Contradictions

[Texana]

I thought it would be helpful to have a thread where we look at just the contradictions in this case, and determine one at a time, whether they are meaningful contradictions, or just ordinary and not significant differences between what the McCanns said or did, and what actually occurred.

For the sake of balance, we'll leave out contradictions which could be be construed logically as merely changes of mind, and not actual contradictions, such as the McCanns' saying they wouldn't leave Portugal without Maddie, and then doing that, or saying they'd be up for anything to help her, and then not returning for a reconstruction. Those are matters of opinions and words. I'm more interested in actual contradictions of physical facts.

Cuddle Cat's Position: Kate said that Cuddlel Cat's position was one of the things that immediately alerted her that Madeleine "must have" been abducted. Yet in the crime scene photos, Cuddle Cat is clearly shown on the bed.

Conclusion: Either Kate was lying or she moved the cat, which would be an obvious and unbelievable gaffe on her part. Nor does any place appear in the photo where the toy could be placed up high. Unfortunately, with Kate the first person in the room, and the space of time before the police allowed during which other people were present in the room, Kate's word cannot be verified objectively. Given the toy's position on the pillow, Kate's word cannot be accepted unless someone else can testify to seeing the toy "up high."

This is a significant contradiction because of the importance Kate placed upon the toy's position as proof Maddie was abducted.

Second contradiction: Who told the bedtime story on May 3? Both Kate and Gerry contradict each other with their accounts. Significance? Probably minimal, since we don't know if the McCann family had chaotic bedtimes (like something off SuperNanny) or fairly calm routine ones. It's a minor detail.

Jane Tanner's account of seeing Jeremy, Gerry talking and then the Bundleman: Jane says she saw the two men talking, they say they did not see her. Jane is the only one who saw the Bundleman. Jane's map/drawing also shows all three of them on the same side of the street--the wrong side the men said they were on, one crossed the road to talk to the other.

Significance: Huge. Jane's story, like Kate's Cuddle Cat account, is verified only by Jane. And just like Kate's account, key details such as the actual position are contradictory.

Those are just three of the contradictions, there are others but we can start with them.

 

[Tony Bennett]

I thought I would make my first 'contradiction contribution' by going to both the first contradiction in this case and also to what I think is the 'heart' of the case.

Namely, why were the shutters open and the window open and the curtains open in the children's room at 10.00pm on Thursday, 3 May 2007. It may be recalled that the McCanns were adamant - I have the source for this - that shutters, windows and curtains to the children were all kept closed throughout the holiday.

The McCanns' original version, transmitted by their relatives and friends and media contacts instantly to hundreds of millions of newspaper readers and TV viewers during the ensuing 24 hours, was:

"A wicked abductor forced open the shutters ('smashed' them according to jornalist Gill Renwick) and the windows and took Madeleine in between two of our half-hourly checks".

The forensics showed otherwise.

To summarise, the forensics disclosed:

1. Shutters not forced

2. No signs of tampering with the shutters

3. Shutters not capable of being raised from the outside

4. Windows not forced

5. Only fingerprints on the window were those of Kate McCann

6. No signs of anyone using the window-sill either to climb in or escape - lichen and the rest of the windoew-sill totally undisturbed.

There can really only be one logical conclusion from this: the McCanns created a stage set to make it look like an abduction. In keeping, I would suggest, with their Oscar-winning acting abilities, highlighted by one of the most famous props in acting history - Cuddle Cat.

Now, I've run this blatant attempt to deceive the police and public through many people who, to put it bluntly, are still McCann-believers, despite the evidence.

They ususally say something like this: "Well, when Kate McCann arrived at the apartment to do her check at 10.00pm, no doubt in the initial confusion she and others thought that the shutters must have been forced by the abductor".

Sadly, they then become unwilling even to discuss the possibility that the open shutters, window and curtains may have been staged, as an elaborate and cunning hoax.

I have a list of several dozen problems, changes of story and contradictons in the case, but will post them one by one so that, in line with Texana's aim, we can analyse each one as we go along.

The signifiance of this particular contradicton? IMO - immense.

Here are my notes on this contradiction, which is really a kind of three-in-one 'super'-contradiction:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

MISSING MADELEINE: AN OPEN-AND-SHUT CASE

Contradiction 1a. Shutters forced open/smashed with a jemmy - they were not forced open

The McCanns initially told everyone - relatives, police and media - that the shutters had been forced open from the outside. They said that this would explain why, when Kate arrived at the apartment at 10.00pm, she found the shutters up and the window open.

