David Brown
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Fresh tests are to be carried out on evidence connected to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann after Portuguese detectives admitted that the findings so far have been inconclusive.
The Forensic Science Service in Birmingham had tested samples of “body fluids” and hair taken from the holiday apartment where Madeleine disappeared in Praia da Luz on May 3 and her parents’ hire car. They have also been examining DNA samples and fingerprints from more than 100 British holidaymakers at the Ocean Club resort.
Guilhermino Encarnação, director of the Portuguese police team searching for Madeleine, said: “The Judicial Police have asked the laboratory to carry out more tests and exhaust every possibility of obtaining conclusive results.” Mr Encarnação told the Spanish newspaper El PaÍs that a team of four Portuguese experts who visited the FSS last week had been told that there was no significant new evidence.
Detectives are reported to be intrigued by a possible connection between the friends and Robert Murat, the first official suspect in the case. Mr Murat, 34, has insisted that he was at his mother’s villa, about 100 yards from the McCanns’ apartment, at the time Madeleine disappeared.
However, three friends of Kate and Gerry McCann claim to have seen him at the Ocean Club resort on the night that Madeleine disappeared, shortly before her fourth birthday. A British nanny, Charlotte Pennington, 20, has insisted that she also saw Mr Murat at the resort on that night.
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Why don't the British Police hunt for Mr Murat's Daughter and take her DNA 4 test? Why British Govt. is so quiet when we are paying the tax and other bills faithfully & serving the Govt? What is the Govt. then doing for public? We shud go 4 a strike on the street 4 Maddy. Let's send a letter 2 No.10
Shilpi, London, England
Cynic, yes they will be charged the FSS is a business. The more work they do the more money they make.
Pico Green, London,
since when does a British forensic lab simply follow orders from the Portuguese force?
It's obvious that the PJ are determined to pursue their vendetta against the McCanns to any length, irrespective of cost - so, it begs a question. How much has the FSS spent in helping them, and will a bill be presented?
Cynic, Crowthorne, Berks, UK
The suffering of everyone personally affected by this terrible case must be almost beyond endurance, so it is with due respect to them that I make the wider, political point that DNA does not seem to be a reliable indicator in this case. Yet the UK government is still pushing for DNA identity cards. I think not.
Love to Madeline, wherever you are, sweetheart.
Max , London,
The question needs to be asked - why is Robert Murat being protected by the Portuguese Police, as Barbara says, Murat and his girlfriend seem to be the only ones who have changed their stories.
Lets see the spotlight turned on them in a propper manner, and with the vigour that the Portuguese Police have investigated the Mccann's.
jacci, cape town, south africa
Remember Occams Rasor and the fact that 90% of homicides in the home are at the hand of a close family member.
Graeme, Newcastle,
Robert Murat said originally that he was with his girlfriend. His
girlfriend said she was at a church meeting. He has changed to the assertion that he was at home with his mother. She was thrown out of the church 12 months ago for inappropriate relations with Murat and was not at church that night.
These are the only people who have changed their stories or been shown to be telling untruths. How can the PJ be ignoring this in favour of the McCanns. Blinkered or what!!!!
barbara, north east,
Keep looking, everbody. Madeleine's out there somewhere and no amount of police procrastination can change that fact.
Andrew Waldron, Bournemouth, England