Nothing like the Madeline McCann abduction.

[macabethiel]

I know everyone has an opinion on the above missing girl - I fwiw believe that had the parents not both been doctors then on returning to the UK they would have had their children taken into care. I am sure both must be racked with regret & guilt for their lack of proper baby sitting arrangements.

The below case is interesting as I remember it being reported in the UK Press back in 1981. I was working in a department known locally as "Vice Squad" that also had responsibilities for long term missing persons & other specialist roles . As I recall the mother was shopping in the Supermarket when the baby was stolen - there was I think some security footage exonerating the mother of any blame. It will be interesting to see what unfolds.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-49818638

https://www.forces.net/news/disappearance-katrice-lee-how-investigation-unfolded

[Banshee]

Not a funny situation but that face fit is comical!!!!!

[macabethiel]

Not a funny situation but that face fit is comical!!!!!

Yeah it is - the old photo fit kits of that era were pretty poor to put it mildly - an Artists Impression / sketch was usually better.

Sadly witness memory can be a very difficult to translate into a fair representation.

In the James Hanratty case the only witness Valerie Storie to the brutal murder of Michael Gregsten and her own rape & attempt murder was a case in point.

In her first statement she gave a description of her attacker that differed substantially from the guilty man she picked out in a subsequent identity parade. Much was made of this in his trial but she stuck to her identification as being correct. It was decades later that she was proved right beyond doubt by DNA evidence after they exhumed Hanratty's body. Just as well really as he was hung for his crime long before DNA was developed.

Valerie Storer was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life - thankfully she lived long enough to see her case resolved by the courts in 2002. She died in 2016 aged 77 years.

For anyone who is interested the Wiki entry is quite comprehensive.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Hanratty

[Lazy-Ferret]

When I was "Road Raged" in Croydon, there were 3 of us in the car. After the event, we followed the car for several miles giving a running commentary to the police, who finally forced them off the road, and caught them.

We all went off to Croydon police station, and owing to my injuries, I was checked out by the police doctor, before we were asked to give statements.

Weirdly, all 3 of us gave a different colour of the car, Green, Dark Blue, and Black. The most complete statement, and the only one who was correct was the person sitting in the rear. The police said it was quite normal, as they were the only ones removed from the event. As the Driver, I was concentrating on where the car was and of course driving, plus pain, and my brother, who had the foresight to lean over and lock the doors, and shut my window, was on the phone to the police giving the running commentary, so again, had other things on his mind.

I was surprised at just how little I actually took in once it came to the point of writing it all down.

[macabethiel]

When I was "Road Raged" in Croydon, there were 3 of us in the car. After the event, we followed the car for several miles giving a running commentary to the police, who finally forced them off the road, and caught them.

We all went off to Croydon police station, and owing to my injuries, I was checked out by the police doctor, before we were asked to give statements.

Weirdly, all 3 of us gave a different colour of the car, Green, Dark Blue, and Black. The most complete statement, and the only one who was correct was the person sitting in the rear. The police said it was quite normal, as they were the only ones removed from the event. As the Driver, I was concentrating on where the car was and of course driving, plus pain, and my brother, who had the foresight to lean over and lock the doors, and shut my window, was on the phone to the police giving the running commentary, so again, had other things on his mind.

I was surprised at just how little I actually took in once it came to the point of writing it all down.

What you have written highlights classic witness perspective differences.

When I was involved in a pilot training course on Police Interview Techniques we described an analogy it in terms of looking out of a window.

If we are all in a room looking out through the same window our view depends on where we are sat in the room. If you imagine the window as the event being witnessed then one would expect different answers from each person in the room. This aspect is then coloured by each persons personal interpretation of what they have seen and their age & life experiences.

I have found women in particular can be extremely good witnesses. As a trained observer I am rubbish !!
When all the witnesses agree then it smacks of collusion or interference.

[terranosaurusdoug]

What you have written highlights classic witness perspective differences.

When I was involved in a pilot training course on Police Interview Techniques we described an analogy it in terms of looking out of a window.

If we are all in a room looking out through the same window our view depends on where we are sat in the room. If you imagine the window as the event being witnessed then one would expect different answers from each person in the room. This aspect is then coloured by each persons personal interpretation of what they have seen and their age & life experiences.

I have found women in particular can be extremely good witnesses. As a trained observer I am rubbish !!
When all the witnesses agree then it smacks of collusion or interference.

That's interesting that is :thumb2