Clarence Mitchell and Dave Edgar present the 'Victoria Beckham' lookalike e-fit

Dave Edgar   'He dismissed many of the established theories behind Maddie's disappearance - like the involvement of child traffickers. "From the evidence I just don't think this is the case," he said. He has also ruled out Maddie being carried aboard a yacht at a nearby marina after interviewing the key witness behind the theory.'   News of the World, 10 May 2009

Full press conference with Clarence Mitchell and Dave Edgar, 06 August 2009

Full press conference with Clarence Mitchell and Dave Edgar   Thanks to Joana Morais for video

Press reports

Now the Madeleine hunt moves Down Under, 05 August 2009

Now the Madeleine hunt moves Down Under Daily Mail By VANESSA ALLEN Last updated at 10:43 PM on 05th August 2009   The search for Madeleine McCann last night switched to Australia as detectives began hunting for a new suspect.   A witness has given Kate and Gerry McCann's private detectives fresh information about an Australian man they believe could be linked to Madeleine's disappearance.   The investigators believe the man is of 'potential significance' to their hunt and will today make a dramatic public appeal for help to find him.   They are expected to release images of the man and information about his possible link to the two-year search for Madeleine.   Dave Edgar, one of two retired detectives hired by the McCanns to co-ordinate the hunt, is to due make the appeal at a press conference in London.   McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: 'We want the public's help to identify someone. We are making an appeal based on new information.' He refused to give further details.   Madeleine vanished from her family's rented holiday apartment in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007, while her parents dined with friends at a nearby restaurant.   She has not been seen since, despite a series of appeals from her parents, who have vowed never to give up the search.   In June Mr Edgar, flew to Germany after convicted paedophile Raymond Hewlett was linked to the case.   Hewlett, 64, was in Portugal when Madeleine vanished but refused to speak to Mr Edgar or his colleague Arthur Cowley about the disappearance.   He has denied he was involved in Madeleine's suspected abduction but refused to provide an alibi or tell the detectives where he was when she vanished.   The McCanns, of Rothley, Leicestershire, have said they will believe Madeleine is alive and can be found unless they are shown clear evidence to the contrary. Portuguese police closed their investigation a year ago.

Find Maddie Aussie, 05 August 2009

Find Maddie Aussie The Sun     By ANTONELLA LAZZERI Published: Today (05 August 2009)   AN Australian woman believed to hold vital clues to Madeleine McCann's abduction will today become the target of a worldwide hunt.   Private detectives investigating the tot's disappearance for parents Kate and Gerry say the woman spoke to a Brit outside a bar in Barcelona, Spain, three days after Maddie went missing.   Details of the conversation - which only came to light when the witness came forward in recent weeks - have not been revealed.   But a source close to the investigation said: "What this Australian is reported to have said is of enough significant interest to launch a hunt for her.   "We don't know where she is.   "She could still be in Spain, back in Australia, or anywhere else.   "But we need to find her quickly."   Former police chief Dave Edgar, leading the McCanns' investigation team, will unveil an e-fit image of the woman at a press conference in London and appeal for anyone who knows her to come forward.   He will also identify the Barcelona bar.   The British witness, who was on holiday, says he spoke to the woman during the night of May 6, 2007.   The source said: "He only came forward recently and there are reasons for that.   "He has been checked out and seems a credible source.   "The conversation took place three days after Maddie went missing, when few details about her abduction had been reported."   Maddie, who would now be six, was snatched from her bed at a holiday resort in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3.   There have been several reported sightings of Maddie in Australia.   Kate and Gerry, both 41, of Rothley, Leics, are aware of the new development.

Search for Madeleine McCann moves to Australia, 06 August 2009

Search for Madeleine McCann moves to Australia news.com.au   August 06, 2009 08:20am (00:20 BST)   * Australian link from new Maddie info * E-fit image to be released in London * Parents still hope to find Maddie, now six   THE hunt for Madeleine McCann has reportedly switched to Australia after fresh information.   Britain's Daily Mail reports private detectives have been given information about an Australian man they believe could be linked to her disappearance.   However The Sun says it is an Australian woman that is believed to hold vital clues to the British girls' abduction in May 2007.   Both reports say the information relates to a conversation the Australian had with a Briton in Spain just days after Maddie's disappearance from her holiday appartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal.   The Sun quoted "a source close to the investigation" as saying: "What this Australian is reported to have said is of enough significant interest to launch a hunt for her.   "We don't know where she is.   "She could still be in Spain, back in Australia, or anywhere else.   "But we need to find her quickly."   Maddie, who would be six now, disappeared from her bed as her parents Kate and Gerry dined in their holiday complex.   They have refused to give up the hunt for their daughter, using funds from their "Find Maddie" campaign to employ their own investigators.   Former police chief Dave Edgar who leads the team, will unveil an e-fit image of the Australian at a London press conference.   The latest message from Kate and Gerry on the Find Maddie website reads: "It is now more than two years since Madeleine was taken from us – more than two years since we saw and held our beautiful daughter, since Sean and Amelie played with their big sister, since we were a happy family of five.   "Without doubt, two years seems a huge proportion of your life when you’re six years old, but in reality it is just a tiny fraction of the life which lies ahead of you. It is important for us to keep looking forward.   "Whilst the fact that Madeleine is still missing remains our greatest anxiety, it is important to remember that the person who took Madeleine remains free.   "Other children could be at risk from this person too if we do not continue with our investigation, or if the people who know or suspect something remain silent."

