Is the Madeleine case to be shelved? - Len Port Algarve Newswatch

I will give this good article it's own thread.........

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Is the Madeleine case to be shelved?

The chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, John Tully, is concerned about the Operation Grange investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann but, contrary to press reports, he has not called for the investigation to be closed.
What is in question is the scale of the operation in the light of severe budget cuts and other demands on the Met. But there is no indication that the investigation is to be terminated.
The Daily Star sparked confusion and a flurry of speculation with an “exclusive” under the headline: “Police urged to shelve Maddie hunt as cops needed in UK to battle terrorism.”
The headline inferred it, but the story did not quote Tully or anyone else as saying the investigation should be shelved.
Following up on the Star story the next day, the Daily Mail Online reported that Tully had called for the probe to be axed.  
The Leicester Mercury, the regional paper where Kate and Gerry McCann live, did not mince its words either: “A police union boss has called for London officers to give up the search for Madeleine McCann.”
Other papers, both in the UK and Portugal, churned out the latest fabrication in a mystery that has become a deep-rooted international obsession.
Asked by Portugal Newswatch about what he actually said to  the press, the federation chairman was adamant:
“At no time did I suggest that operation Grange should be closed.”
What Tully was getting at when speaking with the Daily Star was the wisdom of devoting a team of detectives exclusively to the investigation of a crime that had nothing to do with London.
He said he made his comments “in the light of the force having to save £1.4 billion from the budget.”
He added: “The pressure of work and expectation placed on officers, including the unacceptable situation where other officers are carrying in excess of 30 live investigations, is also an important consideration in these circumstances.”
The Metropolitan Police press bureau confirmed there are currently 31 officers working on Operation Grange and that “their sole investigation is the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.”
For now at least, the search for any scrap of solid evidence goes on. DCI Nicola Wall, who took over as head of Operation Grange at the end of last year, was reported in the UK and Portugal media as visiting Lisbon last week to “strengthen links” and for “detailed discussions” with Portuguese prosecutors.
The Week magazine described the talks as “crucial” and said they were designed to “work out next steps” in the investigation. The magazine went on to quote a statement from Kate and Jerry McCann: “It’s very apparent that the determination of the Metropolitan Police remains steadfast.”
Originally requested by Home Secretary Theresa May with the backing of Prime Minister David Cameron, the Met investigation has been ongoing for almost four years at the reported cost to British taxpayers of £10 million. 
There are no indications that the Met are any nearer to solving the mystery. It is not at all clear where the operation is at, or where it is going. All the Met’s press office will say is that “we are not prepared to give a running commentary on this investigation.”
Frustration over the lack of progress is palpable.
The Daily Star accurately quoted Tully as saying it was time to re-focus on what was needed to keep London safe. The Met no longer have the resources to conduct specialist inquiries all over the world, which have nothing to do with London.
“The Met has long been seen as the last resort for investigations others have struggled with elsewhere. But we have made £600m of cuts. We have closed 63 police stations across London. Another £800m of cutbacks are anticipated over the next four years.”
Tully went on to say: “It is surprising to see an inquiry like the McCann investigation ring-fenced. I have heard a few rumblings of discontent about it from lots of sources. When the force is facing a spike in murder investigations it is not surprising there is resentment of significant resources diverted to a case that has no apparent connection with London.”
Officers in London are said to be “bemused” about why they are working round-the-clock solving murders and fighting the threat from Islamic State-inspired jihadists while the Operation Grange detectives are barred from helping.
Meanwhile, almost eight years after Madeleine went missing, a great many people in Portugal as well as the UK and elsewhere are bemused about why the mystery remains unresolved. 





Posted by Len Port   at 7:25 AM

http://algarvenewswatch.blogspot.co.uk/

Chop Suey on Toast wrote:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3008479/Yes-s-time-stopped-looking-Maddie-police-boss-says-10m-hunt-end-DAVID-JONES-s-reported-case-eight-years-explains-heavy-heart-agrees.html

The usual sycophantic tosh from the DM.

