The McCanns
 

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...-12377,00.html

"The parents of Madeleine McCann won £550,000...in libel damages today from newspapers that repeatedly alleged they killed their missing daughter and covered up her death"

The McCanns said
"We are pleased that Express Newspapers have admitted the utter falsity of the numerous grotesque and grossly defamatory allegations that their titles published about us on a sustained basis."

The money is going to the fund set up to find their daughter.

I'm so pleased for them that they've won this case and that many papers have printed apologies for their 'inaccurate' reporting.

Re: The McCanns
 

As am I, The Daily Express and Daily Star (sister papers) actually claimed in 2 separate stories that they had sold there daughter as they were short of money and that they had killed her and only had 3 minutes to get rid of her body. Absolutely shocking and outrageous. :curse::sneaky:

Re: The McCanns
 

:sneaky: now this is a thread that could become heated :sneaky:

best not even post a bit of what has been said eleswhere on various forums or some people think about this as I dont have a spare $1.5m in the bank.........(to include the legal costs)..........

Re: The McCanns
 

That's disgusting, why newspapers feel it's necessary to pull people's lives apart to bump up their circulation is beyond me, they could've sold just as many papers by supporting the McCanns through this trauma - instead of adding to it.

What's worse is that reporting Maddy's death has probably detracted from the efforts to find her. I hope those editors can't sleep at night.

Re: The McCanns
 

Those who live by the sword shall die by it........

You could argue that if the McCanns hadn't tried to use (some might say manipulate) the media and act downtight oddly, pretty much from day one, then the papers would never have been sold in the first place.

Not that I would support the Standard or the Express, just another pair of right-wing rags for a generally mindless readership.

Probably totally internalised the whole thing trying to get away from the "home alone" thoughts that any living, breathing parent would anguish over.......a real tragedy......hope someone finds the poor little thing :frown:

/steps back admiting his handiwork - look I've offended everyone, choice!/

Re: The McCanns
 

The papers would probably have sold more copies if they hadn't shafted the McCanns. From what I hear their circulations actually dropped as a result of their ridiculous reporting. Quite fitting really :).

As for acting "oddly"....well their small daughter had just been snatched from her bed, I'd like to see anyone acting "normally" following that.

Most of us worry if little kids develop so much as a high temperature in the middle of the night :blink:. Ever lost a toddler in a department store? multiply that feeling 100 fold and then let me how people are supposed to act :D

Re: The McCanns
 

Quite right - unless you have been through something similar how would you possibly know what is a 'normal' reaction. I just hope they find out one day what did happen to her

Re: The McCanns
 

Trouble is, none of us have any idea what the 'accurate' position is. The newspapers are unable to substantiate their allegations, but we have no idea at all what really happened, or what the McCanns were doing.

The whole case is incredibly strange.

I agree that no-one knows what a normal reaction would be in their shoes, but I am pretty sure I would be traumatised, frantic, emotional, aggressive and totally unable to cope. The McCanns dont really seem to be like that, maybe they are some severe tranquillisers.

Re: The McCanns
 

There's nothing strange about them or their case at all.

The pain is in there in their eyes, dissolving into gibbering wrecks for the press doesn't achieve anything.

Instead they put their resolve into doing all they could to try to raise the profile of the abduction and try to find her. What parent wouldn't try to move heaven and hell?

And if there was any evidence as to their guilt they would've been arrested and charged a long time ago.

Re: The McCanns
 

Here's a question for you all then...

If the courts do end up charging the McCanns, and if they are found guilty, even on appeal, do the papers get their money back?

Just askin', is all. :)

Re: The McCanns
 

If they are not gulity of some heinous crime they must have some culpability as bad parents and that is probably why so many people were (even subconsciously) wanting them to be guilty.........and why so much newsprint was (and is) generated.

As I posted before their responses to that fact could account for some of their behaviours....as could their personalities.

Their innocence is still in tact, but I wouldn't leave them in charge of my kids, would you?

Re: The McCanns
 

Not sure - best to ask Jonathan Aitken about that one.......or Geoffrey Archer.......:D

Re: The McCanns
 

erm, no, not strictly true even in a UK juristiction..........you know as well as I do that it don't work like that..........

Re: The McCanns
 

nope, unless they appeal somehow, justice is justice.......after all........:blink:

Re: The McCanns
 

Or not, if the papers were right to begin with.

