The Steeple Times

Tag: mortgage

  • Enough is Enough

    Funding for the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann must cease; £11 million spent with no result is evidence that enough is enough

     

    Over £11 million has been spent in relation to the search for Madeleine McCann since the then 3-year old disappeared on 3rd May 2007. The result? Absolutely no progress and a lot of unanswered questions.

     

    Now, with the last round of public funding given to the element of the search known as Operation Grange by Theresa May in March set to run out in September, is the time to end the search. Enough is enough and in spite that some would suggest that the chances of finding the disappeared child is still there, the fact of the matter is that in ten years of following leads that have led nowhere resources that could have been allocated to other missing people have been squandered.

     

    Last week, a Metropolitan Police spokesman told The Sun:

     

    “A lot of potentially significant images and material were captured on previous trips to Portugal and we are still working on all leads…. The investigation continues with focus and determination. It is not winding down, it is not grinding to a halt. It is on going.”

     

    Such sentiments will no doubt leave such people as Kerry Needham – whose 21-month year old son, Ben, disappeared in Greece on 24th July 1991 – spitting feathers. As of 2015, a comparative sum of just £700,000 had been spent on attempts to find him and thus one is left asking why the child of two middle class medics is worth 93% more than the son of an ordinary working class woman.

     

    In 2015, Ms Needham, after supporters of the McCanns cruelly suggested those backing her in her search for her child were “toxic”, remarked: “I have never criticised the McCann family. I have only every criticised the authorities for the way the two cases have been handled so differently.”

     

    Enough is Enough – Funding into Madeleine McCann search must cease – Gerry and Kate McCann – Kerry Needham and Ben Needham – Missing children
    Kerry Needham

     

    Missing Madeleine – Questions without Answers

     

    Many questions about what happened on the evening of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann remain. Some that have been highlighted by the press and discussed online include:

     

    Why did the McCanns refuse to answer 48 questions put to her by the Portuguese police?

     

    Why were certain records of phone calls on the evening of the disappearance “whoosh-clunked” from the memories of the phones of Mr and Mrs McCann and the ‘Tapas 9’?

     

    Why did a British sniffer dog sense the smell of a corpse in a cupboard in the apartment from which Madeleine McCann disappear?

     

    Why did a sniffer dog also supposedly sense the smell of a corpse in a vehicle hired by the couple a month after the disappearance of their daughter?

     

    Why did Mr and Mrs McCann go jogging and play tennis in the days after their daughter’s disappearance?

     

    Was it acceptable for Mr and Mrs McCann’s mortgage to be paid by the fund established to search for their missing daughter?

     

  • Enough is Enough

    Enough is Enough

    Funding for the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann must cease; £11 million spent with no result is evidence that enough is enough

     

    Over £11 million has been spent in relation to the search for Madeleine McCann since the then 3-year old disappeared on 3rd May 2007. The result? Absolutely no progress and a lot of unanswered questions.

     

    Now, with the last round of public funding given to the element of the search known as Operation Grange by Theresa May in March set to run out in September, is the time to end the search. Enough is enough and in spite that some would suggest that the chances of finding the disappeared child is still there, the fact of the matter is that in ten years of following leads that have led nowhere resources that could have been allocated to other missing people have been squandered.

     

    Last week, a Metropolitan Police spokesman told The Sun:

     

    “A lot of potentially significant images and material were captured on previous trips to Portugal and we are still working on all leads…. The investigation continues with focus and determination. It is not winding down, it is not grinding to a halt. It is on going.”

     

    Such sentiments will no doubt leave such people as Kerry Needham – whose 21-month year old son, Ben, disappeared in Greece on 24th July 1991 – spitting feathers. As of 2015, a comparative sum of just £700,000 had been spent on attempts to find him and thus one is left asking why the child of two middle class medics is worth 93% more than the son of an ordinary working class woman.

     

    In 2015, Ms Needham, after supporters of the McCanns cruelly suggested those backing her in her search for her child were “toxic”, remarked: “I have never criticised the McCann family. I have only every criticised the authorities for the way the two cases have been handled so differently.”

     

    Enough is Enough – Funding into Madeleine McCann search must cease – Gerry and Kate McCann – Kerry Needham and Ben Needham – Missing children
    Kerry Needham

     

    Missing Madeleine – Questions without Answers

     

    Many questions about what happened on the evening of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann remain. Some that have been highlighted by the press and discussed online include:

     

    Why did the McCanns refuse to answer 48 questions put to her by the Portuguese police?

     

    Why were certain records of phone calls on the evening of the disappearance “whoosh-clunked” from the memories of the phones of Mr and Mrs McCann and the ‘Tapas 9’?

     

    Why did a British sniffer dog sense the smell of a corpse in a cupboard in the apartment from which Madeleine McCann disappear?

     

    Why did a sniffer dog also supposedly sense the smell of a corpse in a vehicle hired by the couple a month after the disappearance of their daughter?

     

    Why did Mr and Mrs McCann go jogging and play tennis in the days after their daughter’s disappearance?

     

    Was it acceptable for Mr and Mrs McCann’s mortgage to be paid by the fund established to search for their missing daughter?

     

  • Old and New – Sloanes

    Old and New – Sloanes

    New series contrasting the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ begins with Sloane Rangers

     

    Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Lady Diana Spencer used to drink at The Admiral Codrington whilst Sloanes named Perdita and Peregrine downed gin like it was water in The Australian in Milner Street.