Gerry McCann’s sister, Philomena McCann, told journalists: “The shutters were jemmied, the window opened”. Trish McCann, Gerry’s sister, said on TV: “The windows were tampered with”, while Jill Renwick went even further on GMTV and said: “The shutters were smashed”.


Then both the police and Mark Warners examined the shutters and found absolutely no evidence of their being forced open. Moreover, it emerged that the shutters could not be opened from the outside, only from the inside, meaning, quite simply, that someone must have raised the shutters from the inside. The McCanns then rapidly changed their story to: ‘The abductor must have come through an unlocked patio door and climbed out through the window’.

According to Goncalo Amaral, the story was changed as a response to questions being put to them. Asked why there was no evidence of a broken shutter or any entry through the window, Kate changed her story to: “We left the door unlocked”. She added: “In case there was a fire”.

From the Portguese police file: “But Chief Inspector Olegario Sousa, spokesman for the investigation, has confided in British former Chief Inspector Albert Kirby that neither the windows nor their shutters had been tampered with”.

Contradiction 1b: Doors locked - unlocked


The McCanns originally said that the doors to their apartment were locked. This was said in order to promote the theory that the abductor had broken in through the shutters.

Later, when it became clear that the shutters had not been interfered with from the outside, the McCanns changed their minds and said that one of the doors must have been unlocked.

Contardiction 1c: Door near children’s room unlocked - no, patio door unlocked


The McCanns then said that they must have left the door near to the children’s window unlocked.

Later this changed to: ‘we must have left the patio doors unlocked’.

Amaral told the McCanns that all the ‘checking’ they claimed to have done were done via the door near the children's room, in which case the checkers would have been walking right past the jemmied, open window – and must have seen it. The McCanns then said it must have been the patio door that they left unlocked.

As it happens, this was a door they could just about see from the Tapas bar.

And they then disclosed - trying to take the moral high ground as well as lie - that they left the patio door open 'in case of fire'.

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[Texana]

The shutters/position there of is most definitely the key contradiction, I was thinking it over this morning.

Kate's account of the toy's position and Jane Tanner's accounts are the only other two pieces of evidence offered up as evidence of abduction. Neither is verified by anyone else. However, that doesn't entirely rule out the truth of their accounts.

On the other hand, the position of the shutters is directly contradicted by the physical evidence. They weren't tampered or broken or "jimmied." Furthermore, there's no evidence outside of any entrance or even a presence exiting.

The locked/unlocked door explanation backs up the staging scenario, not the abduction explanation. The idea that an intruder would come in through an unlocked door and then even try to force open a window shutter from the inside (why would it be forced open from the inside, anyway? and then crawl through a window opening with a sleeping child--

But back to the facts--The shutters were not tampered, broken, or otherwise to put it plainly, busted open.

If the shutters and windows were kept closed all week why were Kate's fingerprints found on them? And yet they were adamant that they were both kept closed.

I agree. The condition of the shutters are the biggest contradiction of all, and one that can't be argued away by alternative explanations such with Jane's account, "The men were so engrossed in their own conversation they never noticed her."

 

[Tony Bennett]

Well, here I go with three more contradictions, namely:

1. Matthew Oldfield's changes of story,

2. Charlotte Pennington's changes of story, and - related to (2)

3. Gerry McCann - hanging around the tennis courts at 6pm on 3rd May, or having high tea with Charlotte Pennington?

My assessment of their significance:

(1) Very great. A qualified doctor who can't remember if (a) he checked once or twice (b) when he checked (c) whether he entered the apartment or not when he checked.

(2) Also very important. It looks like you cannot rely on her word and, if she is wrong about the high tea (as I think she is), that completely knocks out an important 'last sighting' of Madeleine [NOTE: A reminder that elsewhere on this forum I have posted a list of the eight so-called 'sightings' of Madeleine on 3rd May, together with details of why none of them can be relied on]

(3) Again, very great significance. It is plain that Gerry McCann is struggling desperately to account for his movements on the afternoon of 3rd May, and can't make up his mind whether he was playing tennis - or not playing tennis because of an Achilles tendon, having high tea - or not having high tea etc.