Re: The McCanns
 

Yes I would! I don't believe that they are bad parents at all. They did something that many parents do & that my parents did with us. I'm sure they regret this decision hugely but it doesn't make them bad.

I hope they get answers to what has happened to their child, it must be a living hell for them. On top of that, they must know that people like you are blaming them rather than the perpetrator of this crime.

Re: The McCanns
 

....of course they must have (and I hope would feel) some level of guilt....in the same way that they would be in some way guilty were they to leave the kids home alone and one got injured by hurting themselves, they were not there when their kids needed them.......given their financial status I'm sure that they could have arranged for childcare when they arranged to go off to eat with their mates?
Or even got the food served at their place as it was not far??
Oh and my understanding (you can correct me) is that they did this sort of thing each night leaving the kids alone in an unlocked apartment, if that is the case then I doubt that any parent here would feel absolved of guilt as it would allow the snatcher to get a good handle on their behaviour and work out a way to slip in and out undetected.......

Life's all about choices and having kids is often about sacrifice - we never went out for 18 months after our first, MrsL wouldn't even trust either set of parents to look after the wee un.

The world is a tad different now than it was when your parents left you "alone", what with cheap flights to the Algarve and pedo rings organised by MSN..........doubt most parents would admit to leaving their kids insecure and alone in their holiday apartment whilst they went off to a cafe, even if they (allegedly) checked back each 30 minutes.
Ever heard of baby monitors that double as two way radios and are fully portable?- we have one that works as a walkie talkie and has a range of up to 5km, great for if the kids used to nod off in the car just before we got home....the car was left locked BTW.....in full view of the front window but that cheap technology gave us peace of mind.

All of this doesn't make the McCanns killers as the Express said and rightly got sued for.........althought the Portugeuse Police have not removed them from their enquiries or lifted "official suspect" status.

But then in the world of the Daily Mail all foreign police forces are incompetent fools........

Nor does it mean that I don't feel for them, having young kids I sure do but I wouldn't leave my 2yr old and 6yr old with them, certainly the type of people they seem to have been *before* this tragedy, maybe think about it now as one would hope that (i) they are innocent and (ii) they would be extra-vigilant.

BTW, I say if they find the perp of this crime then they should rot in jail..........

Re: The McCanns
 

You see I am sure that it was a locked apartment and not an unlocked apartment hence the need for the window to have been forced. Or did I read this wrong in the reports :unsure:

Re: The McCanns
 

You must be having a laugh

Re: The McCanns
 

It's irrelevant either way...I would NEVER leave my kids like that...never have...never would....like Maz (I think it was), I wouldn't even leave them in the car while paying at the petrol station.
Given their medical background they should have been aware that the kids were at risk from medical emergency alone, never mind fire risk or malicious intruders.
Maybe religion was their problem? An exaggerated belief that God would always provide maybe?
Agree with Lardyl....you have to sacrifice your social life for your kids to some extent or if you are unwilling to do this, you arrange for responsible babysitters.

Re: The McCanns
 

Oh god, don't get me started (again) on the McCanns...but God bless Maddy wherever she may be...

Re: The McCanns
 

Not having a pop at you here but if your children play in the back garden do you sit at the window staring at them till they come back in. There have been cases in the UK where children have been taken from the garden or even from there bedroom while parents slept. I find it hard to believe that you have never even for a minute taken your eyes off them whilst doing something else.

Re: The McCanns
 

someone opened a McCann of worms again............................ :thumbdown:

Re: The McCanns
 

oh here we go.......that's how the McCann's rationalised it - we were only doing what we might have done at home.......
'fraid that to me and many many other parents that particular analogy don't wash.........
but we are just going to disagree on this one and as I posted earlier this could all get too heated.....so I'm not going to post here again. ;)

Re: The McCanns
 

God forbid nothing like that ever happens to anyone. The McCanns had a BIG error of judgement and they should have done
a.
b.
c.
But I dont think its right to condemn anyone as the McCanns have been condemned by both the public and the media. Isn't it that it used to be 'innocent until proven guilt' or is it now the other way round now? There is enough negativity in this world without adding any more. The media is a very powerful weapon of propaganda and should be fined for abusing their power.

Re: The McCanns
 

My back garden in the UK was extremely secure....I do take small risks now they are older such as dropping them at school but we are talking twin babies and a young child...if your child is abducted whilst you are in your house then you have no need to feel guilty, you can only do your best, by leaving vulnerable kids totally unattended they were not doing their best.