Australian being sought in Madeleine McCann hunt, 06 August 2009

Australian being sought in Madeleine McCann hunt Brisbane Times   Christine Kellett August 6, 2009 - 9:24AM (1:24AM BST)   Australian Federal Police say they have not been contacted in relation to missing British girl Madeleine McCann, despite reports by the UK media today that the search for her has moved to Australia.   "To investigate, we need a referral, which is assessed at the AFP's executive level, but we have not had any such referral in relation to Madeleine," an AFP spokesman said.   Four-year-old Madeleine vanished from her family's rented holiday apartment in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007, while her parents dined with friends at a nearby restaurant.   Two British media sources say a search is on for an Australian, but one, The Mail online, says a man is being sought, while The Sun says it is a woman.   The Mail says a witness has given private detectives new information about an Australian man who could be linked to the young girl's disappearance while on holiday in Praia da Luz, Portugal in May 2007.   But The Sun says an Australian woman is believed to hold vital clues to Madeleine McCann's abduction.   The investigators, hired by Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann, were to hold a press conference in London to release images of the person being sought.   However, an AFP spokeswoman told brisbanetimes.com.au the national agency had not received any information from international authorities involved in the search for Madeleine.   "The AFP has not been contacted in relation to this matter," the spokeswoman said.   "We only learned of it through the media today."   She said Interpol would normally be the lead agency in any international missing persons search, but the AFP could be engaged to investigate.   "We'd have to be directly referred," she said.   Comment is being sought from Interpol this morning.   The McCanns believe Madeleine is alive and can be found unless they are shown clear evidence to the contrary. Portuguese police closed their investigation a year ago.   The Sun said the detectives have been told an Australian woman spoke to a Brit outside a bar in Barcelona, Spain, three days after the young girl went missing.   The witness only came forward in recent weeks, it said.   A source close to the investigation said: "What this Australian is reported to have said is of enough significant interest to launch a hunt for her."

Search for Madeleine McCann turns to Victoria Beckham look-alike with Aussie accent, 06 August 2009

Search for Madeleine McCann turns to Victoria Beckham look-alike with Aussie accent The Australian   Peter Wilson, Europe correspondent August 06, 2009   A WOMAN with an Australian or New Zealand accent is being sought over the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in a surprise twist just over two years after the English girl went missing.   The woman is described as "a bit of a Victoria Beckham look-alike" and was in the Spanish city of Barcelona in May 2007, three days after Madeleine disappeared during a family holiday in Portugal.   Investigators hired by Madeleine's parents say the woman said something to two British men which suggested that she knew about the fate of the then three-year-old.   A police artist's portrait based on descriptions by the witnesses shows the woman, who is estimated at 30 to 35 years old and was short, slim and had short brown hair.   One of the British men has told investigators that the woman had an Australian or New Zealand accent, while the second witness said it was Australian.   Family spokesman Clarence Mitchell told The Australian that Gerry and Kate McCann still believed they might find their daughter alive and they viewed the new hunt for this woman as one of the strongest leads uncovered during the entire investigation.   Dave Edgar, a retired British police detective who has been hired by the family to lead the search for the missing girl, said a recent tip-off from the two British men, who did not wish to be publicly identified, had convinced him that the woman in Barcelona may know what happened to Madeleine.   Interest in Madeleine's disappearance is still strong in Britain and Edgar is to release the artist's portrait and details of the new lead at a London press conference attended by journalists from Spain, Portugal and the UK.   The woman is described as being about 157.5 cm (5 foot 2 inches), with a slim build and was wearing expensive-looking blue jeans and a jersey top, possibly in a pastel color.   She is believed to speak excellent Spanish, possibly Catalan.   The two English witnesses say they noticed her when they were drinking in bars at a popular Barcelona marina at about 2am on May 7, 2007, just over 72 hours after Madeleine went missing from her family's holiday apartment in the seaside resort of Praia da Luz, about 13 hours drive away.   The men had been moving between bars and restaurants in the Port Olimpic Marina, a Barcelona area popular with both tourists and locals, when one of the witnesses noticed the well-dressed woman, who he says appeared agitated.   She was walking up and down outside the El Ray de la Gamba restaurant bar for about 10 minutes and appeared to be waiting for somebody.   The first witness, a 41-year-old British man, approached her and they had a short conversation in which she apparently thought he was the person she was waiting to meet.   It was what she said before realising that he was not the person she expected that has convinced the investigators that she may have information about Madeleine.   The woman then sat down in another bar nearby, where the second witness from the group of British men also noticed her.   At one point the woman had a brief angry conversation with somebody else, who may have bumped her, and the witnesses said she seemed to speak fluent Spanish. She was last seen walking away towards a local hospital and the more distant ferry and cruise ship terminals.   The investigators have conducted their own inquiries at the marina and are working with local police to see if anybody there recognises the British police artist's drawing.   The family's continuing hunt for Madeleine has been funded by public donations and large defamation settlements paid by the UK's Express newspaper group after publishing several reports suggesting that the McCanns and the friends they were holidaying with in Portugal may have been responsible for Madeleine's disappearance.   The investigators have asked anyone who may know the woman to contact them by emailing investigation@findmadeleine.com or calling +44 845 838 4699.

