The Mystery of Ben Needham

Andrew wrote:Thanks, but the original point of the end building did seem to have a roof on.. So that could be where they were all working on (if the book accounts are true that is).

Another point.. We here about Danny supposedly working on this roof as well. But what else do we hear about Danny in the book. What's mentioned of him and in what context. We obviously here a lot's of bits and bobs about Stephen. But what of Danny?

I think he was at school.

I think that he had been enrolled in school but clearly he wasn't there on that day; if Greek school holidays correspond roughly with those in the U K, the term had probably ended.

Not that day he wasn't Mimi. He walked with Christine (pushing Ben) to the farmhouse. They all had lunch etc etc.

When the 'alarm' was raised initially. Danny was sent off somewhere to 'search' whilst Eddie and Michaelis checked the outbuildings etc and Christine down the lane.

Later Eddie and Michaelis had some 'clearing up and preparation' to do and Christine went to the apt with the pushchair and dog to see if Stephen (and Ben) was there.

No mention of Danny then or what he was doing or who he was with...

The family went to the police station the next day, where Eddie, Christine, Stephen and Kerry were interviewed by Bafounis.

They had left Danny with Monica, a friend of Christine.


From the book, page 248: "We agreed Danny should be protected as much as possible".

Thanks Freedom and Andrew - forgot that.

Eddie had a landrover didn`t he? If so, why didn`t he drive to the flat.

If you look on google maps it is miles from the dilapidated house to the hotel where Kerry worked and where her flat was.

It would be interesting to know where exactly their caravan in the field was - anyone know?

Mimi wrote:

Satsuma wrote:Thanks Andrew, if it's electricity I was just wondering why it comes out of the ground so far from the road

Regarding the lady over the road who "saw" him just before he disappeared, the more I hear about it the morre unconvincing it seems to be

we are told she was sitting outside. Where exactly? The stone house is back to front. Also, does anybody know who first reported her sighting of BN - the police or someone else? When was she asked - if it was days or weeks later, she may have confused the date when she saw him

She desn't appear to have been questioned on the day he disappeared (please correct me if  I am wrong on this). Strange

Hi satsuma - Are you referring to the lady that was on her balcony who saw Stephen drive off but doesn`t know if he was alone or not?  Because it was the lady whose house was the next one up going north who kept the chickens with her husband.  If you go on google maps you can see where she was sitting all those years ago although the house has changed a bit since.

The old lady was living in the stone house across the road. Maybe she was sitting in that little patch of garden, at the hottest time of day. Unlikely, but possible.



In one of the documentaries it is made to look as if it was the lady from the house further down the lane, but it wasn't.

I'm probably being paranoid but I wonder why Danny needed to be protected; he wasn't a very young child.

Just my thoughts but could he, rather than Stephen, have been involved in a tragic accident with Ben?

Could be Freedom.

He was old enough to work on the roof apparently.

He should at the very least have been interviewed, just in case he had seen something that others had missed.

seahorse wrote:

Mimi wrote:

Satsuma wrote:Thanks Andrew, if it's electricity I was just wondering why it comes out of the ground so far from the road

Regarding the lady over the road who "saw" him just before he disappeared, the more I hear about it the morre unconvincing it seems to be

we are told she was sitting outside. Where exactly? The stone house is back to front. Also, does anybody know who first reported her sighting of BN - the police or someone else? When was she asked - if it was days or weeks later, she may have confused the date when she saw him

She desn't appear to have been questioned on the day he disappeared (please correct me if  I am wrong on this). Strange

Hi satsuma - Are you referring to the lady that was on her balcony who saw Stephen drive off but doesn`t know if he was alone or not?  Because it was the lady whose house was the next one up going north who kept the chickens with her husband.  If you go on google maps you can see where she was sitting all those years ago although the house has changed a bit since.

The old lady was living in the stone house across the road. Maybe she was sitting in that little patch of garden, at the hottest time of day. Unlikely, but possible.



In one of the documentaries it is made to look as if it was the lady from the house further down the lane, but it wasn't.

ok seahorse - yes I gleaned that it was the other `chicken` house from the documentary - so you think that was wrong - ok. If you think it was the stone house, then perhaps she was sitting on that balcony at the back (although odd place to have a balcony facing north/east and not getting much sun, just early morning sun). From that balcony at the back she could have got a brief glimpse of the road which goes north and which Stephen apparently drove.

Mimi wrote:

ok seahorse - yes I gleaned that it was the other `chicken` house from the documentary - so you think that was wrong - ok.  If you think it was the stone house, then perhaps she was sitting on that balcony at the back (although odd place to have a balcony facing north/east and not getting much sun, just early morning sun).  From that balcony at the back she could have got a brief glimpse of the road which goes north and which Stephen apparently drove.

I think it's wrong because in the book it's made very clear that the old lady lived in the stone house across from the dilapidated farmhouse. The house that was built back to front.

