Sean and Amelie McCann - a problem for Leicestershire Social Services

Extraordinary. Column miles of newsprint, squillions of hours of intense TV/Radio coverage not a mention of the problem dumped on the doorstep of Leicestershire County Social Services by the return home of the McCann twins with their parents.

They are not accompanied by their big sister who their Mummy & Daddy unaccountably (to date) mislaid whilst on holiday.

To lose a child is bad enough but then to be determined (after many,many gruelling hours of Police inqisition) as official suspects in their child's disappearance must alert even the dopiest Director / Councillor.

Leicester Plod (and others) have evidently been hard at work preparing evidence in the case. It is inconceivable that there isn't a high degree of liason between both services - and also the Portuguese Police / Judiciary.

Now the twins are firmly within the area of Leicestershire Social Services' responsibility so they can remove their heads from the sand and consider the request outlined in the on line petition started by Ms Marilyn Baker (marilynbaker1955@hotmail.com) in May. (16,000 plus signatories to date)

... so that they can as signatory No. 108. Tillie Marrow asks ..."Investigate the McCanns as you would someone from one of your sink-estate's, don't be intimidated by Gerry's profession and the masons."

At the time the BBC reported that ..."The Leicestershire council statement said: "All agencies are acutely aware of the traumatic ordeal that the McCanns are experiencing."Madeleine's uncle John McCann refused to comment on the petition when contacted by BBC News, but did say it was "not helpful".

There will no doubt be some anxious enclaves discussing the position in Leicester County Council offices today whilst they listen to the BBC4 Today programme report that a Judge will review the case and that the Police there ..."expect significant devlopments within days". If you follow the instruction above at the LCC website you will find that the quaint village of Rothley (candle covered shrine already commenced at Cross Green) is covered by Charnwood SS - Pennine House,2 Lemyngton Street,Loughborough LE11 1UH ; Tel 01509 266641 Fax: 01509 210167 (Open 8.30 - 5.00 Mondays) - so if you are .." worried about any child and think they may be a victim of neglect, abuse or cruelty" that's who to contact...or Plod

Can we expect action today ?

The Daily Mail today report that .."The detectives are determined to charge Mrs McCann with accidental homicide - the Portuguese equivalent of manslaughter - and her husband with helping to dispose of the body. " and that Michael Caplan, QC, of Kingsley Napley, one of the country's foremost law firms for international cases who represented torturer General Pinochet ahs been "consulted" by Mr & Mrs McCann. ***



Cross Green Rothley, Leics. Circa 1903 ... days of rural inoccence

*** Toni Fabuloso (fresh from hunting balls in Leicester this weekend) has just brought in the Starbucks and suggests that Mrs McC should get herself her own lawyer. What can she possibly mean ?

UPDATE 10/9/07 11.15

Daily Telegrah Online : By Gordon Rayner, Caroline Gammell and Nick BrittenLast Updated: 10:10pm BST 10/09/2007

" ...... Leicestershire's child protection team met to discuss the welfare of their two-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie, who could be placed on an "at-risk" register if they were considered to be vulnerable.

Social workers were expected to visit the family home in the village of Rothley this week to assess whether the children were being cared for properly and whether they had been in any way traumatised by the events of the past four months.

Child welfare experts said social services were obliged to investigate any case where parents were suspected by police of harming their children, and that placing the twins in foster care could become an option if the McCanns were charged or forced to return to Portugal for long periods."

So no press comment but three cheers for Leicestershire Social Services.