Madeleine McCann: Hunt for mystery woman in Australia, 06 August 2009

Madeleine McCann: Hunt for mystery woman in Australia Daily Mail   By VANESSA ALLEN and RICHARD SHEARS Last updated at 8:56 AM on 06th August 2009   The search for Madeleine McCann last night switched to Australia as detectives began hunting for a new suspect.   A witness has given Kate and Gerry McCann's private detectives fresh information about an Australian woman they believe could be linked to Madeleine's disappearance.   The investigators believe the woman is of 'potential significance' to their hunt and will today make a dramatic public appeal for help to find him.   In a case of mistaken identity, she is believed to have arranged to meet a man in Barcelona three days after Madeleine disappeared.   But she began talking to the wrong man - and during that conversation said something that led police to believe she may have information about the case.   They are expected to release images of the woman and information about her possible link to the two-year search for Madeleine.   The dramatic new information is said to have come from investigators hired by Madeleine's parents.   Today Australian media reported that the woman was 'Victoria Beckham-like' in appearance.   The Australian newspaper says it has been told that the woman, who had an Australian or New Zealand accent, was in the Spanish city of Barcelona three days after Madeleine disappeared.   A police artist's portrait based on descriptions by the witnesses shows the woman, who is estimated to be around 30 to 35 years old, with short brown hair. She is described as being short and slim.   Dave Edgar, one of two retired detectives hired by the McCanns to co-ordinate the hunt, is to due make the appeal at a press conference in London.   He said a recent tip from the two British men - who declined to be identified - had convinced him that the woman in Barcelona may know what happened to Madeleine.   According to the British men the woman is about 5ft 2in tall with a slim build and was wearing expensive-looking blue jeans and a jersey top, possibly in a pastel colour.   She is believed to be fluent in Spanish.   The British witnesses apparently said they noticed her when they were drinking in bars at a popular Barcelona marina at about 2am on May 7, 2007, just over 72 hours after Madeleine went missing from the family holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, some 13 hours drive away.   The men had been moving between bars and restaurants in the Port Olympic Marina, an area in Barcelona that is popular with locals and tourists.   One of the men noticed the woman, who he described as appearing 'agitated'.   She was walking up and down outside the El Ray de la Gamba restaurant bar for about 10 minutes and seemed to be waiting for someone.   The first witness, the newspaper reported, approached the woman and they had a short conversation in which she apparently thought he was the person she was waiting to meet.   It was what she then said before realising she was talking to the wrong person that has convinced investigators she may have information about Madeleine.   According to the two men, the woman then sat down in another bar nearby.   At one point she had a brief, angry conversation with somebody else, who may have bumped her, and it was then that the witnesses said she appeared to know Spanish.   he was last seen walking towards a local hospital and the more distant ferry and cruise ship terminals.   McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: 'We want the public's help to identify someone. We are making an appeal based on new information.' He refused to give further details.   Madeleine vanished from her family's rented holiday apartment in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007, while her parents dined with friends at a nearby restaurant.   She has not been seen since, despite a series of appeals from her parents, who have vowed never to give up the search.   In June Mr Edgar, flew to Germany after convicted paedophile Raymond Hewlett was linked to the case.   Hewlett, 64, was in Portugal when Madeleine vanished but refused to speak to Mr Edgar or his colleague Arthur Cowley about the disappearance.   He has denied he was involved in Madeleine's suspected abduction but refused to provide an alibi or tell the detectives where he was when she vanished.   The McCanns, of Rothley, Leicestershire, have said they will believe Madeleine is alive and can be found unless they are shown clear evidence to the contrary. Portuguese police closed their investigation a year ago.

Pictured: The 'Victoria Beckham-lookalike' who may know where Madeleine McCann is, 06 August 2009

Pictured: The 'Victoria Beckham-lookalike' who may know where Madeleine McCann is Daily Mail By VANESSA ALLEN and RICHARD SHEARS Last updated at 10:31 AM on 06th August 2009   This is the woman described as a 'Victoria Beckham-lookalike' who police are hunting in the search for Madeleine McCann.   A witness has given Kate and Gerry McCann's private detectives fresh information about an Australian woman they believe could be linked to Madeleine's disappearance.   (...)   (Article continues, as per 'Madeleine McCann: Hunt for mystery woman in Australia' last updated at 8:56 AM on 06th August 2009)

Madeleine McCann: Face Of Woman Suspect, 06 August 2009

Madeleine McCann: Face Of Woman Suspect Sky News   BREAKING NEWS 11:38am UK, Thursday August 06, 2009   An e-fit has been released of a woman private investigators want to trace in the hunt for Madeleine McCann. E-fit released of Madeleine McCann suspect She was reportedly seen by two British men in Barcelona in Spain three days after the little girl went missing from Praia da Luz in Portugal.   The woman said something to one of the men which convinced the McCanns' private investigators she might have information about Madeleine.   The e-fit was issued by McCann spokesman Clarence Mitchell and David Edgar, the retired detective who now leads the search for the missing girl.   The pair gave details of the development at a press conference in London.   Mr Mitchell said the two men first saw the woman when they were drinking in bars at the city's Port Olimpic Marina at about 2am on May 7 2007.   He said she was well-dressed but appeared agitated and kept walking up and down outside the El Ray de la Gamba restaurant bar. Scene of where conversation with woman took place One of the witnesses, a 41-year-old British man, had a brief conversation with her.   Mr Mitchell would not reveal what she said for operational reasons, but said it was "potentially significant" to the little girl's disappearance.   He said the woman was then seen having a "heated conversation" with another person in Spanish in a nearby bar. She then wandered off towards a hospital.   The witnesses said the brown-haired woman was aged between 30 and 35, slim, about 5ft 2in tall, and described as "a bit of a Victoria Beckham lookalike".   She is said to have had an Australian accent, and is also thought to speak fluent Spanish or Catalan.   Mr Edgar said the witnesses had not come forward earlier for "personal reasons" and denied that they were drunk, even though they had visited a number of bars on the night.   He said the conversation took place about 72 hours after Madeleine disappeared - and it was possible that Madeleine could have been taken to Barcelona by boat in that time.   Madeleine's parents Gerry and Kate have organised the hunt for their daughter after Portuguese police closed the official investigation last summer because it had produced no leads.   Earlier this year the Madeleine investigators tried to talk to Raymond Hewlett, a convicted paedophile who was living near the resort of Praia da Luz when she disappeared.   He refused to see them and denied any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance.   Her family believe she is still alive and have issued an image of how their daughter might look now.

