Missing Madeleine

[brummieboy]

Wait, wait, hold on there. Are you saying that because they are racked with guilt, that they shouldn't be prosecuted?

It's child neglect, whether they are remoseful or not. Oh, but hoi - they're SORRY. Oh, well that's ok then, case dismissed.

Also, a drunk driver regretted having another pint, getting into his car and mowing down 3 pedestrians - PROSECUTE!!! No,no,no - wait your honour, he/she regrets ever having another pint. etc, etc. Do you get my drift?

Not even remotely similar, and people get away with leaving their children all the time in this country, generally a warning from social services is all they get.

p.s. A lot of hate came through your post, suggest you try and get yourself a bj or the like 

I think your in the minority with your views on this Zeb, i'd like to see them investigated by social services or even prosecuted and then hopefully all these people that you say are leaving their children home alone will get the message.

[MANTIS01]

I think the broad generalisation that people behave in a more relaxed way on holiday than they would do while at home is pretty accurate actually.

People are being so so results orientated with regard to these people. "I don't take my eyes of my kids for a second!" is just not a realistic view.

So if we leave the results alone for just a second. How can I put having unprotected sex with a stranger and checking on your kids 50 yards away every 15 minutes in the same paragraph? Are you serious? Which scenario carries most risk? They are both illustrations of how you can do something that is out of character and probably regret it soon after. If you get pregnant and have a termination after a one night stand the situation doesn't now affect only you or if you pick up a STD and pass it on the situation doesn't now affect only you. People who use the word "neglect" in relation to the McCann's children have absolutely no appreciation of what the subject of child neglect actually involves. Did the McCann's knowingly put their loved children in clear and present danger of abduction by doing what they did?...Did they believe that this was a likely scenario and blindly ignored the risks anyway so they could go and have a knees up? No, they had a comprehensive plan to safeguard the welfare of their kids, a plan that was accepted by the rest of the group and a plan that others in the resort were using as well. I hope nobody who comments so passionately about their heinous crime never makes a mistake in their lives...because attaining perfection in everything you ever do is a tough ask as far as I'm concerned.

[Zebediah]

Wait, wait, hold on there. Are you saying that because they are racked with guilt, that they shouldn't be prosecuted?

It's child neglect, whether they are remoseful or not. Oh, but hoi - they're SORRY. Oh, well that's ok then, case dismissed.

Also, a drunk driver regretted having another pint, getting into his car and mowing down 3 pedestrians - PROSECUTE!!! No,no,no - wait your honour, he/she regrets ever having another pint. etc, etc. Do you get my drift?

Not even remotely similar, and people get away with leaving their children all the time in this country, generally a warning from social services is all they get.

p.s. A lot of hate came through your post, suggest you try and get yourself a bj or the like 

I think your in the minority with your views on this Zeb, i'd like to see them investigated by social services or even prosecuted and then hopefully all these people that you say are leaving their children home alone will get the message.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but there are thousands of parents much much worse that them, and social services do the square root of f**k all about it.

Prosecution is much more complicated than you seem to think as well.
Even when prosecution is successful, what exactly is the punishment for this? (Take into account an offender could be a single parent living on the breadline).

[MANTIS01]

This is what probably happened....

GERRY: Are we going out for this meal then Kate?
KATE: I'm not sure now Gerry...maybe we should have got that free babysitter?
GERRY: Sorry Kate, but I am not letting a complete stranger look after our kids!
KATE: Well let's not go then
GERRY: Hmmmm, Well maybe you're right.

FRIENDS ARRIVE

FRIENDS: C'mon guys the table's booked for eight!
GERRY: We're not so sure now
FRIENDS: What's the problem? The bar is just there look...it's only 50 yards away. You can see the apartment from
where we're eating and the kids are fast asleep
KATE: Hmmmmm
FRIENDS: You guys are sooooooo overprotective
GERRY: You think?
FRIENDS: God yeah. What could happen? Our kids are sleeping next-door as well.
KATE: OK but we're checking them every 15 minutes
GERRY: Absolutely!!