++++++

It occurs to me, Texana, that there should be a copy-able, numbered
simple running list of contradictions, so that we can add to them as we go along and not duplicate or get confused.

You started off with three (though in fairness your No. 3 was actually two contradictions in one), I added three, and I have now added three more, so that's 10 so far. Here, then, is the list to date:

MADELEINE MCCANN CONTRADICTIONS LIST

1. Cuddle Cat, high ledge of shelf - on the bed
2. Kate reads bedtime storoes to children - Gerry does
3. Tanner sees abductor - Gerry and Wilkins don't
4. Tanner walks up LHS of street right past Gerry & Wilkins - Gerry and Wilkins on RHS of street
5. Shutters forced/jemmied open - not forced
6. Doors locked - unlocked
7. Left door near children's door unlocked - no, it was the patio door
8. Matthew Oldfield changes of story
9. Charlotte Pennington changes of story
10. Gerry McCann hanging around tennis courts at 5.30/6.00pm - no, having high tea with all the family and Charlotte Pennington

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Contradiction 8: Matthew Oldfield’s changes of story


It is difficult to unravel the several changes of story about Matthew Oldfield’s alleged check - or checks - on the McCanns’ children, one said to have taken place at around 8.55pm, and the other at 9.30pm. It will be fairly clear from what follows that there must be grave doubts about whether he carried out any check at all.

1. The very first reference to Dr Matthew Oldfield doing any check on the children at all was at around midnight on 3rd May, when the ‘Tapas 9’ men were all compiling a time line of events that evening. Dr Russell O’Brien made notes on what was said to have happened and wrote down this: “9.00pm - Matt Oldfield listens at all three windows - 5A, B, D. ALL shutters down”. According to a timeline provided by Gerry McCann to the ‘News of the World’ in 2008, he also said that Mathew Oldfield checked at 9.00pm.


2. The next version that we get of Matthew Oldfield’s check - or checks – is that Matthew Oldfield actually entered Apartment 5a at 9.30pm, but says he saw only the twins because he did not look into the children’s room far enough. He embellishes his account by saying that he thought that the room was looking ‘a little lighter than before’. Oldfield said he entered Apartment 5a ‘by the front door’. If so, he would have passed right by the window to the children’s room. He would have been able to clearly see whether the shutters were up and the window open, as claimed.

3. In a later version, Oldfield said that he entered via the patio door.

4. In a still later version, Oldfield said that at 9.30pm, he did not enter Apartment 5a but only ‘listened at the window’ to hear if there was any noise.

Here are some possible explanations for his changes of storey.

He may have changed to having checked at 9.30pm via the patio doors, because this would explain why he didn’t see the open window or jemmied shutters at that time,-which must have been the case, if an abductor used this method of escape.

Further, Oldfield checking at 9.00pm and Gerry McCann again at 9.15pm wouldn’t make sense if they were sticking to their story of checks being made ‘every half hour’. So Gerry McCann move his check forward to 9.05pm and Matthew Oldfield moved his forward to 9.30pm.

But then Matthew Oldfield had to explain why, if he had checked at 9.30pm, and the abductor had taken Madeleine at around 9.15pm, he had seen no sign of the abduction. That appears to be why Oldfield’s story changes from (a) just doing a ‘listening’ check to (b) doing a visual check but one where he did not see Madeleine. We have already explained why Oldfield changed his story from checking via the front door to checking via the patio door.

Furthermore, he also changed his story from actually seeing the shutters down merely to ‘noticing’ - from the inside - ‘that the room seemed lighter than before'.

Contradiction 9: Contradictions between different statements by Charlotte Pennington, the nanny: (1) I last saw the McCanns at lunch-time (2) I last saw them at 6.00pm

On 18th October 2007, in a ‘Dispatches’ TV programme, nanny Charlotte Pennington stated the following:

“They were a very social group and they all seemed to be really respectful, nice, loving parents. Madeleine I found out to be quite bright quite shy, very sweet very beautiful girl. On May 3rd there was just Madeleine I was reading a story to. I later saw them [the McCann family] round about lunch time. That is the last time I saw them together as a family.

