Processos Vol III
Pages 704 – 708

Witness statement

Barrington Godfrey Norton

Date: 2007.05.08

Nationality: British

Residence: Uncertain location in P da L, in a Ford vehicle, model Escort Van, licence plate nº S677 YWP

Profession: Music teacher

He comes to the process as a witness, as a result of his very frequent presence in the immediate vicinity to the place Madeleine disappeared from had been referred to, since the date of her disappearance.

When asked, he says that he does not speak Portuguese and is assisted by the interpreter, Natália de Almeida.


The witness says that he arrived in this part of Portugal about 5 years ago, adding that since then he had gone to live in the immediate vicinity of P da L.

He has always worked in professions associated with music and he is currently dedicated to teaching as well as performing in the streets of P da L.

Since the beginning of April 2007, he has been living inside his vehicle, a white Ford Escort van, licence plate nº S677 YWP, as he is currently looking for a place to establish his residence as well as a music school.

When confronted with the fact that his presence has been frequently noticed during the past days in the immediate vicinity of the OC, the witness admits that since the disappearance of Madeleine which was reported on the night of 3rd May, he had often gone to the place in order to find out from the British journalists whether there was any news about the girl’s whereabouts.

When asked, he said that the reason for his special preoccupation with this fact was because of the circumstance of the victim being a British girl and the fact that she was “of a very tender age”.

When asked to reconstruct his movements between 1st and 4th May of this year, the witness mentions that he cannot be precise, but as a general rule, he had the following daily routine:

09.00 – 10.30 Guitar practice on the beach.

11.30 Lunch in the Jardim Restaurant, situated in Rua Direita, in P da L, where he would remain until 12.15 – 12.30.

The he would go to a friend’s house, in order to get his guitar amplifier, before going to Avenida dos Pescadores, where he would play his guitar until 15.00 – 15.30.

As a general rule, he would then go for music classes, if he did not have any, he would go to P da L.

At about 20.00 he would have dinner in the Penini Restaurant or another international restaurant nearby, both in P da L, or go to the Baptista supermarket in the OC.

Then he would eat his food in a P da L parking area.

At 21.00 – 21.30 he would go to a camping site in his vehicle and spend the night there.

When asked to provide more precise detail about 3 rd May, the day on which Madeleine disappeared, he clarifies that the day was absolutely similar to the others, he has difficulty in providing more detail.

When asked if he had music classes that day, he replied that he did, from 16.45 to 17.45 with the son of ***** ***** resident in **** ****, Vila da Luz, and that the lesson took place at her house. From 18.15 – 19.15 he gave a lesson to his dentist’s son.

When asked to try to remember where he had gone after the music classes, he says that at about 19.15 he went to drink a beer at the Jardim restaurant and after this, at about 20.00 he went to fetch his dinner from a place he cannot remember, being certain that he had his meal at the usual place (parking area near to the beach).

At about 21.00 he went to sleep in the usual place.

When asked whether he had been seen by anyone whilst he was eating or when he went to the place where he slept, he replied that it might well be possible but that he frankly does not remember.

When asked how he found out about the disappearance, he mentioned that at about 01.00 of 4th May when he was asleep at the usual place (camping site near the beach), he noticed flashing blue lights, immediately presuming that they came from a police car. At about 01.30 he was approached by OC staff, telling him that at about 22.00 the girl in question had disappeared from the resort.

He remembers that at about 07.30 on 4th May he was approached at the same site by GNR officers who carried out a search of his vehicle, but did not find anything unusual.

When asked whether he knew Madeleine or her parents, he replied that he did not.

When asked if he would regularly to the OC resort, he replied that he did, adding that he often went to the Baptista supermarket in the resort.

He mentioned that, during the previous week, he cannot remember the exact days or times, he went to the resort another three times, for different reasons than those mentioned previously, once to hand in his CV and the other two times, to be with friends who were on holiday there.

When asked to provide more details about the individuals in question, he said they were a Canadian couple, the man was called L*** V****** and his wife was called S******.

When asked if he knows on which date the couple arrived, he says he does not, presuming that they had been on holiday at the resort for about 15 days, knowing that they had already returned to their country.

When asked if his friends worked he said that he only knows they were retired.

When asked if he had gone to the OC to see them, he said that he had gone once, not being able to state exactly the location of their room.

When asked about his displacements to the resort and whether these always took place using his vehicle, he replied affirmatively.

When asked where he would park, he said he would generally park near the Baptista supermarket.
When asked if he had ever parked in the street next to the apartment Madeleine had disappeared from, he replied that he had once, as far as he remembers, after her disappearance, that apartment being near to the Baptista supermarket.

When asked whether his hair is always cut short as it is now, he replies no, adding that he used to have much longer hair, especially longer in the neck, but that it had been cut about a month ago and that on the current day he had just had a small hair cut to tidy up the points.

When asked where his hair cuts took place, he replied at a friends house, whom he knew as T**** in Rua Direita.

When asked again whether on 3rd May between 20.00 and 22.00 he had been at the OC resort, he replied negatively.

When asked if he remembers having gone at the beginning/middle of the afternoon to the resort on 2nd and 3rd May, he replies that he does not remember, thinking it possible that he could have gone to the Baptista supermarket, remaining there for while, because he often buys food there and consumes it in the streets of the resort.

When asked if he ever went to the Tapas Bar at the OC resort, he replies negatively.

When asked if he can provide any elements leading to the whereabouts of Madeleine or the identification of the person responsible, he replies no, guaranteeing that he would contact the police immediately if he knew anything pertinent.

No more is said. Reads, ratifies, signs.