She could have seen Stephen drive off, but she could not have seen Ben play from that balcony, unless he was quite a way away from the house in nextdoors olive grove.

seahorse wrote:Could be Freedom.

He was old enough to work on the roof apparently.

He should at the very least have been interviewed, just in case he had seen something that others had missed.

Danny was 11. Maybe they had different parenting models to me, but surely 11 is too young for an 11 year old to be working up on a roof? ..... and letting a 2 year old drink coca-cola - I despair.

seahorse wrote:

Mimi wrote:

ok seahorse - yes I gleaned that it was the other `chicken` house from the documentary - so you think that was wrong - ok.  If you think it was the stone house, then perhaps she was sitting on that balcony at the back (although odd place to have a balcony facing north/east and not getting much sun, just early morning sun).  From that balcony at the back she could have got a brief glimpse of the road which goes north and which Stephen apparently drove.

I think it's wrong because in the book it's made very clear that the old lady lived in the stone house across from the dilapidated farmhouse. The house that was built back to front.

She could have seen Stephen drive off, but she could not have seen Ben play from that balcony, unless he was quite a way away from the house in nextdoors olive grove.

Yes, you`re right I think. Thanks for that. I have not read the book in total - only bits from the Amazon site.

From the bits and pieces I have watched and read, I get the impression K was quite emotionally insecure before she even went to Kos. I may be wrong - it`s just a gut feeling. Her subsequent life after Ben disappeared has just added to the angst. I don`t think I could have survived it - poor woman.

Another thing I'd like to know. Where did Michaelis get to later on in the afternoon? And why would he just get off anyway when there was a missing toddler that went missing whilst he was there allegedly.

Later on in the eve, the Police wanted to speak to Michaelis but Eddie couldn't see the point.

Couldn't see the point???

The bit in the book about the old lady.... Are we to assume that this is what she told the Police and it was translated back to English. Or did she say this to Eddie in Greek and he translated it. Or English but I doubt it. (It's all a bit unclear and intentionally misleading, IMO).

But if she told the Police (or Eddie) exactly what it says in the book then why would the Greek Police initially go down the Stephen/Bike/Accident path. That doesn't make sense to me.

For some reason, this old lady reminds me of the late Mrs Fenn.

Trying to fit things around what she may or may not saw, may or may not heard etc etc.

I assume that when this book was written that this old lady with no name was no longer around on this earth...

Andrew wrote:For some reason, this old lady reminds me of the late Mrs Fenn.

Trying to fit things around what she may or may not saw, may or may not heard etc etc.

I assume that when this book was written that this old lady with no name was no longer around on this earth...

Yes, no name and her account doesn't appear to have been shared with the world until 20 years after BN went missing -  by which time I imagine the "old" lady wasn't around to dispute what she is alleged to have said

Satsuma wrote:

Andrew wrote:For some reason, this old lady reminds me of the late Mrs Fenn.

Trying to fit things around what she may or may not saw, may or may not heard etc etc.

I assume that when this book was written that this old lady with no name was no longer around on this earth...

Yes, no name and her account doesn't appear to have been shared with the world until 20 years after BN went missing -  by which time I imagine the "old" lady wasn't around to dispute what she is alleged to have said

Nor was Michaelis when the book was conveniently written shortly after his death.

I don't have a Twitter or Facebook account but I'd love to ask Duncan Wood if SYP had told him and other media they believe Dino Barkas is the man responsible (Duncan constantly referred to Dino being implicated by police)  

If he answered yes, I'd then ask him why then did SYP's final press release not even hint at who was responsible just they believe Ben was in a accident near the farmhouse.

Does he even have an opinion about all of what has happened and been said?

DW hasn't said squat about it since he got on a plane home.

I would like to know his 'honest' thoughts on it all, I must say.

Andrew wrote:DW hasn't said squat about it since he got on a plane home.

I would like to know his 'honest' thoughts on it all, I must say.

Quite right, Andrew. It so annoys me that he spent three weeks on Kos and now seems to have instantly forgot about the whole case. I thought the idea of being in the media was to get to the truth of a story?

Yes, I'm that naive... Or maybe I just have principals?

I think Dinos relatives should have a right good look at who to sue!!

.... or TTWO, the media is there to prolong a story.

Andrew wrote:.... or TTWO, the media is there to prolong a story.

I really should wake up and smell the coffee, Andrew...

I dont think the media are there to prolong the story....Mr Wood did his dirty work then scuttled off. More worrying for Maddie is this total capitulation of the MSM and no cry of injustice from the populace at large.....if concluding Bens mystery in such a way is this easy ......it wont belong till we see game up with the McCanns and then off they go to some quite island idyll????

Feel better to chip in now that UTD won at 6/4. Everytime I suggest a bet before, I have my pants pulled down.

Anyway, the Need/Mc cases will get wrapped up at about the same time.

A strategy there....