Gail Cooper's 'Creepy Man'

Gail Cooper's second witness statement, 16 January 2008

Processos XV, page 3996

Processos XV, page 3998

Processos XV, page 3999

Processos XV, page 4000

Processos XV, page 4001

Processos XV, page 4002

Leicestershire Constabulary Witness Statement

Statement of: Gail Ann Cooper
Occupation: Community Care Manager

Dated: 16th January 2008
Signature: ....................

I am the above named person and I live at the address as stated on page 00 of this statement.

On the 21st May 2007 I made a statement to the police regarding an incident which occured whilst I was on holiday in Praia da Luz in Portugal. I reported that a male had come to the villa collecting money for an orphanage. I made the statement following the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, as I believed he was suspicious, and I felt the information could be useful to the enquiry. Since making the statement I never really gave it much more thought until my daughter ***** (crossed out and amended to mother *****) pointed out to me an article in the Daily Mirror newspaper which said something about a man had been approached by a male collecting for an orphanage. The story related to Madeleine McCann.

This then made me think about the man who had visited me at the villa. The article dated in the newspaper was Monday 7th January 2008. My daughter ***** contacted the Daily Mirror newspaper as there was a telephone number asking for people to contact them with any information.

Later on in the day on Monday 7th January 2008, I received a telephone call from a man at the Daily Mirror wishing to come and see me. However, we decided to discuss the information over the phone. I told him about the man who had gone to the villa and gave him the description as I stated in my original statement.

On Tuesday 8th January 2008 the information I passed to them over the phone was printed in the Daily Mirror.

My daughter ***** also saw it and mentioned some further information which I had originally forgotten and it related to two further potential sightings of the same man on the beach at Praia da Luz which I describe as follows:-

On Sunday 22nd April 2007 whilst I was ~~holida~~ on holiday as ~~per~~ described in my previous statement, I was with my family at the 'Bar Habana' on the promenade area of Praia da Luz. The bar faces out towards the sea and is surrounded by other cafés and bars.

I was with my husband Jon, my son *****, my daughter *****, my eldest daughter ****, her husband *****, my mother ***** and my two grandchildren ***** and *****. As we were sitting there, my attention was drawn to the sound of children descending onto the promenade area. They all came onto the beach along the wooden boardwalk and there were approximately between 6 and 12 of them. They ranged from about 5 - 8 years of age. I was also aware that there were adults with them, and realised they were from the 'Mark Warner' Holiday complex as the adults had got white shorts and red tee-shirts on. I believe they had the name 'Mark Warner' on the front of the shirts. All the children went towards a play area where there were some swings. The time was between 11 am and 12 midday.

As I watched the children I saw a male walking behind them. He was approximately 10 - 15 yards away from where I was sitting. He didn't really do anything, he was just walking behind them, and I initially thought he was with the group, but as they got to the beach he turned right towards where I was, along the promenade area. He did not stay with the children at all. As he walked in front of me, I was immediately drawn to the fact that he looked exactly like the man who had been to my villa on Friday 20th April 2007. He had exactly the same hair style, dark collar length which was quite untidy looking. He had the same moustache, and looked the same age. The only different thing about him was that he had a Navy blue tee shirt on, round neck style with short sleeves. It was all plain with no logos or anything. His trousers were quite a neutral colour.

He was not carrying anything. He was the same height between 5'7" - 5'10" and slim-medium build. He appeared to be by himself, there was no one else near to him.

He was only in my view for a matter of seconds, but I had a clear unobstructed view of him and the weather was bright and sunny. I saw about three-quarters of his face as he walked by, he did not face me full on but I saw more of his face than just looking at his side profile.

I even commented to my daughter ***** that it was the same man who I spoken to at the villa.

The man walked away and I did not see him again.

Since all that has happened around Madeleine McCann, I have thought about other things that may have been suspicious.

I can recall that on Friday 20th April 2007 about 1 or 2 o'clock I was sitting on the beach front again in Praia da Luz. This was just before the man came to the villa later on that day. I was sitting at the 'Bar Parisio'. It faces out onto the sea and is near to the 'Bar Habana' I mentioned earlier. I was with my friends Trudy and Lee Dawkins, my husband Jon, Trudy's daughter Leander and her 2 year old son *****. Leander's husband Steve was also there. It was raining on this particular day, and I recall seeing a man walking alone on the beach. I thought it strange because of the weather. He was only in my sight for a few seconds and was some distance away. I could not fully see his face but as I have sat and thought about the suspicious man, I feel sure it was the same man I saw at the villa and again on the beach on the Sunday.

He was the same height, age, had the same hairstyle and the only other thing different is that he had a khaki green or stone coloured coat on.

I did not report this information to the police at the time I made my first statement as I just did not see the full relevance of it until I saw the article in the Daily Mirror in January. It had not even crossed my mind until I started going over what I had done and seen during my stay in Portugal.

Signed and witnessed