attacking others who had their childhoods blighted by cruelty and abuse. These same trolls also attack those who were abused by Savile.  We must ask, how attacking survivors of historic abuse helps in their search for the missing Madeleine McCann?

I have attempted to step back from this case as the Hate campaign against me is now affecting vulnerable people who do not deserve this abuse. However, this has made no difference, and in fact the McCann supporters have raised their game by posting negative reviews of my book on Amazon and by 'lifting' everything I tweet or post in order to trash me on their hate site.  This is censorship 'mccann' style, anyone who doubts their story will be ripped apart and used as an example to others who might be tempted to voice their doubts.  

Despite all of the above, I still have sympathy for the McCanns, there can be nothing worse than losing a child. Both the UK and Portugal have invested heavily in Reviews to discover what happened to Madeleine - lets hope these Reviews lead to a re-opening and  conclusion to this tragic case.  

ITS THE SIXTH YEAR, but who's counting

Not quite sure what to make of this year's abduction anniversary.  The McCanns were very jovial with beaming smiles throughout.  One might think they were home and dry.  They have also, I think, had a strategy meeting and decided to ditch the whiney voices and the hangdog expressions.  I can see why. Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone eh?  Nobody wants to see their sour faces popping up with regular monotony on our screens.  Enough already.  Their dreary pleas are a turn off.  So we now have the smiley successful, contented, middle class parents to tell us regularly whats good for us.  Thats good of them.  Assisted of course, by their nice spokesman, Mr. Mitchell, who will fill us in when they are too busy to deal with their public themselves. I felt today as if they were preparing us for something, but what?  Its all coming across a bit Norma Desmond.    

I can see why the two review teams haven't reached any conclusions.  It would be madness to alert an abductor, or indeed to tip off anyone else.  The McCann web is far reaching, any case they build must be rock solid.  There are high flying medical careers at stake, and the fall out to those on the periphery could be ruinous.  SY really don't have any room for eror.  I don't doubt the McCanns when they say SY are keeping are keeping them updated - they have the ear of the PM after all, but I suspect they are probably selective in what they pass on. as police always are.  Redwood was very clear, there are two lines of enquiry. One that she is alive, the other sadly, that she is dead.

It is apparent that the SY Review team are working convivially with the Oporto Review team. As well as their frequent trips to Portugal, we also saw SY coming away with boxes of documents from the fraudulent and now defunct Metodo3, supposedly containing 195 leads.  The McCann link to Metodo3 of course throws Spain into the diplomatic mix alongside Portugal and the UK.

Looking briefly at the Amanda Knox case, it struck me that Amanda has many high powered supporters in the US, possibly enough to keep her out of the Justice system in Italy.  The McCanns do not appear to have anywhere near that level of support.  Cameron is on a sticky wicket. I cannot see how he can risk a diplomatic incident  by pouring scorn on another country's entire police force.  There is a large British ex pat population in the Algarve who could suffer as a result of any backlash, ditto Spain who are due to put Metodo3 on trial.

Pieces of the puzzle are slotting into place.  We now know Leonor Cipriano was convicted of making false statements against Goncalo Amaral.  A crime she committed at the instigation of a lawyer hired for her by the dodgy private investigators, Metodo3.  She has had 7 months added onto her present sentence for murdering and butchering her daughter.  The smear campaign against Dr. Amaral has been vicious.  Murky stuff.

No matter which way, I think the McCanns will continue to get newspaper and tv interviews. The reality is their name and the mystery that surrounds them boosts circulation and viewing figures. The McCanns are well aware of this, particularly if it is a slow news week. Financially, everyone is a winner.  The McCanns get donations to their Fund and the news channels get a boost in their audiences.  

Going by their interviews today, I would say there has been a subtle change in focus from previous years.  They have stopped counting days and anniversaries.  Third May, is just another day now, not an anniversary.  They may have been advised that two appeals within a fortnight of each other each year simply isn't sustainable publicity wise.  In fairness, up until now, its only the Queen who has got away with that one.  One of the days had to go, so they dispensed with the 'nasty 3rd' and hung onto Madeleine's 10th birthday on the 12th (not that anyone's counting).  It seems as though we will have to forego the balloons and fire hazard lantern fest each Mayday (1st-3rd) possibly because that date has been taken since medeavil times, and the international workers unions are not too keen on renaming it Madeleine Day - the dirty rotten scoundrels.

From henceforth, they will celebrate Madeleine's birthday, and it is a celebration, Kate hastily reassured the embarrassed Adam Boulton, it is a celebration of her life.  She is very much alive in their home in Rothley.

And if that thought doesn't give regular people the screaming abdabs then I don't know what will.

POPE FRANCIS - NEW BROOM

If Pope Francis is looking for ways in which to make people like them again, and stop them from being suspicious, an idea might be to offer fair compensation to those who were abused whilst in the Church's care?

