National Policing Improvement Agency

Wyboston Lakes, Great Notth Road,

Wyboaton, Bedfordshire,
MK44 3BY,
Uniied Kingdom.
Tel: +44 (0)8702 415841
Web: www.npla.police.uk

Mark Harrison MBE

National Search Adviser
Homidde, Missing Persons, Mass Fataliiy Disasters
Emall: markharrisonqlnpki.pnn.poiice.uk
Dlred dlal: +44irQi948ü414

Madeleine McCann Search

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Decision S u ~ ~ oDocument
rt PD Luz Beach & Marine
Assessment

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The reconnaissance undertaken and this report have been completed at the
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direct request and benefit of Guillhermino Encarnacao the Algarve regional
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director of the Portuguese Judicial Police.

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Personal Profile
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Iam a serving police ofíicer and the National Adviser in relation to Search for
Police agencies within the United Kingdom. My role involves advising on
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searching for persons that are missing, abduded or murdered, using

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enhanced search techniques and technologies. I attend and review cases

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providing advice and support on search plans, strategies and resources. I

have extensive national and intemational experience in such casework and in
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2004 was awarded an MBE for services to search. I am a visiting Professor of

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Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of Southampton.

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Prologue
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In compiling this report I have walked around the relevant areas of Praia Da
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Luz during the hours of darkness and then during daylight hours of high and
low tide. I have conduded reconnaissance flights using the Civil defence
helicopter. On 30/7/07a full site assessment of beach dynamics and a
digability study was conducted by me along with Professors Alveirhino Dias
and Oscar Ferreira costa1 and marine dynamics experts. Additional
consultation has been made with Dr. Jorge Goncalves, a marine biologist.
These named experts all work at the FCMA (oceanographic centre) University
of Algarve.
Mark Harrison Page 2

Report Ai m
'7his mport solely considers the smmh scenario that Madeline McCann
has been murdered and her body is concealeú on the beach at PD Luz or
has been put into the sea fmm the fotwhore".

The report considers the viability of burial on the beach and the likely
movement of a body if it entered the sea. It also considers the likely incidente
of such a disposal choice and any local impact factors that make this a more
or less likely event with the aim to inform decisions on any searches.

Praia Da Luz Beach.

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In simple terms the beach is in a natural inlet and bounded by cliffs.
The winds are generally from the west and create low energy waves of less

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than 2m. This is significant regarding any body disposal scenario from the
shore as the wave energy is not sufficient to "take a body" out to sea. Instead

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a body would most likely trave1 eastwards in a re circulating motion along the

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shoreline until it was trapped by the rock outcrop to the east of the beach or

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consumed by marine life. ti the entry point was the rock outcrop itself to the
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east of the beach then the body would most likely continue in a re circulating
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motion along the shoreline until it again encountered a bamer to its passage,
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the most eastward of this would be 5km away at Ponta Da Piedade near
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Lagos.
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Mark Hanison Page 3

Sub Surface But-ial on P D Luz Beach

For Body Dlsposai Purposes The Beach Can Be Separated And
Discussed Into 6 Areas.

Figure 2.The boulders in the rock falls are too large

to man handle. Vegetative growth suggests rock
falls have been in situ for some time. The low energy
wave action would not move any of the boulders. It
is possible a small child could be secreted amongst

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the rocks in natural voids.

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Figure 3.The cliíf edge at the base of the beach is at

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an angle that inhibits soil removal. The shale re fills
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Figure 4.At the base of the cliff are wave cuts where
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the bedrock has been eroded by wave action. Here

sand can be easily dug but after a few centimetres
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the digger reaches the bed rock, preventing a

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successful burial.
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Figure 5.The beach cusps or berms are mounds of

sand made by wind action. These cusps form at the
limit of the tides reach and would only be re covered
in storm condiions. Digging on the cusps is easy but

" more than a few centimetres depth is very difficult to

achieve as the fine sand granules refill the hole
w immediately.

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Figure 6.The dark sand in this image shows the
intertidal area. Here digging and burial could
possibly be achieved although it would be through a
mixture of grave1 and water. However any burial
would be quickly exposed by wave action and
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!-?
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ultimately taken into the sea.
Mark Hamson Page 4

Tidal Wave Data

Tidal data for the area of Praia Da Luz has been obtained from the buoy near
Faro. It collects data on wave height and diredion. However on 3* May 2007
the buoy malfunctioned and stopped collecting data for the month of May.
Data is available before and after this period and it could be inferred that
these results are consistent with the missing relevant period as there were no
exceptional storm events.

