McCanns: It's time they faced the music

McCanns: It's time they faced the music

It's being reported in the People that Gerry and Kate McCann are refusing the PJ request to return to Portugal to take part in a Crime Watch style reconstruction.

This is, according to the People, what unnamed sources close to the McCanns are saying.

However, "They're still considering what to do", Clarence Mitchell is reported as saying.

Apparently, the McCanns fear that if they return to Portugal they will be charged with child neglect.

Personally, I think the McCanns should be charged with neglecting their children. For a few days, now, I have been playing and replaying an interview they did with Sky TV. It is obvious that both the McCanns were upset with the question why did they leave their children unsupervised whilst they went out drinking and for a meal. Their long winded replies amount to because they felt it was safe.

I have never thought that that explanation was good enough. Certainly, it is not good enough for a professional, middle-class, couple who claim to be responsible parents. In my view, responsible parents would not have believed it was safe. And, the comments I receive on this blog from parents and grandparents say the same. But, the McCanns claim that they have received support from hundreds, thousands, who say they also leave their children unsupervised in such circumstances. Is this just another example of the McCanns lying, or are there really so many out there who neglect their very young children? Perhaps, the McCanns would like to show the public all these messages of support for child neglect? Because I cannot find any such support on the internet which claims it is safe to leave children under 4 unsupervised.

The McCanns did flee from Portugal rather quickly after they had been made suspects, and before the PJ could finish questioning them.

From the outset, the McCanns expressed the view that first the police and then the PJ did not do enough to search for Madeleine. By this they mean that the police and PJ were suspicious of the McCanns claim that Madeleine had been abducted. I am equally suspicious of the McCanns versions of events.

I feel that the McCanns should return to Portugal and if they get arrested and charged with child neglect, so be it. It's what they deserve. As much as the McCanns are fed up with hearing the same question, 'why did they leave their children unsupervised?', I am more fed up with hearing their pathetic responses which do not really answer the question. There is no getting away with their parental responsibilities any longer.

It's time they faced the music.

UPDATE: The Sky News interview I refer to is just over 16 minutes long and I am in the process of producing a typescript of what was said and an analysis of the body language which I feel tells its own story for psychological profilers.

Dermot Murnaghan: This time precisely one year ago you was enjoying what I presume was a wonderful family holiday in the sunny Algarve. Two or three days later things were about to change. But you must have been going through the the 'What if I had done this?'. 'What if I hadn't done that?'. The whole reliving that period 12 months ago. And the question I want to put to you, you been talking to a lot of media outlets during this week, how difficult is it putting yourself out there in the media spotlight at a time like this?

Kate McCann: (Shifts forward in her seat)I mean, there's only one reason why we're (pause) tch (shifts in her seat again) back with the media sort of, yesterday, today and tomorrow, and that's to appeal for information about Madeleine. Er, you know, we're a year on, and Madeleine's still missing. And we need that key bit of information and strongly believe it's out there. So, (draws in breath) we're again appealing to the general public to help us really (gulp).

DM: Do you believe there are stones still unturned that the media publicity blitz that has existed for the last year, that there is more to do, that there is more awareness can be raised, Gerry?

Gerry McCann: (Shifts forward in his seat) It's not so much about awareness cos we know Madeleine is recogniseable across the world, but I think the question comes back to Dermot, where the information is at the minute and what its (pause) er er how its being used. Clearly we don't know what's been done and what hasn't been done, and for us to (pause) er rest as parents, we need to know, and I'm sure every parent will understand, that we need to make sure that absolutely everything is being done. And our appeal today, is to ask people where, who, whoever they are, whether they've come forward before or not, is to call in on our new hot line number. Er, please be patient with us, we've had a lot of calls already, but erm, appeal to those people to come forward. If you haven't come forward whatever the reason, if its fear, you're concerned about media, publicity, or even activity you've been involved in in the past, then we will guarantee confidentiality and anonymity if if requested. You know, we are just desperate for leads. You know, as parents we can't give up.

DM: And that's the point, isn't it? The message then, comes clearly, Kate, that you believe that Madeleine is still out there?

KM: Certainly, I feel that. And even looking at it objectively, there's a very good chance there's nothing to say that Madeleine isn't out there. And looking at sort of evidence and statistics er for example from the States, er, where the evidence is available, there are many children that have been found down the line. You cannot give up. Madeleine deserves that. Why would anybody give up? There's absolutely no evidence she's come to harm. And we need to find her. Madeleine needs us to find her.

(to be continued)