But in a later newspaper interview for the ‘Daily Mail’, she completely contradicts that and says she last saw the McCann family at 6pm on 3rd May. Here is the verbatim quote from the ‘Daily Mail’:

“Miss Pennington flew out to start work at Praia da Luz on April 28 - the same day that the McCanns arrived. She had worked for Mark Warner on two previous occasions. She dismissed claims that the McCanns were not seen for six hours leading up to the disappearance. She said: ‘I was helping give the children high tea. The twins were there and Madeleine and both parents. It was supposed to finish at 5.30pm, but because they were a big group and really social, it didn't finish until about 6pm. There was nothing out of the ordinary at all’. After tea Miss Pennington went to work at the resort's evening creche, in which parents could leave their children while they went out for supper”. [The McCanns chose not to].


Contradiction 10: Gerry McCann was having high tea with the nanny Charlotte Pennington at 5.30pm to 6.00pm - Gerry McCann was ‘hanging around the tennis courts’ at this time

Gerry McCann has consistently said that he was on the tennis courts at Praia da Luz between about 3.30pm and 7.00pm. Yet the nanny, Charlotte Pennington, maintained in a statement to the ‘Daily Mail’ that: “I was helping give the children high tea. The twins were there and Madeleine and both parents. It was supposed to finish at 5.30pm, but because they were a big group and really social, it didn't finish until about 6pm”.

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[Texana]

I agree that Matthew Oldfield's changes and various versions of stories are suspect--primarily because the changes are significant, obvious, and like Jane Tanner's versions/visions of Bundleman, the changes benefit the abductor scenario.

The only plausible explanation for Oldfield's vague recollections and changes is that he was drinking heavily that night--which would mean that none of his account can be considered reliable. /

As for Charlotte Pennington, either she is right or Gerry, but obviously one of them is wrong. If Gerry was having high tea with the entire family, why doesn't he say so? And why would Charlotte make it such a point to say that both parents were there if they were not?

 

[SleuthMom]

For me, one of the biggest contradictions is the time the McCanns reached the Tapas or was it clarified already? I recall everyone giving a different time.

 

[Texana]

For me, one of the biggest contradictions is the time the McCanns reached the Tapas or was it clarified already? I recall everyone giving a different time.

I don't believe it's ever been clarified, and it's still a contradiction for the McCanns. I think Tony Bennet has posted a very good summary of that in the timeline thread.

 

[Tony Bennett]

1. Cuddle Cat, high ledge of shelf - on the bed
2. Kate reads bedtime storoes to children - Gerry does
3. Tanner sees abductor - Gerry and Wilkins don't
4. Tanner walks up LHS of street right past Gerry & Wilkins - Gerry and Wilkins on RHS of street
5. Shutters forced/jemmied open - not forced
6. Doors locked - unlocked
7. Left door near children's door unlocked - no, it was the patio door
8. Matthew Oldfield changes of story [multiple - see analysis of his statementon MM General Discussion Thread No. 25
9. Charlotte Pennington changes of story
10. Gerry McCann hanging around tennis courts at 5.30/6.00pm - no, having high tea with all the family and Charlotte Pennington
11. All the different times Gerry McCann is claimed to have arrived at the Tapas bar (see Sleuthmom post)
12. (NEW) Matthew Oldfield says all 'Tapas 9' except Kate at the Tapas bar when the alarm was raised; Jane Tanner says she was absent [see MM General Discussion Thread No. 25]

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[tuppence]

9: Contradictions between different statements by Charlotte Pennington, the nanny: (1) I last saw the McCanns at lunch-time (2) I last saw them at 6.00pm[/SIZE][/FONT][/B]

On 18th October 2007, in a ‘Dispatches’ TV programme, nanny Charlotte Pennington stated the following:

“They were a very social group and they all seemed to be really respectful, nice, loving parents. Madeleine I found out to be quite bright quite shy, very sweet very beautiful girl. On May 3rd there was just Madeleine I was reading a story to. I later saw them [the McCann family] round about lunch time. That is the last time I saw them together as a family.

But in a later newspaper interview for the ‘Daily Mail’, she completely contradicts that and says she last saw the McCann family at 6pm on 3rd May. Here is the verbatim quote from the ‘Daily Mail’:

“Miss Pennington flew out to start work at Praia da Luz on April 28 - the same day that the McCanns arrived. She had worked for Mark Warner on two previous occasions. She dismissed claims that the McCanns were not seen for six hours leading up to the disappearance. She said: ‘I was helping give the children high tea. The twins were there and Madeleine and both parents. It was supposed to finish at 5.30pm, but because they were a big group and really social, it didn't finish until about 6pm. There was nothing out of the ordinary at all’. After tea Miss Pennington went to work at the resort's evening creche, in which parents could leave their children while they went out for supper”. [The McCanns chose not to].


