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Testimony from Linda Ruth Mcqueen 07 May 2008
Deposition of:
Linda Ruth McQUEEN
Age if less than 18 years:
Occupation: Teacher
This deposition (comprising 2 pages and signed by me) is true
and according to my understanding. I am aware that, if proven to
the contrary, I will be subject to prosecution if I have
voluntarily testified to something with
knowledge of it being false or not corresponding to the truth.
Date: 07 May of 2008
Signature ______________________________________
I am the abovementioned person living at the address previously
supplied to the police of Leicestershire. I was questioned about
my friendship with the McCann and the Healy families as well as
my visits to Portugal during the Summer of 2007. During my
childhood I lived with my mother in the same street as Brian and
Susan Healy, who are the parents of Kate. I have known Kate
since 6 months of age and my mother and hers are still today
great friends. We went to the same school even though I was 6
years older than Kate. We continued our friendship during school
and into adulthood. Kate met Gerry while at university about 13
or 14 years ago and they married about 10 years ago. They have 3
children, Madeleine almost 5 years of age and twins, Sean and
Amelie, who are 3 years old. In October 1998 my husband and I
had our daughter, Ellie, and Kate and Gerry married at Christmas
that same year. Kate and Gerry adored Ellie, both desired
children. Kate wanted to have a tribe of 6 or 7. When Kate
became pregnant with Madeleine it was a great event for them,
given that Kate had faced problems with conceiving. After the
birth of Madeleine the family moved to Amsterdam so that Gerry
could continue his professional training. While they were there
Kate received IVF treatment and became pregnant with the twins.
It was a difficult pregnancy but Sean and Amelie were born
healthy in February 2006. Before the disappearance of Madeleine
last year, Mark and I used to see Kate, Gerry and the family
approximately every two months, we went to Leicester or they
came to Liverpool.
On the morning of 4 May 2007 the mother of Kate telephoned my
mother who, in turn, telephoned me. My mother told me that
something terrible had happened, that somebody had taken
Madeleine. I later sent a text message to Kate that same night
and
I spoke with her on the telephone. She was hysterical, saying
only that she wanted to be able to hug Madeleine. She was
worried by the fact that there were only two police officers in
the place and thought that the police were not helping her with
anything. She continued to speak about Madeleine, of the cold
that she could feel since she was dressed only in pyjamas and
continued to look at the situation from the perspective of
Madeleine. She told me that Gerry was outside to find the girl
and during the following day we spoke on the telephone and we
frequently sent messages [to each other].
On Saturday I spoke on the telephone with Gerry who was sobbing
and we decided that I would go to Portugal as soon as Nicky Gill
and Michelle Thompson returned home, to replace them and to
render assistance. During 2007 I travelled to Portugal on 3
separate occasions: from 12 - 19 May; 26 - 29 June; and 19 - 26
August.
On the first occasion I caught the same flight as the priest
Paul Seddon and we arrived on Saturday night. We went straight
to the apartment where Kate and Gerry were at supper, Gerry
embraced us and Kate was crying. We remained for some time and
Kate repeated "Where is she? Who has her?" I felt that Kate and
Gerry were focused on the idea to find Madeleine in their own
way, and the local police had not progressed. I stayed in a
separate room in the apartment of Kate and Gerry during all my
stay. I helped in the attempt to keep the daily routine of the
twins, namely in taking them to the day-care centre. Gerry and
Kate always returned for lunch and took the children to
afternoon tea in the attempt to give a semblante of normality.
Kate and Gerry were involved in innumerable interviews with the
press and the police all day, but they arranged
[their] availability to always give attention to the twins,
namely the bath before sleep. During it we would speak about how
things had gone during the day and make plans for the following
day.
During the first week that I was in Portugal Kate and Gerry were
transported [driven] by representatives of Mark Warner. Sandy
Cameron was also there and possessed a hire car, but it was not
the Renault Scenic that Gerry and Kate rented during
the third week that I stayed with them in Portugal.
In the second week that I was there, I travelled [to Portugal]
with Nicky Gill. We stayed with the Trish and Sandy in the
apartment close to Kate and Gerry. On this occasion Gerry drove
a hire car but I do not remember if it was the previous car of
Sandy or the Renault scenic.
In the third week I travelled [to Portugal] with my husband,
Mark, our daughter Ellie and the priest Paul Seddon. Ellie and I
stayed in the Villa that Kate and Gerry had rented, Paul and
Mark stayed in an apartment in the immediate vicinity. During
this period both Kate and Gerry drove the Renault Scenic and I
travelled frequently in that vehicle.
With respect to rooms where I stayed, I noticed nothing strange.
With respect to the hired vehicles, I noticed nothing strange in
any of them; never was there a disagreeable or intense [sharp]
smell. We frequently used the boot of the vehicles to place the
things of the children and ours, given that there were two
child's chairs in the rear section that left no extra space.
That Kate and Gerry could have hidden Madeleine and carried her
body inside of the car was uncertain
[doubtful/dubious/problematical]. They are both devoted parents
and it is incomprehensible that they would have [deliberately]
hurt Madeleine. As far as I know, Gerry and Kate were never
alone given that the press followed them everywhere, and would
not have had a chance to do it [transport the body]. Also, I
think that it would have been impossible for Madeleine to have
left the apartment by herself.
Since Kate and Gerry returned to the United kingdom, we have
kept contact through written messages almost daily. I visited
them in Leicester once in a while and they also have visited us.
I have a mobile phone with the number 0780xxxx900 that I use to
contact Kate and Gerry. This telephone is with the O2 service
provider. My husband Mark has one with the number 0783xxxx936
with the Orange service provider. At home we have a fixed
telephone with the number 01704xxx594.
This statement was made by me and is true in accordance with my
understanding. |
