Maddie McCann cops quiz British Gardener

Maddie McCann cops quiz British gardener who worked near holiday flats in the resort of Praia da Luz

Nov 16, 2014 00:11 By Matthew Drake

The ex-pat, who still still lives in Portugals' Algarve, is being questioned about his whereabouts between the "critical hours" when little Maddie went missing.
A British gardener is ­being questioned about his movements over a critical two-and-a-half-hour per­iod on the night Madeleine McCann disappeared.
The ex-pat, who still lives in Portugal’s Algarve, was working near the apartment where she vanished on May 3, 2007.
This week he has been quizzed by police over his whereabouts between the critical hours of 7pm to 9.30pm, the Sunday People can reveal.
That evening Madeleine’s parents Gerry, 45, and Kate, 46, went for a meal with friends at the Ocean Club resort, Praia da Luz, where they were staying.
They left Madeleine, then three, and their two-year-old twins in their holiday flat about 80 yards away.

The self-employed gardener and handyman was seen by British and Portuguese officers at a ­police station in Faro on Wednesday.
The gardener, who has lived in Portugal for more than a decade, has strongly denied any ­involvement in Mad­eleine’s disappear­ance.
According to the ­official timeline of that night, dad Gerry left the meal to check on the children at apartment 5A at 9.15pm.
Kate raised the alarm at 10pm when she realised Madeleine had gone.

During the original Portuguese police probe, the gardener said he left a bar at the same ­resort at around 7pm that night.
The gardener, who lived with a companion in Praia da Luz until 2006, gave a mouth swab to Portuguese police when he gave his statement in 2007.
In his original interview he denied seeing anything strange at the time of Madeleine’s abduction or having ever seen the family before the abduction.
He has now been identified as one of seven new possible ­suspects – five men and two women – who detectives believe could hold vital information.
A British woman is also ­believed to have been questioned this week by officers from Operation Grange, the fresh Madeleine inquiry ordered by David Cameron three years ago.

Four others are men from Portugal and the seventh is under­stood to be a woman of Central or Eastern European origin.
All of them were ordered to provide fresh DNA samples which will be matched against samples of evidence taken from the resort in Praia da Luz.
Insiders said they will be classed as persons of interest – known as “arguidos” in Portuguese law.
It is understood some of the possible suspects know each other or worked together at the Ocean Club resort.
At least two are believed to have criminal records and some exchanged phone calls on the night Madeleine vanished.

A source said: “Officers from Operation Grange have reviewed several statements given at the time Madeleine went missing and have identified several points they believe still need answering.
"They will interview, re-interview and then review several ­people and their statements and then refocus again at the end of the month.”
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the force would not officially comment on the continuing investigation.
The developments come two weeks after it emerged that foren­sic experts were unable to find a DNA match for 98 hair strands found during the original police probe.
Scotland Yard ­experts believes these hairs could hold the key to solving the case.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/maddie-mccann-cops-quiz-british-4636949

Just speculation, and we don't know the source of the Mirror's information and whether it is trustworthy, but there is a gardener in the files - an Ocean Club employee at the time - who left a bar at 7pm.

Date of diligence: 2007/05/12
Time: 19H00
Locale: D.I.C. de Portim'
Entity that presides:
Functionary that executes: Davide Gomes, Inspector

Witness Name: George William James
Occupation: Gardener
Nationality: British

As he does not understand Portuguese, he is accompanied by interpreter, Robert James Queriol Eveleigh Murat.
Because he is asked, George James states that her has been in Portugal for about seven years and that before this lived with his ex-companion, ******, in Praia da Luz.
That he separated from his companion in December of 2006, date upon which he began to reside in his actual address, and where he lives alone, and is not involved in any relationship.
That he has no children, and that the person with which he maintains his closest relationship, is still his ex-companion who resides in what used to be their home .
Clarifies that he worked in the garden centre in Almadena (PlantScape), Lagos, according to what he remembers, between the years 2000 and 2002.
From this point, he was self-emplyed, exercising his functions as gardener in various residences, principally in Praia da Luz.

In relation to the Ocean Club, he does work for this tourist complex as a gardener, receiving monthly an official invoice. He has worked there for about two years.
He does not care for all the gardens of the Ocean Club, but only for the gardens in block 4 and only the green zone which is found near the exterior or the zone close to the street. He does not look after for the pool-side gardens.

Equally he cleans the steps of this block, and cleans the windows in the stair area. He does not work inside the apartments.
Having been asked, states that he knows the apartment from where Madeleine went missing, but that he never entered that apartment.
He works for the Ocean Club, every week on Wednesdays and always on this day, and that he has never gone to the Ocean Club other than on this day with the exception of the last day of the month when he heads to the principal reception of the OC, which is opened 24 hours and is situated on Rua Direita in Praia da Luz.

That he normally works in the Ocean Club, from 14H00, for about 01H30 to 02H00, and leaves there about 15H30, 16H00.
He goes to work using his ex-companion's car, which is a Citroen C15, white in colour, and for which he does not remember the license plate.
He always parks in the area of block 4, and when it is possible, he parks next to the apartment from where the girl went missing, for no particular reason other than habit.
States that the last time he was in the Ocean Club was on Wednesday, before the child went missing or on the 02/05/07.