The scandal is, that each victim must face a public trial that is cruel and almost voyeuristic.  If a CSA survivor has been in the care of proven psychopaths, they should be automatically compensated, rather than tortured further with painful memories.  The Catholic Church in Ireland have admitted liability for the behaviour of the Sisters of Mercy, without victims having to go through the ordeal of years of litigation and a trial. Its time for the Catholic Church to make amends worldwide.

Now would be a good time for Pope Francis to make reparation to those who suffered at the hands of those employed by the Catholic Church.  Compensating victims without the need for them to go to trial makes good economic sense and shows genuine remorse from the Vatican.  They could do with some good publicity.  

Meanwhile, I'm so excited to tell all my lovely friends,readers and those who pop in now and again, that my book Cry and You Cry Alone goes on sale all in the USA and Canada on April 1st. Please do look out for it, its release in North America is a lifelong dream!


Since I have told my story, many more have come forward, and there is an active campaign going on here in the UK to get to the bottom of the past abuse. 

It was as recently as 2010 that I took the Catholic Church to Court and my story is one that may soon be faced by many globally as they face the decision on whether to make a claim for compensation. Part of my reason for telling my story, is to make others aware of what they face, its only fair.

NO TURNING BACK - MCCANNS

Someone on the Jill Havern forum asked if evidence given in open Court can be published without fear of libel.  Good question.  During the January 2010 book banning trial in Lisbon, the proceedings were reported live on the net - Sky News I believe and via twitter.  We were basically given live streaming of what was going on in the Court. Goncalo Amaral had many good witnesses, and previously unknown evidence was broadcast live to the UK.   

It was hugely damaging to TM (Team McCann) - there are a few short videos of a very angry Gerry outside the Court, shortly before he announced that he had to return to the UK due to work commitments - leaving Kate to face the gathering crowd alone!  Call me a cynical old feminist, but I was astonished at that.  Not being alone in times of trouble is one of the few things that marriage has got going for it.  The whole 'until death do us part' thing that is. Although, I can't for the life of me, imagine why anyone would stay with Gerry, unless of course they were shackled to him.  Had it been me, I would have done him in with a rusty rake years ago. 

But here we are, six years on, and an angry ex detective has been quietly building his case with ever growing public support, while the parents have been making enemies in very high places.  The press that had served them so well in the past, might hold grudges, so too, Home Secretaries.  Their need (or greed) for that £1.2m from the honourable gentleman has taken them past the point of no return.  

I faced my own David and Goliath battle in Court. In my book [i]Cry and You Cry Alone[/i], I have given an indepth account of my 3 day trial against the Catholic Church, and the trauma of one and half days in the witness box.  I wrote my book immediately after the trial, knowing that everything I had said had proved to be true, and my publishers knew it too as they had full access to all the Court documents.  I had no fear getting into that witness box, and I have a gut feeling Dr. Amaral is now feeling the same, because the truth destroys the lie every time. 

Yes indeed, in answer to the question, court proceedings are open to the public, and I have a feeling it will be standing room only. 






Ps.  Carter Ruck, I am bonkers and have a certificate to prove it :)

LEGAL EAGLES WEANED ON SHARK MILK

Yes, Tony got stung!  I am actually wondering if he still has that lawyer mentality of 'I say old chap, must stick within the rule of the law, otherwise, just not cricket, who ho'.   To be honest British rebels rarely have the passion of Chiquitita or Che Guevera who incidentally I very much doubt, would have bowed their heads and said 'sorry m'lud'!  Maybe its a Anglophile thing, not very British and all that.  To be the fair, the Brits have been very lethargic this past few hundred years or so.  I think the last person to draw a big rabble crowd, was Wat Tyler.

Anyway, if I were Tony, and ordered to pay that slimy pair's phenomenal legal costs, I'd say, 'like hell', I'm going scream it from the rootops and and get me money's worth!  There is no law in the land that could fecking tell me to pay that shower of b'stards a penny!  And yes, before all my newly acquired psychoanlists jump in, yes, I know it is not an endearing trait, but I live with it.  And yes indeed, that attitude has never done me any good, in fact, it has, on occasion, made me homeless, friendless and destitute.  But I digress. I wrote my first 'as I am about to be burned at the stake' speech when I was 12!

Sorry Tony, whilst I respect that you respect, the Law of the Land - this is a classic case where the Law is an Ass.  We have met, and for those who do not know you, I would have to say you are one of the old school gentlemen lawyers from the Dickens Age - sadly, you were up against legal eagles weaned on shark milk. Respect.   

I hasten to add, I was loathe to voice any of the above in case you were seriously considering such a crazy idea!  Seriously, as a fellow human being, I am sending a few kind words, and hoping, as you sift through the inevitable  criticism, that you know in your heart, that what you did/do, was done for the right reasons. Anyhow, there are more ways to skin a cat!  Bide your time, take a breather, write your memoirs.  You are an established expert on this case.  I have a feeling media-wise, there will be a scrum to the finish line.  The newspapers have much in abeyance, and are chomping at the bit.  

Lets not forget, today was NOT a libel trial.