Since we are on the subject of the Smith sighting...
The Smith family were Martin Smith, his wife Mary Smith, his son, Peter Smith, his 12-year-old daughter Aoife, his daughter-in-law, and four of his grandchildren 13, 10, 6, and 4 years of age.
May 3, 2007
At approximately 9:00 p.m. Martin Smith and Peter Smith say they left the Dolphin Restaurant with their family members heading toward Kelly's Bar. According to Aoife Smith they left the Dolphin restaurant at approximately 9:30 p.m. It only took a minute or two to get there on foot. In 'Kelly's Bar' Martin and Peter say they consumed some drinks. The Smith's left Kelly's bar at around 9:50 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. They went up a set of stairs that give access to the road just above. In the distance looking onto the road directly ahead of that road they saw a man carrying a child in the distance.
"At the beginning of this artery, he saw an individual carrying a child, who was walking normally and who did not seem out of place as it is normal to see people carrying children, especially during the holiday season. This individual was walking the downward path, in the opposite direction to the witness and his companions. He does not know where this person was headed as he only saw him as they passed each other. As he assumed they were a father and daughter, no suspicion was raised in him. When he passed this individual, it must have been around 22H00 (10:00 p.m.).
Man - Caucasian, around 175 to 180 cm in height. He appeared to be about 34/35 years old. Normal complexion, rather slim. His hair was short, in a normal male cut, brown in colour. He was wearing cream or beige-coloured cloth trousers in a classic cut in a cotton type of cloth.
Child - The child was female, about four years of age as she was similar to his granddaughter of the same age. She was being carried. She had blond medium-hued hair, without being very shiny. Her skin was light white, typical of the British. She was asleep and her eyelids were closed. She was not covered by any other blanket or cover. Within his group, they spoke about the child having no covering on her feet. He states that the individual did not appear to be a tourist, because of the individual's clothing. He states that the individual carried the child in his arms, with her head laying on the individual's left shoulder which was to the right of the witness. He adds that the individual was not holding the child in a comfortable position. The individual did not say a word nor did the child as she was in a deep sleep. When he passed this individual he was walking in the middle of the street, given at that time traffic is minimal or non-existent."
- May 26, 2007 / Martin Smith
"He saw an individual carrying a child. This individual was walking normally although with somewhat quick steps as he was walking downwards. This individual was coming down the street, in an opposite direction to that of the witness and his companions.
Man - Caucasian, around 175 to 180 cm in height. He was around 35, or older. Slightly brown skin as a result of sun exposure. He had short hair, brown in colour.
The individual did not try to hide his face or lower his gaze. When he passed the individual, the individual was descending to his right, and walked past the witness in the middle of the street, given that at that time the traffic was minimal or non-existent. Adds also that his son TA*** was questioned in Ireland and said that the individual was wearing a long-sleeved coat, black in colour, and that the child was barefoot."
Child - Was female. She was perhaps two or three years old. She appeared to be a bit smaller than his niece of the same age. She had blond hair, of medium tone, without being very shiny. Her skin was white, typically British. She was asleep and her eyelids were closed. Believes it was light summer clothing light in colour. "
- May 26, 2007 / Peter Smith
"As it was a large group (four adults and five children) they walked in a spaced out manner along the street some walking ahead, some further behind. The witness remembers that upon reaching the top of the steps, she looked to her left and saw a man with a girl in his arms, walking along the path Rua 25 de Abril. He was walking in their direction at a distance of, more or less, two metres. The witness crossed to the other side of Rua 25 de Abril and began walking up Rua da Escola Primária, in the direction of the Estrela da Luz complex."
(The lighting was tenuous.)
Male - Caucasian, light-skinned, between 20/30 years of age, of normal complexion, normal physique, around 1.70/1.75 metres in height. She believes that he had a clean-shaven face. His hair was thick, light brown in colour, short at the back (normal) and a bit longer on the top. The trousers he was wearing were smooth straight-legged trousers, light beige in colour, of a cotton type material, thicker than linen, possibly with buttons and without any patterns. Top half - the child covered almost completely what he was wearing. The individual's gait was normal, being able to distinguish it between walking quickly and running. He did not appear tired and walked normally while carrying the child.
Child - She was female because she had long smooth hair, neck length, fair/brown in colour. About four years old because her niece (who was in the group) is of the same age and same height. The child was lying against the individual's left shoulder in a vertical position on the front of the individual's body. She appeared to be sleeping. Her arms were suspended along her own body and were not wrapped around the individual who was carrying her. There was nothing covering the child, a comforter/blanket or any other piece of clothing but because of the girl's position, she only saw her from the back. She was wearing light coloured trousers, white or light pink-coloured that may have been pyjamas. The material was fine and could have been cotton. She also had a light coloured top, with long sleeves. She did not see well because the individual had his arms around the child. She is not sure if the child's top was the same colour as her trousers, saying only that it was light in colour."
- May 26, 2007/ Aoife Smith
All three of these witnesses say the they believe the girl could have been Madeleine. Aoife said she was 60% sure.
Only after all of the negative press the McCann's were receiving and
after they returned home (which some took as them fleeing from something) did Martin say he thought the man could have been Gerry McCann.
"I would like to state that the statement I made on 26th May 2007 in Portugal is correct. The description of the individual that I saw on 3rd May 2007 carrying
a child is as follows. He was average build, 5 foot 10” in height, brown hair cut short, aged 40 years approximately. Wearing beige trousers and darkish top
maybe a jacket or blazer. He had a full head of hair with a tight cut. This individual was alone."
- January 30, 2008 / Martin Smith
(Btw, he changed the age range of the man making him older by 5 to 6 years then what he previously stated.)
"In relation to the video clips of Gerard McCann and the person I saw on 3rd May 2007 when I saw the BBC news at 10 PM on 9th September 2007 something struck me that it could have been the same person. It was the way Gerard McCann turned his head down which was similar to what the individual did on 3rd May 2007 when we met him. It may have been the way he was carrying the child. I would be 60-80% sure that it was Gerard McCann that I met that night carrying a child. I am basing that on his mannerism in the way he carried the child off the plane."
- January 30, 2008 / Martin Smith
