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Witness statement
Barrington Godfrey Norton
Date: 2007.05.08
Nationality: British
Residence: Uncertain location in P da L, in a Ford vehicle,
model Escort Van, licence plate no. S677 YWP
Profession: Music teacher
He comes to the process as a witness, as a result of his very
frequent presence in the immediate vicinity to the place
Madeleine disappeared from had been referred to, since the date
of her disappearance.
When asked, he says that he does not speak Portuguese and is
assisted by the interpreter, Natalia de Almeida.
The witness says that he arrived in this part of Portugal about
5 years ago, adding that since then he had gone to live in the
immediate vicinity of P da L.
He has always worked in professions associated with music and he
is currently dedicated to teaching as well as performing in the
streets of P da L.
Since the beginning of April 2007, he has been living inside his
vehicle, a white Ford Escort van, licence plate no. S677 YWP, as
he is currently looking for a place to establish his residence
as well as a music school.
When confronted with the fact that his presence has been
frequently noticed during the past days in the immediate
vicinity of the OC, the witness admits that since the
disappearance of Madeleine which was reported on the night of
3rd May, he had often gone to the place in order to find out
from the British journalists whether there was any news about
the girl's whereabouts.
When asked, he said that the reason for his special
preoccupation with this fact was because of the circumstance of
the victim being a British girl and the fact that she was 'of a
very tender age'.
When asked to reconstruct his movements between 1st and 4th May
of this year, the witness mentions that he cannot be precise,
but as a general rule, he had the following daily routine:
09.00 - 10.30 Guitar practice on the beach.
11.30 Lunch in the Jardim Restaurant, situated in Rua Direita,
in P da L, where he would remain until 12.15 - 12.30.
The he would go to a friend's house, in order to get his guitar
amplifier, before going to Avenida dos Pescadores, where he
would play his guitar until 15.00 - 15.30.
As a general rule, he would then go for music classes, if he did
not have any, he would go to P da L.
At about 20.00 he would have dinner in the Penini Restaurant or
another international restaurant nearby, both in P da L, or go
to the Baptista supermarket in the OC.
Then he would eat his food in a P da L parking area.
At 21.00 - 21.30 he would go to a camping site in his vehicle
and spend the night there.
When asked to provide more precise detail about 3 rd May, the
day on which Madeleine disappeared, he clarifies that the day
was absolutely similar to the others, he has difficulty in
providing more detail.
When asked if he had music classes that day, he replied that he
did, from 16.45 to 17.45 with the son of ***** ***** resident in
**** ****, Vila da Luz, and that the lesson took place at her
house. From 18.15 - 19.15 he gave a lesson to his dentist's son.
When asked to try to remember where he had gone after the music
classes, he says that at about 19.15 he went to drink a beer at
the Jardim restaurant and after this, at about 20.00 he went to
fetch his dinner from a place he cannot remember, being certain
that he had his meal at the usual place (parking area near to
the beach).
At about 21.00 he went to sleep in the usual place.
When asked whether he had been seen by anyone whilst he was
eating or when he went to the place where he slept, he replied
that it might well be possible but that he frankly does not
remember.
When asked how he found out about the disappearance, he
mentioned that at about 01.00 of 4th May when he was asleep at
the usual place (camping site near the beach), he noticed
flashing blue lights, immediately presuming that they came from
a police car. At about 01.30 he was approached by OC staff,
telling him that at about 22.00 the girl in question had
disappeared from the resort.
He remembers that at about 07.30 on 4th May he was approached at
the same site by GNR officers who carried out a search of his
vehicle, but did not find anything unusual.
When asked whether he knew Madeleine or her parents, he replied
that he did not.
When asked if he would regularly to the OC resort, he replied
that he did, adding that he often went to the Baptista
supermarket in the resort.
He mentioned that, during the previous week, he cannot remember
the exact days or times, he went to the resort another three
times, for different reasons than those mentioned previously,
once to hand in his CV and the other two times, to be with
friends who were on holiday there.
When asked to provide more details about the individuals in
question, he said they were a Canadian couple, the man was
called L*** V****** and his wife was called S******.
When asked if he knows on which date the couple arrived, he says
he does not, presuming that they had been on holiday at the
resort for about 15 days, knowing that they had already returned
to their country.
When asked if his friends worked he said that he only knows they
were retired.
When asked if he had gone to the OC to see them, he said that he
had gone once, not being able to state exactly the location of
their room.
When asked about his displacements to the resort and whether
these always took place using his vehicle, he replied
affirmatively.
When asked where he would park, he said he would generally park
near the Baptista supermarket.
When asked if he had ever parked in the street next to the
apartment Madeleine had disappeared from, he replied that he had
once, as far as he remembers, after her disappearance, that
apartment being near to the Baptista supermarket.
When asked whether his hair is always cut short as it is now, he
replies no, adding that he used to have much longer hair,
especially longer in the neck, but that it had been cut about a
month ago and that on the current day he had just had a small
hair cut to tidy up the points.
When asked where his hair cuts took place, he replied at a
friends house, whom he knew as T**** in Rua Direita.
When asked again whether on 3rd May between 20.00 and 22.00 he
had been at the OC resort, he replied negatively.
When asked if he remembers having gone at the beginning/middle
of the afternoon to the resort on 2nd and 3rd May, he replies
that he does not remember, thinking it possible that he could
have gone to the Baptista supermarket, remaining there for
while, because he often buys food there and consumes it in the
streets of the resort.
When asked if he ever went to the Tapas Bar at the OC resort, he
replies negatively.
When asked if he can provide any elements leading to the
whereabouts of Madeleine or the identification of the person
responsible, he replies no, guaranteeing that he would contact
the police immediately if he knew anything pertinent.
No more is said. Reads, ratifies, signs. |