They don't have 31 staff working on the case for no reason. It must be something really big

Chop Suey on Toast wrote:They don't have 31 staff working on the case for no reason. It must be something really big

I can't help but think this is the get out of jail free card. No resolution after 4 years but they need a reason to walk away without a red face. What better way than to need the resources elsewhere. 
I smell a collective rat between Gov. Met and MSM.
I have never been in the whitewash camp but all my optimism is waning fast.
Either they know exactly who is guilty and just can't prove it, or they don't want to prove it. I cannot believe that otherwise professional police officers have not seen through this charade years ago. In any other case the original witnesses would have been questioned again somewhat robustly and if that had been done I reckon someone would have caved in. JT would be my guess.

With 31 staff and, maybe, access to all the phone records, Grange will have arrived at same point as Kiko only more quickly.

Even if they 'forgot' to look at phone evidence and crèche records, Kiko says he has sent his dossier to both forces, so no excuses.

The problem Grange will have is that they will have ended up at the same point as Kiko and that is not an acceptable point at all.

Amaral said that the answer is there, it is now just a question of political will.

I see no evidence that the will is there.

I personally think it's Team Mccann that are desperately wanting and trying to get everything shut down.

Hence all this garbage coming out.

OG have not said squat. 

Team Mccann are panicking.

Even more so when the damages verdict goes against them.

When it does then I expect things to hot up and very quickly.

Maybe I'm just a tad optimistic though.

I'm sticking with that, Andrew, eleven death alerts and no proof of a break in, what other way is there? Not all police are corrupt, it takes just one with a heart like Amaral to say no, I ain't going that way. Come on police, just one who cares for an innocent child, please be Madeleines hero!!!
IMO

Thinking logically, if Amaral's version were the exact solution, it would all be over by now with 31 NSY plus PJ on the job

So it would seem to me that we are looking at something else, maybe something completely outside the box

We can't even agree about what happened on here, and the case would have be watertight if brought to court, hence the long wait I assume

I doubt it's about to be shelved yet again, now that WOULD have been a waste of money and resources

I agree Chop. I think that the Amaral diagnosis designed to be was one that offered minimal 'collateral damage', was simple and offered a way out for the pair....it was an accident.

It looks to me that all the noise at present comes from Tully of the police Union (very anti govmnt it seems), Gamble (do.) and Sky.  You could be right about the panic, certain forces  seem to want Grange stopped asap.

@ Andrew, dogs don't lie, Thetruth & Chop Suey on Toast,

I absolutely agree.

A whitewash would have been done and dusted years ago.

The case was already slumbering peacefully (except to those of us in places like this one) when OG was launched

Surely you don't wake a dozing rottweiler just so you can send it back to sleep again four years later?

I've always believed that OG began on the basis of specific information and suspicions rather than any other reason we've been given (reasons that were surprisingly announced by politicians rather than the police)

It's taking a long to join up all the dots, but I've no doubt they will get there

I have a feeling that we've all been looking in the wrong direction since the word go. Or that one of the numerous theories has been close to the mark but it's been buried among all the other ones

I've long said, it won't just be charges relating to the Mc's and Maddie but several charges and several people. I can logically see a large staff of officers and admin for the initial enquiries then a reduction in numbers towards the end when the evidence just needs correlating
I am of the school that thinks a whitewash would've been over long ago. Personally I think OG are playing a long game.Andy Redwood was high profile but drawing attention where they (OG) wanted it. It was always planed he may well have to retire before the end. Nicola Wall has come in and is keeping a lower profile to people's chagrin. I struggle to understand why people think we should be given regular updates on what's going on in an active investigation, they wouldn't expect it in any other case , why this one ?

PMR wrote:I've long said, it won't just be charges relating to the Mc's and Maddie but several charges and several people. I can  logically see a large staff of officers and admin for the initial enquiries then a reduction in numbers towards the end when the evidence just needs correlating
I am of the school that thinks a whitewash would've been over long ago. Personally I think OG are playing a long game.Andy Redwood was high profile but drawing attention where they (OG) wanted it. It was always planed he may well have to retire before the end. Nicola Wall has come in and is keeping a lower profile to people's chagrin. I struggle to understand why people think we should be given regular updates on what's going on in an active investigation, they wouldn't expect it in any other case , why this one ?

Totally agree with you PMR

Chop Suey on Toast wrote:The case was already slumbering peacefully (except to those of us in places like this one) when OG was launched

Surely you don't wake a dozing rottweiler just so you can send it back to sleep again four years later?