Re: The McCanns
 

For crying out loud...let's face the facts here...

1. OK...The newspapers shouldn't have done what they have done in some cases - agreed.

2. The fact remains though that if the McCanns hadn't left their children unsupervised there would not have been the opportunity for anyone to abduct one of them...

End of...simple as...

p.s. I have every sympathy with the McCanns as parents grieving the loss of one of their children...however, that loss is of their own making and therein lies the rub...if they hadn't left their children alone whilst going out to dine this situation would never have arisen...

p.p.s ...Sorry, promised myself I wouldn't comment on this thread as I've said all that I had to say about the McCanns in various other threads (see my previous posts) but I just couldn't help myself...to lose a child through your own negligence is a cross no person should have to bear but the McCanns will have to carry that very heavy cross for the rest of their lives...

Re: The McCanns
 

Have there been any sightings of maddy in New Zealand?

Just curious, as what on earth is this thread doing in this section? At least the football thread pretended to be about New Zealand for half a second before droning on about the Premeirship.

Not that I'm trying to get the thread in the 'off-topic' section past the 100,000 post mark, or anything.



Anyone reading that thread will find out how I got so much karma....perhaps best we just all stay on this thread...

Re: The McCanns
 

May I remind everyone that the McCanns recklessly abandoned their children so they were able to go out for the evening with friends.

They are indirectly responsible for the kidnapping and possible death of maddie by their incredible irresponsible actions. Responsible parents DO NOT leave children unattended at any time. Im flabbergasted at their selfishness and the excuses made by others on their behalf.

I hope they rot in hell!

Re: The McCanns
 

Once a trouble maker always a trouble maker!;)

Re: The McCanns
 

:zzz:

Re: The McCanns
 

how very christian of you!

Re: The McCanns
 

What a thoroughly unpleasant person you must be :thumbdown:

Re: The McCanns
 

There are some disturbing replies on this thread:thumbdown:
What happened to the McCanns shouldnt happen to any parent, i think anyone who takes the "they left her alone" path as a way into blaming them is being very sanctimonious.
Their daughter was taken and does anyone seriously believe that a parent would persuade 7 other close family friends to say they didnt do it if they really had, that is where any arguement about whether they did it or not falls flat. If your friend said to you "I'm gonna kill my daughter but dont tell anyone", would you keep it a secret ?? No you wouldn't.
The McCanns got up peoples noses by doing what every parent would do, the media created a monster for which i'm sure the McCanns were grateful for at the time, the huge publicity gained could only help with their plight.
The media starved off any real news force fed us the sad faces and desperate pleas of the McCanns at every opportunity and saddly people got sick of them "whinning on" day after day.
However There have been many incidences of child deaths were the parents have appeared distraught on TV only for the truth come out later that they were the guilty person and that sticks in peoples minds, the longer it goes on the more people are questioning their innocence.
We cannot be expected to carry our children on our backs until the age of 18, we leave them alone when we consider it safe to do so. what they did was no different to having a BBQ and allowing the children to play in the garden while the adults sit and chat inside, or taking your children on a pick nic and allowing them a little freedom to explore while knowing that their parents are close at hand to keep them safe. The McCanns assessed the risks and acted accordingly.
There was a similar case to tis some years ago in one of the Greek islands, a young boy of around 3 or 4 was taken and has never been seen since. It is thought that he was snatched by travelling gypsies who roam the islands in summer and drift around the greek mainland and nearby baltic states. There have been several sightings over the years but by the time police react the gypsies have moved on or disapeared.
There is a chance Maddeline is dead but i tink a body would have been found by now, and there is a chance she may have been abducted wich as time goes on seems the more likely.
Either way until an answer is found one way or another i dont tink its right to blame the parents for "neglecting "her and certainly not accuse them of killing her.
Personally i'm fed up with the media coverage, sadly i now have no interest in the parents plight as i feel any compassion i might have had has been beaten out of me by the continuous drip drip drip of sad tearful faces that i'm still being force fed on a weekly basis. I cannot imagine myself doing anything different to the McCanns if i ever found myself in the same situation.
All we can do is hope theres a answer found as soon as possible.

Re: The McCanns
 

Goodness knows Avid.

If anyone really wants to continue beating up about this incredibly sad topic , please feel free to do so HERE