Testimony from Pe.PA  08 May 2008
18 to 20-Witness statement of Peter Neal Patterson (family friend) 2008.05.08

Leicestershire Police Squad
Witness Testimony

Testimony of: Peter Neal Patterson
Age if less than 18 years old:
Occupation: Attorney/Solicitor

This testimony (comprised of three pages and signed by me) is the truth and in accordance with my understanding. I give this testimony with the knowledge that, knowingly making false statements may subject me to legal action.

Date: 08 May 2008
Signature:

I am the above referenced person and live at the address previously provided to the police.

I was questioned by DC Ferguson and by DC Messiah of the Leicestershire Police at the request of the Portuguese police whose charge is to investigate the disappearance of Madeleine.

As regards the questions, I can offer the following information:

I became known Kate and Gerry since 2002. My wife (Bridget) and Kate both trained in general medicine and have become good friends. We have also learnt that Kate attended the same university we did in Dundee even though she was not there when we attended. My wife faced some clinical problems (a miscarriage and an ectopic/tubal pregnancy). We discovered after that Kate and Gerry were also having problems conceiving. This brought Bridget and Kate even closer. This occurred in mid-2002. I believe that we tried to get pregnant five years ago. Suddenly Kate became pregnant with Madeleine and my wife and I had our first child, a boy, who was born after Madeleine's birth. Later Kate again became pregnant with Sean and Amelie. Our youngest son was born nine months ago today.

My wife maintains regular contact with Kate and as a result we visited them once in Queniborough. We have yet to visit their home in Rothley. I saw Madeleine for the last time on my sons birthday, the 1st of September of 2006. The friendship between Kate and Bridget is focused on themselves and the children. I have met Gerry and know him well enough to maintain a casual conversation.

Madeleine disappeared on Thursday night of the 03rd of May 2007. Normally I have a habit of listening to the news every morning but on Friday, the 04th of May 2007, I have an early morning meeting and for this reason did not see the news. After the meeting I received a text message from my wife informing me of Madeleine's disappearance. The rest of the week was spent listening to the news, and trying to prevent my son from recognising Madeleine as he has asked what was going on.
My wife and I decided to travel to Portugal. We caught a flight to faro on Tuesday, the 08th of may 2007. We did this in the hopes of offering our help and support and to do something other than just sit at home watching from afar. My wife sent a text message to Kate telling her of our flight. We reached Praia da Luz around 11 or 11:30 that morning.

I caught a ride from the airport to Praia da Luz with someone I knew. There were two receptions in the resort. I asked the functionaries about helping out with the volunteer searches and they told me to head to the hotels principal reception where people would come together every morning. The group that day had already departed and for this reason I caught a taxi to Lagos to try and find a place to stay.

I was at a slight advantage relative to other Brits because I have a slight understanding of the different laws in Portugal. Most people do not understand the difference between the adversarial system of justice in the U.K. and the inquisitorial systems of Europe.

I met Kate and Gerry on Friday after having made contact with them via written messages during the week. They knew I was participating in the searches that week. I felt dispirited because there appeared to be no coordination or leadership to the searches. Many people went searching without adequate local equipment, like for example people were cutting their feet on the rough terrain or on the shrubs in those locales. Many people wore sandal and walked over tough land. I never saw any police involvement in the operations carried out by civilians.

On Friday the 11th of May 2007 we heard rumours that the Portuguese were going to stop the searches. After having passed this information to Kate we met up in the Tapas bar in the resort between 9:30 and 9:45 in the morning. We met for only a half hour to 40 minutes as Kate had to attend a police interview.

During this meeting, I offered Kate a bible. This happened in the sequence of emotions that Kate was obviously feeling and after our having sat down to speak. We did not know each other well as she is predominantly my wifes friend. I am the leader of a South Wigston team run out of the Corporation for Exercise and Salvation, Leicestershire. I have a particular interest in the bible and the form in which it was written. I frequented the course ?Alpha Course? (an introduction to Christianity) a recommended to Kate some of the passages in the bible that she could rand to help comfort. There was a dedication from me to my wife on the first page, as it had previously been a gift from me to her. I have a tendency to mark pages and passages in the bible and even though this was my spouses bible, there were many marked/tagged passages relevant to the both of us. This happened before Madeleines disappearance.

I encouraged Kate to read Psalms X and XX of the Old Testament as I felt these were relevant to her. They are both believers. The Psalms reveal a confidence in God, in his justice and in the question which can be asked ?Why do bad things happen?. Psalms XX is a small oration asking Him to guide and illuminate our path in times of anguish.

The passage which is marked in my wifes bible I believe is Samuel 2:12. This passage is very significant for me and my wife but likely has so significance for Kate. I interpret this passage as saying that even though we cannot be with the two children that we have no lost, we will find them one day.

After meeting with Kate, I returned to Lagos and caught a taxi to Portimao where I had previously (May 2003) visited a Christian bookstore. I went with the purpose to acquire a new bible to help me through the rest of the week. Unfortunately, I did not find the bookstore.

Kate asked me to pray at the Marina, which I did, a number of times during the week. I returned home on Sunday, 13th of May, 2007, leaving from Faro at 9:30.

This testimony was made by me and is the truth in accordance with my understanding.