Friday, December 10, 2010

Mrs Fenns witness statement

Processos VOLUME IX pages 2412 to 2145
Witness Statement of Pamela Isobel Fenn 2007.08.20

Included in the files as a witness statement.

Being of British nationality and in spite of living in Portugal, does not have knowledge of the Portuguese language in its oral and written form, therefore a police interpreter is present, UEVE VAN LOOCK. Thus, according to the facts noted in the files, she says that she has lived in the apartment since 2003, which is located on the upper floor, immediately above the room from which the child disappeared.

She also refers to the day of the 1st May 2007, when she was at home alone, at approximately 22.30 she heard a child cry, and that due the tone of the crying seemed to be a young child and not a baby of two years of age or younger. Apart from the crying that continued for approximately one hour and fifteen minutes, and which got louder and more expressive, the child shouted “Daddy, Daddy”, the witness had no doubt that the noise came from the floor below. At about 23.45, an hour and fifteen minutes after the crying began, she heard the parents arrive, she did not see them, but she heard the patio doors open, she was quite worried as the crying had gone on for more than an hour and had gradually got worse.

When questioned, she said that she did not know the cause of the crying, perhaps a nightmare or another destabilising factor.

As soon as the parents entered the child stopped crying
.
That night she contacted a friend called EDNA GLYN, who also lives in Praia da Luz, after 23.00, telling her about the situation, who was not surprised at thechild’s crying
.
She did not have anything to report for the 2nd May, because she was only home at night.

On the 3rd May she received a visit from her niece Carole during the morning, who said that when she was on her terrace she saw a male individual looking into the McCann’s apartment, a situation which has been told to the police, her cousin even made a photo fit.

During the day nothing unusual happened, until almost 22.30 when, being alone again, she heard the hysterical shouts from a female person, calling out “we have let her down” which she repeated several times, quite upset. MrsFenn then saw that it was the mother of little Madeleine who was shouting furiously.
 Upon leaning over the terrace, after having seen the mother, MrsFenn asked the father, Gerry, what was happening to which he replied that a small girl had been abducted.
 When asked, she replied that she did not leave her apartment, just spoke to Gerry from her balcony, which had a view over the terrace of the floor below. She found it strange that Gerry when said that a girl had been abducted, he did not mention that it was his daughter and that he did not mention any other scenarios. At that moment she offered Gerry help, saying that he could use her phone to contact the authorities, to which he replied that this had already been done. It was just after 22.30.

She said that after the mother’s shouts, she had seen many people in the streets looking for the girl. She also refers to an episode when Gerry was speaking to a policeman and he refused to recognised the police force, saying that more agents of authority were needed to carry out the search.

When asked, she replied that on 3rd May she did not hear any noise from the McCann apartment, not even the opening of doors. She also said that before hearing the shouts she was watching television, as she often stays up late.

When questioned, she said that she never heard any arguments between the couple or with their children. She said that the family would spend much time outside ofthe apartment and therefore she did not notice their presence.

She said that until that night she had never spoken to the McCanns, because up until the 3rd May, she only sometimes saw them walking in the street. She never saw them with any vehicle.

She also said that she never told the McCanns that she had heard their daughter crying previously on 1st May because she thought it would just increase their suffering.

When questioned she said that she never saw any strange person or action before or after the event. She claims however, that a week previously she was the victim of an attempted robbery, which was not successful and neither was anything taken, thinking that the crying of the
child could be linked to another attempted robbery in the residence.

Having read and approved the statement, she signs, together with the interpreter.


 


Alternative translation:

Mrs Pamela Fenn came to Court as a witness.
... of British nationality. Although she lives in Portugal, she doesn't speak Portuguese in its written and oral forms. Is thus required aninterpreter of this Police, UEVE VAN L00CK
.
Concerning the facts at issue in the proceedings she says she has been dwelling since 2003 in a flat located right on top of the flat from where the
child disappeared.

She reports that on Tuesday 1st of May 2007, when she was alone at home, at around 22:30 she heard a child crying. From the sound it seemed to her it was a young child and not a two yrs old, or younger, baby
.
Along with the crying that lasted for around an hour and 15 minutes, getting stronger and more expressive, the child screamed "Daddy - Daddy". The sobbing was without any doubt coming from the floor below.

At about 23.45, or an hour and fifteen minutes later, she had a feeling that the parents were arriving. She didn't see them but heard the veranda door (rear glass door) being opened

She noticed it because she was worried since the crying went on for more than an hour and was getting worse gradually.

Asked, she replies she ignores what was the cause of the crying, perhaps a nightmare,

or another factor of destabilization.

She noticed that when the parents came home, the child stopped crying immediately.

She states that on that night, after 23:00 she called on the phone a friend named of Edna GLYN who also lives in Luz. She reported her the situation, which didn't amaze her, because it was a crying
child
.
On Wednesday she has nothing to report, because she only was home at night.

On Thursday, 3, she had a visit from her niece CAROLE in the morning. Her niece was on the veranda when she saw a man looking in the McCanns'flat, situation her niece reported tothe Police Act, having made a photofit.

During that day nothing unusual happened until around 22:30 when, she was alone by then, she heard a woman screaming hysterically "we've let her down", which was repeated several times very upset. She went to her veranda and realized that it was the mother who screamed furiously. She asked the father, GERRY, what was happening, and he said that a
child had been abducted.

Asked she said she hadn't left her home and talked to GERRY from her veranda, which
lets see the terrace of the ground floor.

From the start it seemed strange to her that he had concluded a child had been abducted, because he didn't mention it was his daughter nor contemplated other scenarios. She had offered her help to GERRY, telling him to use her phone in order to contact the authorities, to which he replied it had already be done. This would have happened slightly after 22:30.

She states that, apart from the screaming of the mother, she saw many people
on the streets in search of the child. She also refers to an episode in which GERRY
spoke to a policeman (she doesn't know what kind of police force) claiming more officers were needed to proceed to the search.

Questioned, she said that on Thursday, day of the events, she didn't hear any
noise coming from the McCs' flat, not even doors to be opened.

She mentions too that before hearing the screaming she was watching TV. She usually goes to bed late.
Asked she said she never heard any discussion between the couple, or with the children. Arguing the family spent much time out, she didn't noticed their presence.

She states that, beyond that night, she never spoke with the McCs. Before the 3rd, she had only once seen them walk in the street. She never saw any car.

She states that she never told the McCs that their daughter had cried on Tuesday, because she thought that would hurt them even more.

Questioned she said she never saw any weird person or act weird before or after the events.
She stated also that one week before the facts she was victim of a robbery attempt, which didn't succeed, nothing having been subtracted, thinking so that the child's crying could be related to another robbery attempt in the flat.

She didn't say more, read the document and signed it.