I've always believed that OG began on the basis of specific information and suspicions rather than any other reason we've been given (reasons that were surprisingly announced by politicians rather than the police)

It's taking a long to join up all the dots, but I've no doubt they will get there

I have a feeling that we've all been looking in the wrong direction since the word go. Or that one of the numerous theories has been close to the mark but it's been buried among all the other ones

CSoT, I broadly agree with you. It's just a bit irritating that the MSM don't seem to have any objectivity where this case is concerned. Perhaps they have been told not to, I don't know.

I thought the last a paragraph was telling:-

Meanwhile, almost eight years after Madeleine went missing, a great many people in Portugal as well as the UK and elsewhere are bemused about why the mystery remains unresolved.

To me that implies that the answer is there and many people know it.

The way the police are operating suggests that the heart of the mystery lies in the UK rather than Portugal

Chop Suey on Toast wrote:The case was already slumbering peacefully (except to those of us in places like this one) when OG was launched

Surely you don't wake a dozing rottweiler just so you can send it back to sleep again four years later?

I've always believed that OG began on the basis of specific information and suspicions rather than any other reason we've been given (reasons that were surprisingly announced by politicians rather than the police)

It's taking a long to join up all the dots, but I've no doubt they will get there

I have a feeling that we've all been looking in the wrong direction since the word go. Or that one of the numerous theories has been close to the mark but it's been buried among all the other ones

I am so glad to read a few more positive thoughts that this will reach a correct solution. Maybe I have just been reading too many negative ones lately. My honest gut feeling is that there is no way there can be a whitewash even if that is what was requested.
Perhaps AR retiring was to let him off the hook. He was ( perhaps) given a w/w remit. He has reported back that it is not possible. Public opinion won' t permit. So in comes new broom. Let's hope she gets into all the corners.
I agree that we shouldn't be expecting updates in an investigation. The fact that there are very few is a good sign.
Positivity restored.

TBH Andy Redwoods retirement date would've been pretty much decided thirty years ago

PMR wrote:TBH Andy Redwoods retirement date would've been pretty much decided thirty years ago

True PMR but if he was going to conclude it he would have stayed on. Glory in his last case etc. But thinking about it the investigation began 3 plus years before he was due to go so if a w/w was on the cards it would have been put to bed before he took his pension. At least I hope so.

Always good to see positivity and a healthy dollop of optimism.

We will get there soon folks.

Well OG will get there.

Andrew wrote:Always good to see positivity and a healthy dollop of optimism.

We will get there soon folks.

Well OG will get there.

I as always remain positive. I have just read petermac's post and I think he has hit the nail on the head so to speak. My take, DCI Wall is quietly working away, and hopefully no news is good news.

The police have:

1. Eliminated Tannerman

2. Emphasised Smithm he who is the subject multiple threads and polls elsewhere (I heard if you say his name 3 times while looking in a mirror, he appears   ...or does that just happen for Gerry?    )

3. Fanfared the use of EVRD dogs

4. Carried out ground searches and dug holes under the full glare of the media (and others hidden from view)

5. Mentioned murder

6. Endorsed the veracity of the online PJ files by telling Summers & Swann to use them for research.

A tiny, warped part of me hopes that Operation Grange is a whitewash because watching the Met trying to put all those worms back in the can would be fascinating but realistically I think they've gone too far to attempt a cover-up now.

15 - 20 years ago a whitewash would have been possible , today it would be much harder
I've said previously having seen the police attempt to organise things such as open days , I really can't see them being able to run a successful cover up over two countries , three 'forces' etc

Poe wrote:The police have:

1. Eliminated Tannerman Promoted Tannerman

2. Emphasised Smithm he who is the subject multiple threads and polls elsewhere (I heard if you say his name 3 times while looking in a mirror, he appears   ...or does that just happen for Gerry?    )  Eliminated Smithman

3. Fanfared the use of EVRD dogs. Not use the incredibly reliable dogs for all to see.

4. Carried out ground searches and dug holes under the full glare of the media (and others hidden from view) again - not carried out ground searches etc

5. Mentioned murder. keep with abduction, still alive.

6. Endorsed the veracity of the online PJ files by telling Summers & Swann to use them for research. Told them PJ files were wrong.

A tiny, warped part of me hopes that Operation Grange is a whitewash because watching the Met trying to put all those worms back in the can would be fascinating but realistically I think they've gone too far to attempt a cover-up now.

In Green if this was a whitewash.

IMO.