Table of Contents : APENSOS V, Volume 4, Supposed Sightings and Locations (FILE 04)....(PDF Pages 65-66)....Pages 734 to 735—"Email re negative sighting in Guatemala City"
Apensos V, Vol 4, Page 734 and 735
Page 734 (Page 1 of 2)
FW : Mistaken sighting of Madeleine McCann : GUATEMALA CITY
Bill Henderson
From :
Liz.Dow@fco.gov.ukSent : 15th June 2007 08.08
To :
Bill.Henderson@mail.telepac.ptSubject : FW : Mistaken sighting of Madeleine McCann : GUATEMALA CITY
Bill,
Please pass a copy to Bob Small. I spoke to him about this last night. Thanks.
Liz
______________Original Message________________
From : Gary Middlemas - Guatemala City UBS
Sent : 14th June 2007 23.18
To : Adele Taylor ; Liz Dow *Lisbon-UBS ; Emma Harber ;
'task@leicestershire.pnn.police.uk'
Cc : Neil Hulbert ; Christopher Tannasee ; Carl Malin *-Guatemala City (USB) ; Ian Hughes *-Guatemala City (USB) ; Karen Miller * (Guatemala City) - CONF ; Lourdes Taylor - Guatemala City (UBS) ; FCO Response Centre ; Richard Crowder PINKY CONF ; Tony Hennessy.
Subject : RE : Mistaken sighting of Madeleine McCann : GUATEMALA CITY
Adele,
Thank you. many apologies to all for raising hopes from here. It did indeed appear a credible sighting highlighted by the need for the Guatemalan Police / HM Consul to approach the girl and gentleman to ascertain identities.
We will liaise with Consular Directorate / Press Office overnight on handling any local reaction detailed below.
Regards,
Gary
Gary Middlemas
Consul/ Management Officer ( Temp : 12th June - 31st July 2007)
(Note : Here, is a handwritten entry of 2 lines, in the Portuguese Language, which indicates re negative result of sighting in Guatemala. This entry may have overwritten the lower part of this report)
Page 735 (Page 2 of 2)
Report on Page 734 continues thus :
.............police and Emma Harber, all of whom were informed earlier of this possible sighting. Sorry to have set hares running - but then you never know !
Adele Taylor
Duty Manager
FCO Response Centre
_____________Original Message______________
From : Gary Middlemas - Guatemala City UBS
Sent : 14th June 2007 22.38
To : FCO Response Centre
Cc : Neil Hulbert ; Christopher Tannasee ; Carl Malin *-Guatemala City (USB) ; Ian Hughes *-Guatemala City (USB) ; Karen Miller * (Guatemala City) - CONF ; Lourdes Taylor - Guatemala City (UBS)
Subject :
Mistaken sighting of Madeleine McCann : GUATEMALA CITY
To : FCO Response Centre
cc : Press Office : Neil Hulbert, Consular Directorate ; Christopher Tannasee, Consular Directorate.
Mistaken sighting of Madeleine McCann : GUATEMALA CITY.
I called at 1130 today to inform you that a language teacher for the Embassy said that she thought she sighted Madeleine Mccann at Mira Flores Shopping Mall in Guatemala City. Immediately the Consul went down to the Mall and the Police and the Mall Authorities were informed. From a distance of 30m metres or so, the Consul, a colleague and several others thought that the girl bore a striking resemblance to Madeleine. The Authorities, Consul and local Police followed the gentleman and the girl. It transpired that the Mall Authorities had been following the man all morning.
Six Police Officers and Mall Security approached the gentleman and the girl, in the presence of the Consul. The mother appeared on the scene and confirmed that the girl was NOT Madeleine McCann. The gentleman was actually the child's bodyguard and was escorting the child around whilst her mother was shopping/drinking coffee. The Consul saw identification for the child and was satisfied that the girl was not Madeleine McCann. We have identification for all three people involved.
I informed you at 1230 that it was almost certainly a case of mistaken identity. This e-mail confirms our conversation.
The Consul has already given a verbal apology to the bodyguard and father following the incident. The family actually acknowledged the close resemblance of the girl to Madeleine's photograph. But they are naturally unhappy with what happened and have called asking for a written and oral apology from the Embassy. They have since, by telephone, inferred that the British Government intended to kidnap the girl. They have requested a meeting tomorrow with the Consul. The girl's father (a Lawyer) is coming back from El Salvador tomorrow as a result of what happened.
Several people at the Mall saw what was going on and we have had some telephone enquiries from prople at the Mall. Given the feeling of the family here, there is a good chance of local Press interest and calls as a result.
Grateful for your advice on the following :
- what we should say to the people involved here. The DHM and Consul will meet with the family tomorrow as requested. I will send something to Neil/Chris for their advice overnight on lines to take with the family. We do not see the need for a written apology at this stage, although the family may ask for this tomorrow.
- what we can say to callers, local Press. A Press line would be used on a strictly defensive basis....
(Note : Here, the report appears to have ended rather abruptly. The following page, Page 736, is a "Missing or Misplaced" page, and it may be the case that the report had continued on that page)