Madeleine McCann: Spokesman's statement, 06 August 2009

Madeleine McCann: Spokesman's statement ITN Transcript   By Nigel Moore 06 August 2009   Clarence Mitchell: A witness has come forward to give the investigators currently searching for Madeleine McCann new information about a suspicious incident that took place in Barcelona, in Spain, in the early hours of May the 7th, 2007. That's just over 72 hours after Madeleine was abducted while she was on holiday in Praia da Luz, in Portugal.   The 41-year-old British witness was attending a party with a group of other men in area of the Port Olimpic Marina, in Barcelona. It's a busy location that is popular with both tourists and local people. The group had been visiting a number of restaurants and bars in the area of the Marina on the evening of May the 6th, 2007, into the early hours of May the 7th, 2007.   At around 2am, on May the 7th, the witness became aware of a well-dressed woman who he describes as appearing agitated. She was seen in the area of the El Rey De La Gamba restaurant-bar for some 10 minutes walking up and down.   The witness got up and walked over himself towards the woman and they had a short conversation. The woman spoke to him briefly. This conversation was potentially significant to the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance.   However, for strict operational reasons the investigators, or I, will not be divulging any detail of what was said to the witness by the woman. It is, however, as a result of this converation that the investigators now want to trace this woman whom they believe was possibly Australian.   Following the conversation the woman sat down in another nearby bar. A further person from the same party group also saw her there. At this bar the woman had a heated discussion with someone else in what appeared to be fluent Spanish. The woman was last seen walking away in the direction of a local hospital and the more distant ferry and cruise ship terminals, near the marina.   The woman is described by the principal witness as follows:   She's white; she's aged 30 to 35-years old; she's of slim build; she has short, brown hair; is approximately 5 foot 2 inches tall; was wearing expensive-looking blue jeans and a jersey top, possibly in a pastel colour; her build equated roughly, according to the witness, to a UK-size-10 dress-size.

Detective on Madeleine McCann search, 06 August 2009

Detective on Madeleine McCann search ITN Transcript   Note: ITN has edited out the questions on this video so what remains is a series of sound bites.   By Nigel Moore 06 August 2009   Dave Edgar: Errm... all that we can say is that, errm... we take the witness at face value. We've... he's a credible witness; he's a professional man and, errr... as I say, he... he is a very credible witness.   DE: Obviously that's the witnesses perception that it was an Australian accent. People can be mistaken, of course, but we... we're going with what the witness said and that's Australian.   DE: Yes, you're right. We... we do get quite a few leads which, errr... obviously, we... we don't follow up.   DE: Because we... I consider it to be, errr... credible and... and a strong line of inquiry. If I didn't think so, I wouldn't be here now.   DE: The wit... the witness, errm... had been drinking; he... he wasn't drunk, errr... some of the people with him perhaps had... had drank more than he had.   DE: Just come forward and, errr... and speak with us. It could be something innocent and, errr... and a reasonable explanation for the conversation.   DE: I... I can't instruct the police to arrest her but, errm... if... if we get any strong lines of inquiry, errm... obviously, I'm... I'm not a police officer anymore. I can only take things so far. We will... we will hand over the... the information to the authorities and let them act on it. I've got no power of arrest or anything, so...   DE: It... it works both ways. Obviously we... we have, errm... advantages over, errm... you know, pol... the police, i... in that... well, we're not strictly bound by, errm... the bureaucracy of the process of having people interviewed in foreign countries. There's... there's obviously a process that has to go through.

Madeleine McCann: Spokesman on Kate and Gerry, 06 August 2009

Madeleine McCann: Spokesman on Kate and Gerry ITN Transcript   Note: ITN has edited out the questions on this video so what remains is simply the answers, presented in three segments.   By Nigel Moore 06 August 2009   Clarence Mitchell: Well, for a start, I didn't tell them about it; Dave and his colleagues did. They obviously came into possession of the information first. I... I'm brought in when there's any public element that we're about to... to go public with.   Errm... Kate and Gerry are not surprised, errr... sad to say, we've had potential sightings of Madeleine; tip offs, errm... well meaning and malicious from around the world, errm... Madeleine has been allegedly seen in South America, Australia in the past, errr... all over Europe, errm... and as a result, as I said before, Kate and Gerry neither get their hopes up or down. They... they give... they pass on any information to the people who are doing the... the... the legwork investigating, errr... and then wait to hear from them.   Errm... so in this case, I think they're obviously hoping that this will prove to be as significant as Dave believes it might be, errm... but they wait to hear and, errr... they... you know, until they hear from the people that are doing the work they are neither g'n'oo [going to], errm... invest hope in it or... or... or be downheartened.   CM: They are searching for Madeleine with every breath that they take, in one way or another. Errr... they will never give up until they know what has happened to her. Errr... it's that strength that keeps them going. Errm... when they feel... they're at their strongest when they feel there is momentum; when they feel that information is coming in. Errm... they'd much rather have that than nothing, in fact it's when it's a quiet period that... that they can get down about... about everything.   Errm... for the second anniversary, again, you may be aware that we did quite a round of television interviews. Internationally, we did the Oprah Winfrey Show, errr... Channel 4 Cutting Edge was done here in Britain - much of that was seen around the world and hundreds of calls came into Dave and his team as a result and that gave them a real sense of momentum.   In fact, I think they felt there was more momentum around the search, for the second anniversary, than almost there was for the first. So they drew strength from that and, errm... they're now just waiting to hear and obviously praying that, errm... this could be the piece in the jigsaw that leads to finding Madeleine eventually.   CM: The fu... it's... Gerry has publically stated that, errr... at the current rate of spend, errm... the fund, in theory, would run out by the end of this year. Errr... that is a matter for the fund directors to dicuss; they meet every month and discuss the situation. Errr... there is still money in the pot, at the moment, that's why Dave is able to continue the work he's doing. Errm... clearly as money dwindles they... the directors will discuss options and come up with ideas to, errr... keep a funding stream going.   Errr... the one thing that's certain is that even if that money were to... to end, the search for Madeleine will not end; it will keep going. And Kate and Gerry have been very fortunate; they've got a number of very generous backers who've helped them in the past and clearly matters will be discussed from the financial perspective long before it becomes a crisis.   *   Note for any translators: Clarence Mitchell appears to have married the words 'disheartened' and 'downhearted' to give birth to a new word: 'downheartened'. This word does not exist in the English language.

