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Jeremy and Bridget both work in television, Jeremy
producing documentaries and Bridget worked on
Crime Watch.
Once again, in this police statement, we are reminded by the couple
that they chose that particular week as it was the
cheapest week of the season.
They flew to the resort on April 28th, 2007. Whilst on the
plane they came into conversation with O’Brien
and Oldfield. The reason, their children were of
the same age and were playing together. They were also
aware of the presence of their partners, Jane Tanner
and Rachael Manpilly.
For anyone who has flown on a ‘bucketshop’ flight, the
planes are cramped, there is no leg room and the aisle
is very narrow. BUT here we have children playing. Where
were they playing? Was 8 month old Jeremy’s son
crawling up and down the aisle? Maybe pushing the drink
cart back and forth…
Flight attendants would be walking up and down with food and
drinks. I’m sure the parents would have been told to
keep their children under control apart from the fact
they may hurt themselves.
I believe rather that the children may have been “used” just to
justify how the couple got to know the Oldfields
and O’Briens. Not the first time in this story
the children have been used to cover for the parents,
and if they needed to lie about that, then a few
questions need answer: where and when did they
effectively meet and why this need to cover that up?
According to Jeremy, he first met Gerry at a tennis
coach lesson held by staff associated with the
Mark Warner resort on the first Monday of
their holiday, April 30th. He found Gerry
to be amicable and willing to chat. He paired with Gerry
for part of the lesson and described him as ‘Good
company if not a little gregarious’.
He did not see Gerry again until Tuesday May 1st.
This, you will remember was the night Mrs. Fenn
stated that she heard a child screaming “Daddy,
daddy” from the McCanns apartment.
Jeremy, during another tennis lesson met some of the group
and only then did he realize that the people he met on
the plane were Gerry’s friends.
Jeremy recalled also this same day walking to the
Crèche with Gerry around 12.30 hrs
because Madeleine had spent the morning there.
Jeremy does not mention if he saw Madeleine.
Jeremy seemed eager, in his statement, to explain the
Crèche and how it functioned. The evening
Crèche seemed more important to him than the
daytime. Jeremy said the children would be left
with staff and most would be picked up before 10pm.
Notice the time, 10 pm.
IT WAS NOT an unusual sight to see people walking at night with
children in their arms asleep. The Crèche
would also supply a blanket to cover the child if
required.
Wilkins noticed the group appeared to be boisterous when in
the Tapas with Gerry playing centre stage
‘Almost holding Court’.
They also noticed the behaviour of David Payne, he seemed to
be ‘playing up’ to Gerry. Maybe this game of
theirs is what ended the friendship between the
McCanns and the Gaspars.
Jeremy and Bridget back up the McCann’s
version of leaving the children alone and doing regular
checks. It’s quite a coincidence that on the evening
before the abduction they decided to talk to two couples
who arrived 45 minutes after them and by coincidence sat
next to them, and by coincidence again happened to be
the McCanns and the O’Briens. And who
could have guessed that on that night when chatting
about everyday things the subject would turn to
childcare and then to, by coincidence certainly,
checking children systems? Which, they, the Wilkins
did not use. Life is made of coincidences, we all
know. It’s just a coincidence that there were so many
coincidences that night, as Textusa would say.
But as many coincidences happened that night, they were too few
compared with happened the night after, as we all know
so well.
We then come to May 3rd 2007.
Jeremy went to play tennis at 10.30 hrs, Gerry was
there, they chatted, also present was a female member of
the group but apparently could not recall her name.
After tennis they all went to the pool. Who is all? Jeremy,
Gerry and the woman without a name?
By this time Jeremy states BOTH Gerry and Kate
were now present and spent time talking with the female
tennis coach. A little confusing here and I am surprised
Jeremy was not asked to clarify, was Kate
already at the pool?
At 12.30 hrs Jeremy and Bridget went to collect their
children from the Crèche. They did not see
the group anymore that day.
That evening, their son of eight months was unable to sleep, about
20.15 hrs Jeremy took him in the pushchair
for a walk.
Jeremy, walking on the right side of the road passing the
Tapas Bar on his left. The street lighting was not
good but clear enough to see. As he approached the
corner of the McCanns apartment he saw Gerry
appear from the area of the gate. At this time they
stood with Gerry’s back to the building near to
the gate and Jeremy facing him. Rua Dr
Agostinho da Silva was about 10-15 meters to his
right and the pathway leading to the front of the
apartment blocks about 5 meters to his left.
Jeremy is adamant he neither saw nor heard anyone.
The conversation lasted at most about three minutes.
Gerry was chatty, his normal self.
The couple woke with a knock at the door around 01.00 hrs. On
answering they spoke with the resort manager and a
member of the group known as Matthew. It was then they
heard Madeleine was missing.
Several weeks later, Jeremy received calls from Gerry,
he wanted permission to use his name in a Portfolio of
evidence being compiled by the McCanns. They were
very persistent and made several attempts to contact him
both at work and at home.
They had no objection to being included but were concerned as to
the method being used.
So, there we have it, word for word Jeremy Wilkins'
statement to the Leicestershire Constabulary.
Jeremy Wilkins no longer recalls seeing Tanner
earlier, in her purple dress.
Jeremy and Bridget no longer recall May 3rd
watching children from their child’s Crèche
playing tennis, including their own daughter ‘Madeleine
must have been there, they were all pink and blonde’.
Bridget lied, the tennis lesson was NOT May 3rd.
Much explained as to why Bridget wrote her anxious article
in The Guardian about her friend ‘Kate
McCann’. Butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, Katie.
The couple was being pressured by Gerry McCann.
It was very important to Jeremy where he stood when talking
to Gerry. VERY important, so he detailed it, very
clearly near or in front of the gate. It was also
important to Jane Tanner so much so she burst
into tears after being publicly contradicted as lightly
as with "a natural" and expected "discrepancy".
BUT of no importance to Gerry McCann, Gerry would decide
where his bit part actors were to stand and so should
stand. After all this was HIS version of events. The
fact that HIS version prevailed is very telling of his
dominance on what was told, or told to be said, happened
that night by some.
Jeremy also wanted to make it VERY clear there would be
nothing strange in seeing a man with a sleeping child
before 10.00 pm.
Bridget feeling she had to explain in her article Jeremy
had walked home the night of May 2nd with
their sleeping son in his arms, wrapped in a blanket.
The couple must have known and realised something was dreadfully
wrong. And I truly believe Bridget was afraid.
Afraid or not, one thing I do know, Jeremy Wilkins has a
deep dislike for Gerry McCann.
As always many thanks to PAMALAM |