     

    Loud braces and yellow cords sold like hot cakes and Peter York was king of all he surveyed. Now, in a new era, this socially elite set of characters have had to evolve and though the majority of Kensington and Chelsea is now colonised by wealthy foreigners, Sloane Rangers are still be found braying in Kings Road, SW3.

     

    Old and New – Sloanes – New series contrasting the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ begins with Sloane Rangers

     

  • A roofless repo

    A roofless repo

    £3 million sought for a repossessed, roofless shell set in 1,530 acres of Cumbrian countryside (more…)

  • An orgy of a mansion

    An orgy of a mansion

    Repossessed Somerset mansion goes to auction for just £250,000

     

    It’s rare to find Grade I mansions in the hands of the receivers, but Halswell Park in Somerset is an exception to that rule. Now, Clive Emson auctioneers on behalf of Citi Private Banking, seek just £250,000 to £500,000 for the main house and £635,000 to £960,000 for the entire estate. (more…)

  • Receiving Broadwell

    Receiving Broadwell

    One of the UK’s most stunning repossessions, sold for £9.3 million in 2012, comes to the market for just £6.95 million

     

    Law of Property Act Receivers act for banks and private lenders when the terms of mortgages are not met. Broadwell Manor in Gloucestershire is not the kind of house one would normally associate with such individuals but, as we reported in June, neither would one expect such a fine property to end up in the ownership of a man who would subsequently be accused of stealing £12.5 million from the very company he was chief executive director of. (more…)

  • Fire sale in One Hyde Park

    Fire sale in One Hyde Park

    Repossessed flat comes to the market in Candy & Candy’s One Hyde Park

     

    This morning, Spear’s Wealth Management’s Josh Spero reported that a repossessed one bedroomed flat was for sale in Knightsbridge’s One Hyde Park for £5.25 million. Given that flats there have sold for upto £140 million, this is most definitely somewhat of a news story one wouldn’t expect to hear. (more…)

  • Winging it

    Winging it

    Sarah Tucker gives an update on goings on at the resort where Madeleine McCann vanished

     

    Four hundred and thirty euros, one bedroom apartment, one week at the height of season at a luxury family resort in Portugal. And oh yes, it’s the Ocean Club at Praia da Luz. There’s availability with two and three bedroom apartments as well. I asked about apartment 5a where Madeleine disappeared but the PR is coming back to me on that one. That was four days ago.

     

    The Ocean Club entrance and Apartment 5A at the top of the street

    I checked this out because having looked at the comments on The Steeple Times McCann roll call entry, I wanted to know what became of the resort where she disappeared.  Last year the lady who owned the property itself couldn’t sell it because women buyers were put off by it’s history.  I don’t blame them. I would never recommend buying from a divorcing couple, no matter how good the deal, so buying somewhere where a child has been allegedly kidnapped is a no no. Estate agents will say nonsense, but that’s a woman’s superstition for you. Or a mother’s superstition.

     

    I remember writing at the time about Mark Warner, a company synonymous with a reputation for keeping parents who treated parenting as a subject to be studied to A*, not as something to leave to instinct, God forbid.  Perhaps that’s an exaggeration, but having recently vox popped over 500 parents* asking if they would leave their children in their hotel room unsupervised while they ate in a restaurant on site, none of them, not one, said they would do so. I never mentioned the McCann case. The question about childcare was mixed in with other family travel related stuff, but some even mentioned the McCann’s case when they responded.  And all claimed they would take advantage of a babysitting service if it was offered or eat earlier and with the kids if it wasn’t.

     

    I was asked at the time if I would ever leave my son alone. I never have. Too risky and having lost him for ten minutes in the salubrious area that is East Sheen high street at five in the afternoon five years ago, because I refused to wait for him to tie up his shoe lace for the nth time, and getting no less than eighteen other men and women, all who had been either waiting for buses, serving or being served in shops, or in several cases drinking in the local pub, to run up and down, shouting his name, I understand the McCann’s need to go to the end of the earth, the prime minister, the Pope, to find their daughter. I completely understand this. What I never understood was their emotional reaction or rather lack of it.    In the meantime babysitting services are still offered at the Ocean Club.

     

    * Using social media (parents of three to six year olds).

     

  • Gerry & Kate McCann

    Gerry & Kate McCann

    Their daughter Madeleine disappeared on the evening 3rd May 2007 from a holiday apartment whilst they sat enjoying tapas with a bunch of friends. Some believe the poor child was kidnapped. Others have alternative theories. A public fund to find “Maddie” raised hundreds of thousands of pounds but Mrs McCann’s book, Madeleine, contains so many references to trips on private jets and meeting famous people that it makes one question whether the search for the child or fame has become the focus.

  • The Rt. Hon. Gregory Barker (AKA “Greg Barker”)

    The Rt. Hon. Gregory Barker (AKA “Greg Barker”)

    Gregory BarkerGregory Barker worked for Roman Abramovich at the Sibneft Oil Group and as Energy Minister, took his daschund, Otto, to work at the Houses of Parliament. A Conservative Member of Parliament between 2001 and 2015, Barker lives between Notting Hill and Sussex and is widely cited as the architect of David Cameron’s “green conservatism”.