Who are the 'Maddie police'? 06 August 2009

Updates: Madeleine McCann - New Information Appeal over "Australian" Woman, 06 August 2009

Updates: Madeleine McCann - New Information Appeal over "Australian" Woman findmadeleine.com   06 August 2009   A witness has come forward to give the investigators currently searching for Madeleine McCann new information about a suspicious incident that took place in Barcelona in the early hours of May 7th 2007 - just over 72 hours after Madeleine was abducted whilst on holiday in Praia da Luz in Portugal.   The 41-year-old British witness was attending a party with a group of other men in the area of the Port Olimpic Marina in Barcelona. It is a busy location that is popular with both tourists and local people. The group had been visiting a number of bars and restaurants in the marina area on the evening of the May 6th 2007 and into the early hours of May 7th 2007.   At around 2.00am on May 7th, the witness became aware of a well-dressed woman, who he describes as appearing agitated. She was seen in the area of the El Rey De La Gamba restaurant-bar for some ten minutes, walking up and down.   The witness got up and walked towards the woman and had a short conversation with her. This conversation was potentially significant to the investigation. However, for strict operational reasons, the investigators will not be divulging any details of what was said to the witness.   It is as a result of this conversation that the investigators now want to trace the woman, who they believe to be possibly Australian.   mf...   Following the conversation the woman sat down in another nearby bar. A further person from the same party group also saw her there. At this bar the woman had a heated discussion with someone in what seemed to be fluent Spanish.   The woman was last seen walking away in the direction of a local hospital and the more distant ferry and cruise ship terminals.   The woman is described by the principal witness as follows:   White   Aged 30 to 35 years   Slim build   Short brown hair   Approximately 5"2 tall   Wearing expensive looking blue jeans and a jersey top, possibly pastel colour   Her build equated to a size 10 dress size.   The witness described her as "a bit of a Victoria Beckham look-a-like". She spoke English with what the witness has described as "possibly an Australian" accent.  The investigators now hope the international media, in particular Australian and Spanish broadcasters, will help to distribute the attached e-fit of the woman, which has been prepared by a police artist, as widely as possible.   The British witness does not wish to be identified publicly. The investigators have already conducted some preliminary inquiries in the vicinity of the Port Olimpic Marina and are continuing to liaise with relevant police forces where necessary.   Anyone who may know the woman should contact the Madeleine McCann investigation team on +44 845 838 4699 or via the Madeleine McCann investigation email address: investigation@findmadeleine.com.

All At Sea, 06 August 2009

All At Sea EXCLUSIVE to mccannfiles.com   By Dr Martin Roberts 06 August 2009   ALL AT SEA   Have the McCanns made a Titanic mistake with their latest promotion? What follows is a particularly interesting exchange during the most recent press conference, involving Dave Edgar in discussion of the Marina where an unnamed Briton and an unidentified Australian are said to have conversed:   Q: "Mr Edgar, could you sail from the Algarve to this Marina?"   DE: "Could... I'm not a sailor but I'm told that, errm... six knots would take you five days."   Q: "Five days?"   DE: "Yeah... at six knots. Obviously it would depend what ship you're on or what yacht you're on how fast it would go."   Q: "Aren't there also ferries that do the main Portugal..." (indistinct)   DE: "There are ferries as well, yes. Obviously Barcelona is a very busy port."   Q: "So, Dave. Sorry. Have you... have you... have you worked out therefore that potentially Madeleine could definitely have been here (in) seventy-two hours?"   DE: "Yes."   Q: "Yes"   DE: "Could. Yes."   Q: "She could have been..."   DE: "Most definitely could have got from, from eh, from the area back to Barcelona."   Q: "How?"   DE: "By yacht. By yacht. It's entirely possible."   Indeed it is, Dave. But not inside seventy-two hours travelling at six knots. The journey takes five days at that speed you say, so at six knots you get just over half way. Ruling out the ferry, for obvious reasons, leaves us requiring an ocean-going vessel capable of cruising at around 13 knots.   There are physical constraints to travelling through water which can make exceeding an optimum speed difficult, if not dangerous, for smaller vessels; unless of course they are purpose-built ocean racers. These are not exactly small either. Toward the more leisurely end of the spectrum, ocean-going yachts, with a cruising speed of around 13 knots, are 'gin palaces', typically in the order of 160 ft. long, and can be picked up on the internet currently for around $20,000,000.   So, as Dave Edgar candidly informs us, it's entirely possible to sail, by yacht, from the Algarve to Barcelona within seventy-two hours. The BIG problem with this as an abduction hypothesis however, is the associated cost - staggeringly beyond the means of your average Mediterranean paedophile.   Even if we suspend disbelief, and attribute such deviant behaviour to a mysterious potentate with sufficient resources to fund an ocean-going lifestyle, was a seriously impressive boat recorded as entering the Marina on or immediately before the date of the Anglo-Australian encounter? If so, are we really to suppose that little Madeleine McCann from Leicester, last seen at an up-market holiday camp, was that important to the master?