This scenario could happen to any of us given the right circumstances and as such giving this couple a little bit of empathy is the right thing to do as far as I'm concerned. My god, this decision is going to be such a heavy cross to bear for the rest of their lives...I for one feel very very sorry for them. But the way some people are talking and banding about scurrilous accusations of neglect is so ott. You would think the scenario went something like this...

GERRY: You drugged the kids yet Kate?
KATE: Yep, double dose as well...just so the little buggers are out cold!
GERRY: Sweet...I'm feelin' hot tonight babe
KATE: Taxi's here Gerry lets do one

AT NIGHTCLUB IN TOWN CENTRE - Kate is knocking back slammers at the bar while Gerry cuts some moves on the dancefloor

FRIENDS: Haven't left the kids have you Kate?
KATE: Bugger the kidssssh!!
FRIENDS: What about the kids Gerry?
GERRY: What kids? Check out my moonwalkin...yeah baby!!

Have a little understanding & compassion will you folks.

[fearisthekey]

This whole incident typifies the press/media of today.

It is not news anymore, for the most part it is just pure speculation. From my experiences (when away with work) the speculation is usually well wide of the mark or tilted in some way to create headlines and increase readership/viewing figures.

The fact that the Portugese legal system/police work is all meant to be confidential makes matters worse. Why have all these leaks been coming out?

I say lets wait and see for the hard facts, otherwise I'd hate to comment at all...

It was pure speculation from the start. the way Robert Murat got treated by the British press was nothing short of disgraceful. "Child porn found on Maddie suspect computer!" (no there wasn't) and all those sorts of headlines (Daily express for that one) were nothing but speculation and I would dare say blatant lies in an attempt to sell more newspapers. It's about time someone took the British press to court over this sort of stuff and milked them for every single penny that they are worth. The press in the UK gets away with everything but murder and it's about time the law got changed with regards to what they can and can not print..maybe them having to cough up a few million to one person who sues them would be a very good idea.

The press in the UK gets a hard time (justifiably), but have you ever watched the 'Permanews' channels, like SkyNews? OMG.
Firstly, everything is 'Breaking News' (important for viewing figures). Breaking News: McCanns leave house. Breaking News: McCanns step on plane. Newspapers need decent headlines, but these channels need mindblowing news 24/7. They pump even the tiniest tidbits of possible info into huge stories, who cares about the distortion. Witness their reporting of yesterday's 'news' that DNA was found in the car boot. ""Sky sources say that scientists have found a full DNA match to Madeleine in the boot of a car hired by Kate and Gerry McCann after their daughter went missing.

"Police say it is the most damning evidence that has been returned by the tests," Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said.""

(Notice how this is always 'Sky sources'. Seldom an official statement).

Next day (today), official statement:

The national director of the force handling the investigation said test results did not provide the same precision as had been reported.

Alipio Ribeiro, national director of the investigative Policia Judiciaria (PJ) told Portuguese state broadcaster RTP: "We can't say with certainty whether it was the blood of person A or person B.

"They help guide us in our investigation but not with the mathematical precision some people are saying."

[Newmanseye]

This is what probably happened....

GERRY: Are we going out for this meal then Kate?
KATE: I'm not sure now Gerry...maybe we should have got that free babysitter?
GERRY: Sorry Kate, but I am not letting a complete stranger look after our kids!
KATE: Well let's not go then
GERRY: Hmmmm, Well maybe you're right.

FRIENDS ARRIVE

FRIENDS: C'mon guys the table's booked for eight!
GERRY: We're not so sure now
FRIENDS: What's the problem? The bar is just there look...it's only 50 yards away. You can see the apartment from
where we're eating and the kids are fast asleep
KATE: Hmmmmm
FRIENDS: You guys are sooooooo overprotective
GERRY: You think?
FRIENDS: God yeah. What could happen? Our kids are sleeping next-door as well.
KATE: OK but we're checking them every 15 minutes
GERRY: Absolutely!!

This scenario could happen to any of us given the right circumstances and as such giving this couple a little bit of empathy is the right thing to do as far as I'm concerned. My god, this decision is going to be such a heavy cross to bear for the rest of their lives...I for one feel very very sorry for them. But the way some people are talking and banding about scurrilous accusations of neglect is so ott. You would think the scenario went something like this...

