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I WOULD hate to be Kate and Gerry
McCann. Having to live with the guilt
every day that if they had made
different choices, Madeleine would still
be with them must make their lives
almost not worth living.
Although it is nine years since Maddie
disappeared as Mum and Dad dined with
friends nearby (although not with sight
access to their villa), the issue
remains burning hot.
Take Sharon Osbourne (please). On her
own talk show on the US network CBS, she
described the McCanns as “insane” for
leaving their children behind as they
enjoyed themselves at the Praia da Luz
resort in the Algarve. Ms Osbourne said
that on a Mumsnet online thread, 50 per
cent of mothers who responded to one
post claimed they would never leave
their babies unattended in the house.
Correctly, she added: “So many things
happen in a second. If you leave a
candle on and a curtain blows on it and
caught on fire . . . there is no way in
a million years you would ever do that.”
What I didn’t enjoy was the McCanns’
response to Ms Osbourne.
They accused her of being “ignorant” and
“ill-informed”. In what way?
She was just giving a view — and there
are much harsher and more hostile ones
if they care to go online.
Further, this anonymous spokesman for
the couple said Sharon should have
considered the effect on Maddie’s
brother and sister and kept her opinions
to herself.
Really? Perhaps the McCanns should have
thought first about the effect leaving
the children alone on that fateful night
might have.
The reality is that because the McCanns
are medical professionals, they have had
a comparatively easy ride.
Had Kate McCann been a single mum from
Rochdale, I am sure she would have been
charged in Portugal with neglect.
The McCanns would be wise not to be
drawn into public spats like this.
A lot of public money is being spent by
the Met on hunting for Maddie and on
that basis the public are entitled to
their view.
That may be painful for the McCanns, but
it wasn’t the public that left Maddie
alone. |