Maddie hunt for woman, 06 August 2009

Maddie hunt for Woman Daily Express Daily Express, 07 August 2009 By Nick Fagge Thursday August 6, 2009   DETECTIVES searching for Madeleine McCann are hunting for an Australian woman who asked a British tourist if he was about to deliver her "new daughter".   The woman, described as a glamorous ­Victoria Beckham lookalike, spoke to the ­businessman in Spain just 72 hours after Madeleine dis­appeared from her family holiday in Portugal.   Investigators yesterday issued an urgent appeal for information about the well-dressed woman, who was seen acting in an "agitated" manner at the waterfront in Barcelona on May 7, 2007. She was pacing up and down outside a popular restaurant at the city's Olympic Marina at 2am. When approached, she asked the British man in an Australian accent: "Are you here to deliver my new daughter?"   The stunned tourist, who was chaperoning his brother on a stag party, did not reply and the woman repeated the question two more times.   A second member of the British party spoke to the woman before she left and went to another restaurant on the marina. He confirmed she was Australian.   It is believed the woman mistook the witness for a man she had arranged to meet.   Private detectives working for Kate and Gerry McCann believe the woman, described as white, aged between 30 and 35, 5ft 2ins tall, of slim build and expensively dressed, is a "significant" lead in their hunt for Madeleine, who was snatched from the family's apartment in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz.   Investigators believe Madeleine may have been smuggled on to a yacht. It is possible the girl, who would now be six, could have been taken on the orders of a childless couple desperate to have a family.   The breakthrough came six weeks ago after the new witness, a 41-year-old married man with no children, contacted the Find Madeleine investigation team.   Lead investigator Dave Edgar, a former detective inspector, said: "We are satisfied that he is a very credible witness and the account he's given is clear and concise." He added that the man, who asked not to be identified, did not come forward earlier for "personal reasons".   The private detectives spent two days in Barcelona investigating the new lead but found all CCTV footage had been wiped a long time ago and most of the bar staff had moved on. But Mr Edgar said the witness had described the e-fit of the woman produced by a British police artist as 80 per cent accurate.   A statement read by the McCanns' spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "A witness has come forward to give the investigators currently searching for Madeleine McCann new information about a suspicious incident that took place in Barcelona in the early hours of May 7, 2007 – just over 72 hours after Madeleine was abducted whilst on holiday in Praia da Luz in Portugal."   Mr Mitchell told how the witness had been visiting a number of bars and restaurants in the marina area when he became aware of a well-dressed woman walking outside the El Rey De La Gamba restaurant.   "The witness got up and walked towards the woman and had a short conversation with her. The conversation was potentially significant to the investigation."   Mr Mitchell said neither he nor the private investigators would reveal details of the conversation "for strict operational reasons".   But a source close to the investigation in Portugal told the Daily Express: "The new witness is a ­senior bank manager. He was in Barcelona for his brother's stag do.   "He was not drinking because he was keeping an eye on his brother. He saw a woman standing by the waterfront of the marina looking out to sea. She looked anxious. She was expecting to meet someone at the marina.   "The man approached her and she said to him, 'Are you here to deliver my new daughter?'   "She asked this question three times before she went to another restaurant along the marina."   The investigators now hope that a public appeal will flush out the woman, who is believed to have returned to her native Australia. The Portuguese source said: "Investigators want people who have contacted them in Australia to get back in touch with them again."   Less than 1,000 miles as the crow flies, the journey from the Algarve to Barcelona is easily achieved in less than 36 hours by sea in a high-powered cruiser or less than 14 hours by car. Mr Edgar said: "Madeleine most definitely could have got from the area to Barcelona by yacht."   The Portuguese source said: "Boats have been recorded leaving Albufeira and arriving in Barcelona one day later."   Kate and Gerry McCann are aware of the new lead, Mr Mitchell said.   Details of the new witness have been passed to Portuguese authorities. But the Portuguese police investigation into Madeleine's disappearance was closed a year ago.   Anyone who knows the woman is asked to call the McCanns’ inves­tigators on 0044845 8384699 or email them at investigation@find madeleine.com

72hours after Maddie kidnap she waited for girl to be handed over, 07 August 2009