GERRY: You drugged the kids yet Kate?
KATE: Yep, double dose as well...just so the little buggers are out cold!
GERRY: Sweet...I'm feelin' hot tonight babe
KATE: Taxi's here Gerry lets do one

AT NIGHTCLUB IN TOWN CENTRE - Kate is knocking back slammers at the bar while Gerry cuts some moves on the dancefloor

FRIENDS: Haven't left the kids have you Kate?
KATE: Bugger the kidssssh!!
FRIENDS: What about the kids Gerry?
GERRY: What kids? Check out my moonwalkin...yeah baby!!

Have a little understanding & compassion will you folks.

mantis, Are you off your ROCKER?  What a load of Bollocks!

The Mccanns are Guilty of neglect, regardles if their friends pressured them in to leaving the dids as you put it, Its neglect, pure and simple.

As for compassion and empathy, i empathise over the loss of a child its a horrific thing to happen to a parent, but they are directly responsible for their current situation, there is no arguing that point, so please dont try.

I have no compassion for people that can neglect their children, I personaly hope that they have learned from this horrific mistake, and i expect full lawful retribution from the british authoritories in due course.

neglect is neglect, regardless if it came from peer pressure, or bad judgment, It must carry a punishment.

[byronkincaid]

what punishment should they get?

[Newmanseye]

what punishment should they get?

Whatever the punishment is that fits the crime, if thats jail time so be it, If i had my way i would have a very harsh punishment in mind, but thats not for the forum.

As a parent i find this a very emotive subject, I feel sick when i think of the children left alone, IMHO you fail as a parent when you abandon your child / children to go frolic in a bar with friends, Even more so when you have options to have your children cared for by a vetted trained professional.

[booder]

what punishment should they get?

Whatever the punishment is that fits the crime, if thats jail time so be it, If i had my way i would have a very harsh punishment in mind, but thats not for the forum.

As a parent i find this a very emotive subject, I feel sick when i think of the children left alone, IMHO you fail as a parent when you abandon your child / children to go frolic in a bar with friends, Even more so when you have options to have your children cared for by a vetted trained professional.

like  Beverly Allitt  ?

[byronkincaid]

what do you think about the granny who got spliffed up, had some wine and let a dangerous dog into the house. Is that worse? cos she got no punishment at all. (apart from the guilt of course but the McCanns must obv feel that too)

[Newmanseye]

what punishment should they get?

Whatever the punishment is that fits the crime, if thats jail time so be it, If i had my way i would have a very harsh punishment in mind, but thats not for the forum.

As a parent i find this a very emotive subject, I feel sick when i think of the children left alone, IMHO you fail as a parent when you abandon your child / children to go frolic in a bar with friends, Even more so when you have options to have your children cared for by a vetted trained professional.

like  Beverly Allitt  ?

Not everyone is a monster Booder, and I know i would rather take my chances with a vetted professional than abandon my children.

[Newmanseye]

what do you think about the granny who got spliffed up, had some wine and let a dangerous dog into the house. Is that worse? cos she got no punishment at all. (apart from the guilt of course but the McCanns must obv feel that too)

Thats Granny should have been punished IMHO, again its bad judgement, and getting spliffed and pissed whilst in charge of children is another form of neglect in my opinion, I know that some people will not agree with that remark, but its my opinion.

[Robert HM]

Listening to the radio yesterday, the BBC were getting slated on a phone in for giving more coverage to the issue. The decided to have an "off the cuff" text in poll to find out if they should continue, more than 60% voted for them to move on to something else. The BEEB discussed the poll and carried on.

I am sooo bored with wild speculation based on limited, probably incorrect, information.

[AndrewT]

I am sooo bored with wild speculation based on limited, probably incorrect, information.

Good job you decided to go into law and not become editor of the London Evening Standard then.

[Zebediah]

I am sooo bored with wild speculation based on limited, probably incorrect, information.

Good job you decided to go into law and not become editor of the London Evening Standard then.

Tomorrows headline...."Found on hairbrush!"