Template:Madeleine McCann timeline

Timeline

2007–2020 2007 April 28: The McCanns and friends (the latter known as the "Tapas Seven") arrive at Ocean Club, Praia da Luz. McCanns given apartment 5A, Rua Dr Agostinho da Silva. c. 30: Staff leave visible note at swimming-pool reception asking that same table in resort's tapas restaurant be booked daily for 20:30 for McCanns and Tapas Seven, because they are leaving their children in the apartments. Restaurant is 82-metre walk (295 ft) from 5A. 3 May 14:29: Kate takes last-known photograph of Madeleine by the pool. 20:30: McCanns and Tapas Seven go to tapas restaurant. 21:05: Gerry checks on children in 5A. 21:15: "Tanner sighting": Jane Tanner of the Tapas Seven sees man carrying child. 21:30: Matthew Oldfield of the Tapas Seven checks on children in 5A but does not look fully inside the bedroom. 22:00: "Smith sighting": Martin Smith and family see man carrying child. 22:00: Kate checks on children; reports Madeleine missing. 22:10–22:30: Resort alerts police. 23:10: Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR) arrive. Midnight: GNR alert Polícia Judiciária (PJ). 4 May 01:00: PJ arrive. 04:30: Resort staff and guests call off search until daylight. Later: McCanns make first television appeal. 9–30 May 9: British police arrive in Praia da Luz. c. 11: Anonymous benefactor hires Control Risks for the McCanns. 15: Robert Murat made arguido; his home is searched. 15: McCanns set up Madeleine's Fund. 26: Martin Smith gives statement to PJ about Smith sighting. 27: McCanns hire Renault Scenic. 28: Madeleine appears on front page of People. 30: McCanns meet Pope. June 6: German journalist asks McCanns whether they were involved. 10: McCanns fly to Morocco to appeal for information. 30: First article critical of McCanns appears, in Sol, Portuguese weekly. July 31: British sniffer dogs arrive in Praia da Luz. August 2: PJ remove items from McCanns' rented house, including Kate's diary. 3: Sniffer dog reacts inside 5A. 6: PJ impound McCanns' rental car. 6: Sniffer dog reacts to McCanns' car, other items. 7: Material sent to British lab for DNA tests. September 3: DNA tests inconclusive. 7: PJ make McCanns arguidos. 7: PJ interview Kate and Gerry; Kate declines to answer questions. 9: McCanns return to UK. Unknown: Martin Smith, of the "Smith sighting", sees Gerry carry his son from the plane, and reports to British police that he believes this was the man he saw in Praia da Luz. He later accepts that he was mistaken. 10: PJ leak that Madeleine's DNA was found in McCanns' rental car. 11: The Sun: "Brit Lab Bombshell: Car DNA is 100% Maddie's". 12: Businessman Brian Kennedy steps forward as benefactor to finance private investigation. Unknown: Kennedy funds Clarence Mitchell as McCanns' spokesperson. Late: Kate and twins drug-tested in the UK at McCanns' request; results negative. October 2: Chief Inspector Gonçalo Amaral of the PJ removed from Portuguese inquiry. 26: Newspapers publish McCanns' Tanner sighting sketch. 2008 March 23: McCanns receive £550,000 damages and front-page apologies from four newspapers. April: Tapas Seven interviewed by Lincolnshire Police at request of PJ. Late: McCanns hire Oakley International; Oakley produces Smith e-fits, which are not released. April 8: Tapas Seven interviewed in UK; PJ attend. July 17: Robert Murat and friends receive £600,000 damages, and over the following days 13 newspapers apologise. 21: Portuguese Attorney General closes the investigation. 24: Gonçalo Amaral publishes book accusing the McCanns of involvement. Late: Kate's diary published in Portugal. August 4: Portugal's Ministério Público release the PJ case files. September 14: News of the World in UK publishes Kate's diary. 2009 Unknown: McCanns hire Dave Edgar, a private investigator. 1 May: McCanns release age-progressed image. May: Gonçalo Amaral, inquiry's former coordinator, convicted of perjury in relation to another case. 9 Sept: McCanns obtain injunction against Amaral book. Unknown: McCanns meet British home secretary Alan Johnson to request review. Johnson commissions "scoping report" from Jim Gamble, head of CEOP Command. 2010 Mar: British Home Office discusses review with Association of Chief Police Officers. May: Gamble's scoping report recommends a review. 19 Oct: Lisbon court lifts Amaral book ban. 2011 28 Apr: Bantam Press releases Madeleine by Kate McCann. Mar: PJ begin case review. 11 May: While serializing Kate's book, The Sun publishes open letter requesting British police review. Home Secretary Theresa May speaks by telephone to CEO of News International and editor of The Sun. 12 May: Prime Minister David Cameron announces Scotland Yard review, Operation Grange, with 29 detectives. 23 Nov: McCanns testify at Leveson Inquiry into press standards. 2012 25 Apr: Scotland Yard releases age-progressed image. 2013 12 Sept: McCanns v Amaral libel hearings begin. 14 Oct: Scotland Yard–Crimewatch reconstruction, during which 2008 Smith e-fits are released for the first time. 24 Oct: PJ reopen inquiry. 2014 19 Mar: Scotland Yard issue another appeal. June: British and Portuguese police dig in wasteland in Praia da Luz. July: Suspects and witnesses interviewed in Portugal. Dec: More interviews in Portugal. 2015 28 Apr: McCanns win damages from Amaral; book banned again. Oct: Operation Grange reduced to four detectives. 2016 20 Apr: Amaral wins libel appeal; book ban lifted. April: British Home Secretary approves £95,000 to fund remaining line of inquiry. June: Operation Grange interviews victim of Clement Freud, who owned home in Praia da Luz. 2017 1 Feb: McCanns lose Amaral libel appeal at Supreme Court of Portugal. Court said McCanns had not been cleared in 2008. March: British Home Secretary approves another £85,000 to fund inquiry. April: British police say they are pursuing a "significant line of inquiry". 2018 Nov: British Home Secretary approves additional £150,000, taking cost of inquiry to £11.75 million. 2019 March: Scotland Yard requests funds to cover until March 2020. 15 March: Netflix releases The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann, an eight-part series. 2020 June: German police announce that they are investigating a convicted sex offender imprisoned in Germany in relation to the case.
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