States that on Thursday, the 3rd of May, 2007, he was working in a garden in, Praia da Luz, for private clients, until 12H00 and after that ate some sandwiches and had a drink next to the ocean. He made the food himself.
On this day around 14H00, he went to another garden situated in Praia da Luz. He left there around 16H00.
After this he headed to Espiche, to the Rainbow (Arco 'is) Bar, and left there around 19H00.
After this he went home to take a shower and had dinner. He left again to return to the Rainbow Bar around 21H30 and stayed there until about 23H30.
At the bar he contacted a British individual whose name is ***** who he knows has a mobile-home and was parked in the Espiche camping site and who left on Monday, 7/05/2007.
States that he is known in the bar.
When asked, he does not remember having seen any strange situation. He does not know anyone from the family of the missing girl and has never seen them.
And nothing more was said.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/GEORGE-JONES.htm

The article says:

'This week he has been quizzed by police over his whereabouts between the critical hours of 7pm to 9.30pm'

and

'During the original Portuguese police probe, the gardener said he left a bar at the same ­resort at around 7pm that night.'

According to his statement he left the Rainbow bar at 7pm to go home and have dinner, and then left to go back to the bar at 9.30pm - seems a good match to me.

And interestingly:

'He always parks in the area of block 4, and when it is possible, he parks next to the apartment from where the girl went missing, for no particular reason other than habit.'

So it looks like he would have been parked next to apartment 5A on 2nd May.

I also note that Murat was the interpreter in the police interview, only a few days before he was named an official suspect himself.  Also - although I'm not pointing any fingers of suspicion at Murat at the moment - on the same day as this interview 'Robert Murat hires a car from Auto Rent Algarve for the period 12 May - 15 May. He is reported to be desperate to get a vehicle.' (from mccannfiles.com).

Also, a warrant was issued to search the car Mr James drove.  Just as a point of interest - I'm not accusing Mr James of anything.

As I've made it clear time and time again I don't like to speculate, but I have to say - if the Mirror article is correct - that a vivid picture of events is forming in my mind.  But the Mirror is the newspaper I trust least on any McCann stories.

excellent find wlbts

Interesting, so not a case of 'what the butler saw' but 'what the gardener saw' .

wlbts wrote:The article says:

'This week he has been quizzed by police over his whereabouts between the critical hours of 7pm to 9.30pm'

So the articles earlier in the week saying the questioning would happen at the end of this month aren't strictly true,I suspect the info being leaked is what as happened what is not going to happen.

candyfloss wrote:Interesting, so not a case of 'what the butler saw' but 'what the gardener saw' .

Or maybe not saw,ie: on your walk to the bar at around 9-30 did you see anything unusual like person's wandering around with young children in their arms,er no is the reply,all IMO obviously.

Can anyone remember a report of a man seen in a garden who was either uprooting or planting a tree?

caricature wrote:

wlbts wrote:The article says:

'This week he has been quizzed by police over his whereabouts between the critical hours of 7pm to 9.30pm'

So the articles earlier in the week saying the questioning would happen at the end of this month aren't strictly true,I suspect the info being leaked is what as happened what is not going to happen.

Quite, it's a game of Chinese whispers - NSY and or PJ decide the time line

they are as adept at handling the media as the media are adept at handling them

whether truth comes out at the end

remains to be seen

7pm to 930 is outside of the "critical" time ? If we believe the Tapas statements Madeleine was alive and well and reading stories and eating cookies early evening, according to Payne. Then the parents claim all was well, putting her to bed and leaving for the Tapas around 8.30. from 8.30 to 9.30 the various statements of checking, not least Gerry having a happy father moment looking at his sleeping daughter around.

Why has 7 to 9.30 become important ?

Suki wrote:

Why has 7 to 9.30 become important ?

This surfaced yesterday on a tweet.An article whoosed right away in sept 07 except someone kept it before it went.

http://gasparstatements.blogspot.ie/2010/03/article-that-team-mccann-didnt-want-you.html

Last night another member of the McCanns’ holiday party was reported to have stepped into the mystery. The move came after it was revealed that police in Portugal were focusing their investigation on a “lost seven hours” on the day Madeleine disappeared.Now Dr Payne’s husband – medical researcher David, 41 – has claimed he saw Madeleine being put to bed when he visited the McCann flat at 7pm. Before his new testimony, police sources admitted they could not confirm the whereabouts of Kate and Madeleine after 1.29pm that day. Kate’s movements were said to be unaccounted for until she sat down to have dinner with Gerry and their friends at around 8.40pm.

That's interesting caricature.

Who wrote that... Not heard that before.

Not clicked on the link or does it say who wrote it if you do so...

DP's visit never happened. IMO.

Andrew wrote:That's interesting caricature.

Who wrote that... Not heard that before.

Not clicked on the link or does it say who wrote it if you do so...

DP's visit never happened. IMO.