Contradiction 10: Gerry McCann was having high tea with the nanny Charlotte Pennington at 5.30pm to 6.00pm - Gerry McCann was ‘hanging around the tennis courts’ at this time

Gerry McCann has consistently said that he was on the tennis courts at Praia da Luz between about 3.30pm and 7.00pm. Yet the nanny, Charlotte Pennington, maintained in a statement to the ‘Daily Mail’ that: “I was helping give the children high tea. The twins were there and Madeleine and both parents. It was supposed to finish at 5.30pm, but because they were a big group and really social, it didn't finish until about 6pm”.

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Did Charlotte make an official statement to the Portugese police? Was it in the released file?

 

[Tony Bennett]

tuppence: Did Charlotte make an official statement to the Portugese police?

REPLY: Yes

tuppence: Was it in the released file?

REPLY: Yes

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[Barnaby]

I am wondering if Charlotte Pennington's "They were a big group & really social" is implying that all of the Tapas crew were there when in fact we know from the photograph published of the others having tea without the McCanns, that they were not! The McCanns themselves would hardly constitute a big group now would they?

Seriously the lies in this case are so darned obvious, how can a police force not see what we can?

 

[Texana]

I am wondering if Charlotte Pennington's "They were a big group & really social" is implying that all of the Tapas crew were there when in fact we know from the photograph published of the others having tea without the McCanns, that they were not! The McCanns themselves would hardly constitute a big group now would they?

Seriously the lies in this case are so darned obvious, how can a police force not see what we can?

I think that "big group and really social" might be along the same lines of "dining in your garden." Hard to tell exactly what she meant, and not necessarily what you or I would consider "big and social."

 

[Barnaby]

I think that "big group and really social" might be along the same lines of "dining in your garden." Hard to tell exactly what she meant, and not necessarily what you or I would consider "big and social."

I seriously question Charlotte Pennington, she was in New Zealand when the McCanns were, yet another huge coincidence in this case!

 

[Texana]

I seriously question Charlotte Pennington, she was in New Zealand when the McCanns were, yet another huge coincidence in this case!

I think that circle of acquaintances like many others, is much smaller than people might think, and much more willing to back each other up, on sheer "being part of the group" mentality.

 

[Barnaby]

Just wondering why would Charlotte Pennington lie?
Either Gerry was playing tennis at that time & Kate was in the apartment with the kids or they were at tea with her. Cannot be both!
If Gerry was playing tennis, he had to have a partner or coach who could verify that? I keep going back to the matter of why noone comes forward to contradict or back up their statements!

 

[iNTERESTEDWOMAN]

Just wondering why would Charlotte Pennington lie?
Either Gerry was playing tennis at that time & Kate was in the apartment with the kids or they were at tea with her. Cannot be both!
If Gerry was playing tennis, he had to have a partner or coach who could verify that? I keep going back to the matter of why noone comes forward to contradict or back up their statements!

Good question Barnaby. I highly suspect that many were paid off to be quiet in one way or another. If not in cash, then in life favors.

I keep thinking of the tourist who has the "24 pictures". Weren't they approached by a team member, and a large offer made for the pics in exchange to keep quite?

 

[tuppence]

tuppence: Did Charlotte make an official statement to the Portugese police?

REPLY: Yes

tuppence: Was it in the released file?

REPLY: Yes

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which story did she give the police?

 

[daffodil]

Good question Barnaby. I highly suspect that many were paid off to be quiet in one way or another. If not in cash, then in life favors.

I keep thinking of the tourist who has the "24 pictures". Weren't they approached by a team member, and a large offer made for the pics in exchange to keep quite?

........wrong.

 

[Barnaby]

Good question Barnaby. I highly suspect that many were paid off to be quiet in one way or another. If not in cash, then in life favors.

I keep thinking of the tourist who has the "24 pictures". Weren't they approached by a team member, and a large offer made for the pics in exchange to keep quite?

He was appraoched by a UK team of solicitors IW, perhaps we could assume who these solicitors represented......................? LOL!