McCann: Ben Needham's mum angry at McCanns being treated as VIP's ?

Question

We read that 'The mother of missing Ben Needham (was snatched on the Greek island of Kos 16 years ago, when he was 21 months old.) claimed last night that Madeleine McCann’s parents have been given VIP treatment thanks to “friends in high places”.

Office worker Kerry, of Sheffield, said of the couple: “I think because of their status they have friends in high places.

“Unfortunately, we are just an ordinary working-class family and I don’t think people thought Ben was important enough."

Do you agree with Ben Needham's mother, that these two Professional, media hungry, suspected criminal cretins are getting the VIP treatment ?

Source: http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/17816/Anger-of-lost-Ben-s-mum/

Answer 1

I think the main reason the McCann case has had so much publicity is the internet. Newspapers can judge how much interest a story is generating by seeing the number of hits on a page and we can all gossip about it on forums like this. The nature of the case and the Portuguese privacy laws have only fuelled the fire.

Answer 2

Yes, I think the poor woman is right!! We have a similar case in Spain. There is a tiny boy missing in the Canary Islands. He even has health problems and comes from a much lower class. Well the McCanns have been interviewed on TV here, they have met a Spanish Minister for help, English communities here have give them tons of money when nobody worries or asks about the other poor little boy! A lot of people here say the same and from the 1st moment it was obvious that the McCanns were more powerful than the other family. The McCanns even in Spain have been treated as VIP. It seems Jeremy's family are poor and non interesting people. The boy went missing a few weeks before Maddie but he never got so much attention. Well, as a conclusion, the only ones I'm sorry for are those two little kids, Maddie and Jeremy, as they are the victims in this story. Don't know about Jeremy's, but Maddie's parents are not my idea of good parents, they can be good VIP, good media people, but without a doubt no good parents at all.

Answer 3

I saw Ben Needhams mum on the news, she had more concern in her little finger than the family of Madeleine. She IS still looking for Ben, The bit that got to me most was when she said " We had no help where we were, the police couldn't understand us, NO officials came out to help,we had no food we HAD to come home. no-one offered to help us with accommodation or expenses. We wanted to stay to find him, but we had nothing. It's a shame it takes another child missing to highlight the fact we are STILL looking for Ben." I felt more pain for her there and then, than I have done for the Mc Canns simply because one was dignified and the other well it's turned into a circus. I STILL HOPE BOTH/ALL children could/will be found

Answer 4

Praia de Luge is renowned as a Swingers resort.

Portugal is known for its tolerance of diverse sexual tastes. All sections are catered for. Praia de Lug caters for swingers.

Do not cry foul unless you’ve done some basic research.

The McCanns and Clarence Mitchell swung together.
They had a problem with being disturbed during their adult games.
It was too risky have several groups of children asleep with babysitters as if there was a problem the group might e disturbed in the middle of their activities.

Solution. Put all the kids in one place and sedate them.
Madeleine gets an overdose.
Problem: if this gets out we are all in trouble. Doctors will be struck off for stealing sedatives, administering sedatives, people will be embarrassed. We are all equally guilty.

Solution concoct an abduction story which we all will stick by no matter what.

Help Gerry and Kate hide the body until they can dispose of it later.

Set up fund, make a million and laugh at he gullible British public.

Clarence I will be posting this theory far and wide today.

You know its something near what happened, so do the Portuguese and British Police…
So shut up Clarence or sue me. I dare you.

Answer 5

I think she is angry, but not necessarily at the McCanns. She is also correct in the fact that her case received next to no international policing resource when compared with the McCann circus, and she was not likened to the Virgin Mary on any occasion - The case received publicity in the papers, front page stuff - but no politician or famous media millionaire rushed to her aid. I sincerely hope that the latest picture will bring Ben back to her in some way, but deep inside, I fear that, like Madeleine he is long dead.

Answer 6

Kerry Needham has no anger or ill feeling towards the McCanns what so ever, she is angry with the authorities for the lack of interest they have shown Ben's disappearance over the years, for example the McCanns have met the prime minister all kerry has had is a letter, it is not jealousy she just feels so let down.

Answer 7

Hello,

(ANS) No! I cannot agree completely with your argument, No! I think the main difference is that in Ben Needham's case although their was in fact a high profile case in the media, on TV and in the press etc. Ben's parents didn't have the ability to manipulate the media & press in the same way as Madeline McCann's parents.

**The McCann's have been more successful at using the media & press as a tool to spread awareness of Madeline's abduction, although its also true that they have paid an enormous emotional price for trying to use the media in that way.

**Back when Ben Needham went missing I don't think there was the same level of awareness about how to use the press as a tool in the search process.

**People are in general far more aware now a days of the press & TV & Internet and we live in a far more media saturated age than when Ben was abducted. You therefore cannot compare like with like, the circumstances of Ben's abduction are NOT the same as for Madeline.

**No! the McCann's are NOT VIP's and anyone who thinks they are, are completely mistaken. That impression only comes from the gutter press or red top papers i.e. from the press themselves. i.e. it sells papers to make the McCans into VIP's. Why? because the case is on the wain in the press now as Madeline's abduction is no longer a new story.

Ivan

Answer 8

Yes. There are similarities - two children missing abroad, there it ends. The differences are massive, the most obvious being that Ben's family searched and searched and kept on searching despite lack of money, they have never stopped. I hope with all my heart that they find their son alive and well and pray for a happy reunion.

Answer 9

I have no doubt in my mind that Ben Needhams actually does feel this way, what Parent of any missing child would not?
however the Star news reported this so you can be sure that they twisted this ladies words to make it look like an attack on the maccanns, when it was not meant to be.

Answer 10

She doesn't express any anger whatsoever. She says the McCanns deserve all the help they are getting. She says she wishes she had received the same support at the time. As I recall, the Ben Needham case received a lot of publicity for a very long time, with follow ups every year or so. Money as such wasn't ever considered.
Please remember, 16 years ago, things were very different. There wasn't Yahoo Answers for a start, or the Mirror forums, nowhere similar for people to spout their bile, or present unsubstantiated rumours as if they were facts.