The link takes you to a daily express article.

Outside of the crèche staff and tapas there are no independent witnesses that I have ever found who could say Madeleine was alive and well on Thursday. In fact, Thursday was a very detached day for the McCanns, spending their time away from the group, not appearing on the Cafe CCTV, was this also not the day Kate was annoyed they had gone to the beach without them too ?

The gardener is interesting. Happily wandering the Ocean Club complex, doing his job, who knows what he may have seen. Of course, it all depends on what he was asked at the time. Did you see anyone suspicious, lurking in doorways, smelly bin men types, he would say no. Questioned specifically about comings and going from 5a for example might provide some different information.

It is a pity it is 7 years later, I cannot imagine he would remember much detail about seemingly normal events on that day at this stage.

This is all very interesting, if a little contradictory of what has already been reported as regards the new interviews.

According to newspaper reports, both British and Portuguese, and the Jornal de Notícias, once again it will be the Portuguese interviewing the suspects/witnesses at the end of the month. The British can request to be present but will not partake in the direct questionning.

http://joana-morais.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/maddie-case-10-witnesses-to-be.html?m=1

From the Express: http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/531252/Maddie-McCann-British-police-to-return-to-Portugal
"As happened when Operation Grange quizzed suspects and witnesses in July, Scotland Yard detectives will sit in on the interviews but they will be led by Portuguese officers who will ask questions on their behalf."

The interviews will take place during November. This is consistent with the Mirror article regarding the gardener which says this:

"The self-employed gardener and handyman was seen by British and Portuguese officers at a ­police station in Faro on Wednesday."

But the Mirror article also states this, regarding the interview of a British woman:

"A British woman is also ­believed to have been questioned this week by officers from Operation Grange, the fresh Madeleine inquiry ordered by David Cameron three years ago."

This would indicate the British woman was questioned solely by OG police. Could this interview have happened in Britain? And, therefore, who could it be?

Madeleine McCann detectives interview British expat gardener living in Portugal about his movements on night child disappeared

Expat still lives in Algarve and reportedly spoke to police in 2007 probe

He said he has been spoken to again and strongly denies involvement

Scotland Yard is still investigating case after more than seven years

By Dan Bloom for MailOnline

Published: 10:56, 16 November 2014  | Updated: 14:08, 16 November 2014  




http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2836531/Madeleine-McCann-detectives-interview-British-expat-gardener-living-Portugal-movements-night-child-disappeared.html#ixzz3JFGHRKuL

Deleted as libellous Dee Coy.

Ok. Thanks CF. Would urge everyone to have a look at the article, though, if you can. (The link posted by caricature.)

I see the Express still don't do facts, reporting on the gardener Nov 16th

" Kate McCann called police at 10pm when she realised Maddie had gone. "

DM today on the gardener, who they won't name? Says he was questioned in 07 for 11hrs and has a solid alibi.

Justformaddiemccann wrote:DM today on the gardener, who they won't name? Says he was questioned in 07 for 11hrs and has a solid alibi.

Believe its in the mirror also,just wonder with OG and the PJ insisting that no comments are to be made whether the media are just going back through and actually reading the files and coming up with these persons.

caricature wrote:

Justformaddiemccann wrote:DM today on the gardener, who they won't name? Says he was questioned in 07 for 11hrs and has a solid alibi.

Believe its in the mirror also,just wonder with OG and the PJ insisting that no comments are to be made whether the media are just going back through and actually reading the files and coming up with these persons.

In the video it's says he was questioned 1mth after the ground searches?

Assume you mean comments........yes that or they are being planted to force a confirmation

caricature wrote:

Justformaddiemccann wrote:DM today on the gardener, who they won't name? Says he was questioned in 07 for 11hrs and has a solid alibi.

Believe its in the mirror also,just wonder with OG and the PJ insisting that no comments are to be made whether the media are just going back through and actually reading the files and coming up with these persons.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/madeleine-mccann-investigators-quiz-british-4678191

Yes, who is doing the quizzing? The Mirror themselves?

Thought SY had suspended their visit and the interviews?

The pictures of 'the kidnapper's route' - Smithman? - are interesting, though, at the bottom of the article.

Dee Coy wrote:
Thought SY had suspended their visit and the interviews?

With no official confirmation? I'm just wondering is it now at a critical stage,where the slightest leak could jeopardise it all.
The media I believe can only report on what as happened not on what is going to.

caricature wrote:

Dee Coy wrote:
Thought SY had suspended their visit and the interviews?

With no official confirmation? I'm just wondering is it now at a critical stage,where the slightest leak could jeopardise it all.
The media I believe can only report on what as happened not on what is going to.

Which would also mean Murat could already have been questioned again.

It is the Mirror that is contracting itself. It is they who claim SY postponed their visit, yet them who now claim the gardener has recently been reinterviewed. And cause more confusion by posting a video about the July interviews jn the same article. Are they implying the questioning of the gardener happened in July, and any subsequent 'quizzing' has been done by yhem themselves?

Or perhaps they operate under GM maxim, confusion is good.