72hours after Maddie kidnap she waited for girl to be handed over The Sun The Sun, 07 August 2009 By ANTONELLA LAZZERI Published: Today (07 August 2009)   A WOMAN who looks like Victoria Beckham went to a marina to take delivery of a child just 72 hours after Madeleine McCann was kidnapped, it emerged yesterday.   Detectives searching for Maddie released an e-fit of the Posh lookalike and launched a global hunt, saying: "We need to find her."   The woman spoke to a British man at a bar in the Port Olimpic marina in Barcelona, Spain.   He approached her because she was "agitated" and had been pacing up and down outside for ten minutes. She then mistook him for a man she had arranged to meet for the handover of a delivery.   The private detective leading the search for Maddie, ex-cop Dave Edgar, refused to reveal the contents of the two-minute conversation "for operational reasons". He said: "It was significant. It is a strong lead."   But a source told The Sun that the woman, thought to be Australian, asked the man: "Have you got her? Have you got the child?" Clues ... bar where woman asked 'have you got her?' and map of where Maddie could have been taken   The source said: "The man came to believe the woman had been expecting to meet someone who was going to hand something over to her. From what she said about having 'her' he took it to be a female child.   Smuggled   "He had no idea what she meant at the time but when he found out about Maddie's abduction he found it very suspicious.   "The woman seemed to be at the bar at an appointed hour, waiting for someone to show up and hand over something. When she realised he wasn't who she was expecting, she quickly brought the conversation to a close."   The conversation happened at the El Rey de la Gamba bar at about 2am on May 7 2007, just days after Maddie, then aged three, was snatched from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal.   The fact that the meeting took place at a marina is significant, as investigators have always believed Maddie could have been smuggled out of Portugal by boat.   Two people were seen carrying a bundle towards Praia da Luz harbour at 6am the day after Maddie vanished, and it is thought she may have been snatched to order for a childless couple.   Mr Edgar said Maddie "could definitely" have been taken from Portugal to Barcelona by yacht, or been driven there in about a day.   The Posh lookalike is said to be slim and "glamorous", aged 30 to 35, about 5ft 2in with spiky brown hair.   She walked away from the British witness after realising her mistake, but he later bumped into her again at a bar next door. A friend with the man told investigators she had an Aussie accent.   Investigators have interviewed staff at the two bars and shown them the e-fit, but no one has been able to identify her. Investigators are now asking Australian Federal Police to help trace her.   Maddie's doctor parents Kate and Gerry, both 41, of Rothley, Leics, have been informed.   Their spokesman Clarence Mitchell contacted aides of David and Victoria Beckham out of courtesy to let them know about the lookalike. David made a video appeal over Maddie shortly after she was snatched.   The British man, 41, was in Barcelona for his brother's stag do, and only came forward after seeing news reports on the second anniversary of Maddie's kidnap.   He had been reluctant to speak up before as he did not want his wife to think he was chatting up women in bars. Mr Edgar said he was a "very credible witness," adding: "He recognises he should have come forward before."

Have you got the child? asked Australian woman hunted in Madeleine McCann inquiry, 07 August 2009

Have you got the child? asked Australian woman hunted in Madeleine McCann inquiry Daily Mirror Daily Mirror, 07 August 2009 By Rod Chaytor 7/08/2009   This is the Victoria Beckham look-a-like who is being hunted by detectives searching for Madeleine McCann.   Just 72 hours after Madeleine vanished the agitated women mistook a British tourist for a man she was impatiently waiting to meet outside a bar in Barcelona and asked him: "Have you got her? Have you got the child?"   Detectives searching for Madeleine McCann now believe she could have been swiftly shipped off to Barcelona after she was snatched from her parents' apartment in Portugal.   Former Detective Inspector Dave Edgar is basing his theory on a new lead involving a mysterious woman said to look like Victoria Beckham.   The woman, who possibly had an Australian accent, was seen three days after Madeleine vanished behaving in an agitated manner outside a Barcelona bar as she apparently waited for the arrival of a child. She asked a British tourist: "Have you got her? Have you got the child?" It is thought she had mistaken him for a man she was meeting outside the El Rey de la Gamba in the city's marina area.   Mr Edgar added: "It's a strong lead. Madeleine could have been in Barcelona by this point. The fact that the conversation took place near the marina could be significant. It is something we are looking at."   The investigator and his colleague ex-Detective Sergeant Arthur Cowley say it is possible Madeleine, then three, was snatched to order from the resort of Praia da Luz on May 3 and smuggled on to a boat moored nearby.   It could have made the 800 mile-odd trip around the Iberian coast to deliver her in Barcelona.   The witness who saw the mystery Posh lookalike has only recently come forward. The 41-year-old man, who is in a senior management job, had been on a stag weekend in the city. He kept silent initially because he was afraid his wife would think he had been chatting up the woman.   Mr Edgar said: "He's a credible witness. He had been drinking but was not drunk. The account he has given is precise.   "He didn't come forward earlier for personal reasons and I am satisfied with those personal reasons. I think he now wishes that he had come forward sooner.   "The woman is not a suspect but somebody we wish to speak to. She was most definitely on her own."   An efit of the women was released yesterday in an effort to identify her. Clarence Mitchell, spokesman for Gerry and Kate McCann, said the witness had approached the woman and had a short conversation with her at around 2am.   He added: "This conversation was potentially significant. Following the conversation the woman sat down in another bar."   Mr Mitchell said the woman was then heard to have an angry exchange in fluent Spanish with another man who accidentally bumped her chair.   He added: "The woman was last seen walking away in the direction of a hospital and the more distant ferry and cruise ship terminals."   THE KEY DATES   May 3, 2007 Madeleine vanishes from holiday apartment in Praia da Luz.   May 30, 2007 Parents Kate and Gerry McCann, still based in Portugal, launch European tour and meet the Pope.   September 7, 2007 McCanns made official suspects, or arguidos, by Portuguese police.   September 9, 2007 McCanns fly home to Rothley, Leics, with two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.   October 2, 2007 Goncalo Amaral sacked as head of Portuguese police inquiry into Madeleine’s disappearance.   November 1, 2007 Heart specialist Gerry goes back to work at the Glenfield Hospital in Leicester.   February 4, 2008 Portuguese police admit they were hasty in making McCanns suspects.   May 3, 2008 In ITV documentary, Kate urges the world to "pray like mad" for Madeleine.   July 21, 2008 Portuguese police lift arguido status on the McCanns and shelve the inquiry into the disappearance.   August 4, 2008 Portuguese police release 30,000-page file.   January 13, 2009 Gerry returns to Portugal for the first time.   April 22, 2009 McCanns fly to Chicago to record Oprah Winfrey show to mark second anniversary.   August 6, 2009 British private eyes looking for Madeleine launch worldwide hunt for mystery "Australian" woman who was apparently seen waiting on a Barcelona dockside for the delivery of a child.   *   This article was later updated, on 07 August 2009, as follows:   New title:   Madeleine McCann: Police hunt Australian woman who asked 'Have you got the child?'   Two paragraphs added to main body of text:   She was white, 30 to 35, 5ft 2in, slim and wearing expensive clothes.   Mr Mitchell said: "In the words of the witness she appeared to be 'a bit of a Victoria Beckham lookalike'. As with all potential leads Kate and Gerry are neither getting their hopes up or down."

