Portuguese Police will not go ahead with a reconstruction of
the night Madeleine McCann disappeared.
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Kate and Gerry McCann had not planned to return
to Portugal for the reconstruction of the night
Madeleine disappeared
Photo: PA
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According to Sky News reports, the controversial plan was
abandoned after several members of the 'Tapas
Seven'
were not able to attend.
Kate and Gerry McCann had already decided not to return to
Portugal for the reconstruction of the night of their
daughter went missing.
The couple said the re-enactment would do “absolutely
nothing” to help find their daughter, who was three when she
vanished from the family’s holiday
apartment in
Praia da Luz
in May 2007.
Mr and Mrs McCann, who are arguidos or suspects in their
daughter’s disappearance, had been asked by Portuguese
police to return to the Algarve along with the seven friends
on holiday with them at the time.
Detectives wanted to stage a reconstruction at the
Ocean
Club complex where the McCanns were dining,
leaving Madeleine and her younger siblings in the unlocked
apartment nearby.
But the couple, from Rothley in Leicestershire, have decided
not to go back.
A source close to the McCanns said: “There are no plans for
Kate and Gerry
and their friends to return to
Portugal. They have all indicated their intentions to the
police.
“The reconstruction will only take place if Kate and Gerry
and their friends agree to take part. If they don’t agree it
will not happen.
“Kate and Gerry have had grave reservations about the value
of it. If the reconstruction was going to help Madeleine,
nothing in the world would stop them taking part.
“But Kate and Gerry and their friends cannot see the point
of all the disruption it would cause to their busy work
schedules and families if, as they believe, it will do
absolutely nothing to help find
Madeleine.”
The couple’s spokesman
Clarence Mitchell said:
“Kate and Gerry and their friends remain committed to doing
anything to help find Madeleine.
“I don’t want to comment on what they have told police but,
if they do not return to Portugal, it is because they feel
it offers no value and no assistance in finding Madeleine.”
Mr Mitchell said that if the reconstruction was televised
with the chance of bringing in new leads the McCanns and
their friends would agree to do it.
He went on: “They would welcome a Crimewatch-style
reconstruction which is properly broadcast for millions of
people to see and could generate important new leads and
fresh information.”
But Portuguese police said they did not want the
reconstruction to be filmed.
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