Maddie: Find Oz yacht woman, 07 August 2009

Maddie: Find Oz yacht woman Daily Star Daily Star, 07 August 2009 By Jerry Lawton 7th August 2009   A worldwide hunt was under way last night for a Posh Spice lookalike who cops believe could be linked to Madeleine McCann's kidnapping.   Three days after Maddie was snatched, the pretty Aussie asked a Brit stag night reveller in a Barcelona bar: "Have you got her? Have you got the child?"   Investigators believe the woman could have mistaken the innocent tripper for Madeleine's abductor.   They are working on the theory there was a plot to kidnap the child in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz and taken by yacht to the Spanish port 880 miles away.   They also believe the photofit woman they are searching for could be linked to the yachting community who use the area where she was spotted.   This woman was seen pacing nervously up and down on the quayside outside the El Rey De La Gamba seafood restaurant in Barcelona's trendy Port Olimpic district at 2am.   A 41-year-old businessman on his brother's stag break approached her concerned by her "agitated state".   Detectives believe she mistook him for someone else and then started the bizarre conversation.   The married man kept quiet about their encounter for more than two years, fearing a row with his wife for chatting up another woman.   He was described as a "professional in a senior role" and even swore to secrecy a pal who witnessed the scene.   But six weeks ago he broke his silence and contacted private eyes hired by Madeleine's doctor parents Kate and Gerry.   The detectives travelled to Barcelona but were unable to unearth an innocent explanation for the mysterious conversation.   Last night they made a worldwide appeal to find the woman they believe could hold the key to the mystery, which started when Madeleine vanished on May 3, 2007, days before her fourth birthday.   The mystery woman was also seen having a "heated conversation" in fluent Spanish with another person who bumped into her chair in the Irish Sailing Club bar.   When the McCanns saw an e-fit of the suspect they were stunned by her similarity to Posh. They even consulted the Beckhams before taking the decision to release the image.   Last night 35-year-old Posh's spokesman Jo Molloy said it was "inappropriate" for her to comment on the investigation because it was "nothing to do with the Beckhams".   But pals said the celebrity couple would "do anything they could" to help find the missing child.   A friend said: "As loving parents themselves, they can only imagine the pain that Madeleine's mum and dad must be going through with every passing day.   "They didn't want to stand in the way of what could be an earth-shattering development in the case and could help bring Madeleine home."   Last night the Daily Star circulated posters showing the e-fit across Barcelona in the hope someone will recognise the woman.   The image was also flashed across news bulletins in Australia.   Retired police chief David Edgar, who heads the McCanns' investigative team, urged: "Please, please contact us if you know this woman.   "She is a very significant individual. We need to speak to her urgently. It is a very strong lead.   "It was a significant conversation. I wouldn't be doing this if not. The witness had been drinking but wasn't drunk.   "There were other people in his group who had had more to drink than he had.   "However he had spent a lot of time with her and was able to give us a good description.   "The witness did not come forward earlier for personal reasons and I'm satisfied with those personal reasons.   "It's a long time but this witness is very credible.   "I think he recognises he should have come forward before."   Mr Edgar said he and colleague Arthur Cowley made urgent inquiries in Barcelona after the witness came forward but "it didn't lead to anything".   Kate and Gerry were now "praying that this is the piece in the jigsaw" which helps lead them to their daughter, family spokesman Clarence Mitchell told a London press conference.   He said the couple, both doctors aged 41 from Rothley, Leics, were "fully aware" of the latest lead.   But he added: "They have learned from bitter experience not to get their hopes up or down with a potentially very significant lead."   He said the couple, who have four-year-old twins Sean and Amelia, have vowed "to continue to search for Madeleine with every breath they take".   A spokesman for the Australian Federal Police said they would join the hunt for the woman if asked.   Anyone with information about the mystery woman should contact the investigators on 0845 838 4699 or via investigation@findmadeleine.com

Missing Madeleine McCann: new suspect 'highly significant', 07 August 2009

Missing Madeleine McCann: new suspect 'highly significant' Telegraph   The new suspect being hunted in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann is a "highly significant person of interest" to the investigation, the family's spokesman Clarence Mitchell said   Published: 9:33AM BST 07 Aug 2009   He refused to confirm or deny that the woman, described as a Victoria Beckham lookalike, had asked a British man: "Have you got her? Have you got the child?"   But he said it was right to identify the woman as a possible accomplice in the abduction of Madeleine.   Private detectives released an e-fit of the woman, described as glamorous and stylishly dressed, on Thursday. They said she spoke with an Australian or New Zealand accent.   The conversation with the British man, who has not been named but is a married 41-year-old professional without children, is said to have taken place at a marina in Barcelona, Spain, three days after the youngster disappeared from Portugal.   Speaking on GMTV, Mr Mitchell said: "This is potentially a highly significant person of interest to the investigation. I can't go into any more detail.   "This woman is formally not accused of anything."   But he said reports identifying her as a potential "accomplice" were "right to identify that aspect of the story".   Appeals have been made in Australia in the hope of attracting further clues but Mr Mitchell admitted the whereabouts of the woman were unknown.   "We're not even absolutely sure she is in Australia," he said.   Mr Mitchell said Kate and Gerry McCann, Madeleine's parents, remained cautious about the new development.   "They have learned through bitter experience to neither let their hopes go up or down," he said.   But he said they had "drawn strength" from the new momentum in the investigation.