On the 2"d May 2007 the waves were of middle energy of a 2m height and a
easterly drift. When data was next collected on the 22"6May 2007 they were

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now low energy waves of 0.5m to I m with the same easterly winds.

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Low tide on the night of the 3* May 2007 was at 2200hrs at 2m. The

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maximum amount of beach would be accessible inciuding the rocky outcrop.

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High tide on the 4n May 2007 was at 0415hrs at 3.1m. This would mean that

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from 0200hrs onwards half the eastern part of the beach would be submerged
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and so access to the rocky outcrop impossible on foot.
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Therefore if someone deposited a body into the sea, on the night of M

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McCann's disappearance, from the beach the optimum time window for full
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access to the whole beach and rocky outcrop was between 2200hrs and
0200hrs. This time window would also be the optimum time for burial in the
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sand, not withstanding the digability study limitations previously described.

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The optimum time to throw a body from the top of the diff into the sea would
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be between 0200hrs and 0400hrs as the sea would be at the ciiffs edge.
Conversely this would not be the optimum time window for a beach burial.
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Marine Life
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In relation to a body disposal scenario crustations could begin eating within a

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few hours if the body was not initially buoyant or trapped on the sea bed. If it
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was buoyant then crustations would be joined by fish and crabs once the
decomposition process had begun.

Homiclde Disposal Datasets

A limited search has been conducted of datasets that contain body disposai
data in homicide cases (CATCHEM, SCAS, FBI). Although this search was
limited due to the time constraints placed on this reports delivery an inference
can be gained from both the data sets and the authors own case work
experience. I have also consulted with NPIA and FBI colleagues to benefit
from their experientes.
The conclusion inferred is that beach burial is extremely rare. This should not
surprise us as to dig on a beach is a high risk activity requiring expending time
and energy when a more 'least effort" disposal is readily available, that is
directly into the sea. Of those limited cases that were found to be a beach
Mark Haníson

disposal the overwhelming majority were surface depositions with only one
recorded concealment using rocks on top of a 2 year old child (CATCHEM
Database)

Discussion
Where a homicide occurs and the sea is accessible and nearby then it would
become a natural disposal choice for an offender using the "least effort
principlen.The beach itself would appear to merely be the platform to facilitate
this. When this is considered in relation to the beach at Praia Da Luz there is
a reinforcement of this view due to the severe limiting and inhibiting factors to
achieve a beach burial there. If a burial was achieved there is a significant
likelihood, based on the tidal coverage of the entire beach, that a burial would

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be exposed and or taken into the sea. If a body entered the sea it could
remain close to the shore travelling in an eastward direction until it returned to

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shore or became trapped in the sub surface rocks.

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The optimum time window, on the night of disappearance, to dispose of a

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body into the sea from the shore would have been between 2200hrs and
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0200hrs. The optimum time to dispose of a body into the sea from the top of
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the ciiffs would have been between 0200hrs and 041Shrs.
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Due to the normal high occupancy tourist activity on the beach and in the sea
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it could be considered a body would self expose and be detected.

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In condusion there is no intelligence speúfic to this case or generic datasets

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that support a scenario of beach burial. Additionally the digability study and
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coastal dynamics of the Praia Da Luz beach further limit this as a viable
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scenario. However should further assurance be required Iwould suggest a

limited inspection around the rock falls at the base of the ciiffs on the beach
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and the waters around the rocky outcrop to the east of the beach.
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Should the investigatorswish to discuss and develop the issues raised in this
assessment Iwould be happy to do so.
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Mark Hanison

APPENDIX

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Figure shows the 708m distance from Murat's house via the "lrish"witness
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siahtina of man camina a child.

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Direct dia1 :07960267357
01235526763
Email: / k9m~@,btinternet.com

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Martin Grime.
U.K.N.P.I.A. Registered Subject Matter Expert.

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F.B.L Forensic Canine Program Specialist Advisor.

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27 Chureh Road

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Oxford
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OPERATION TASK
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Personal ~rofile
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I am an U.K.A.C.P.O. accredited police dog training instructor in post at the

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Operational Support Services. I am a Subject Matter Expert registered with N.C.P.E.

and specialist homicide canine search advisor. In support of the national Homicide
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Search Advisor, Mark Harrison, I advise Domestic and International Law

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enf'orcement agencies on the operational deployment of Police Dogs in the role of

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Homicide investigation. I develop methods of detecting forensically recoverable

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evidence by the use of dogs and facilitate training.

I arn a Special Advisor to The U.S. Deparbnent of Justice, Federal Bureau of
Investigation, in relation to their Canine Forensic Program.

I am regularly deployed to assist in high profile homicide cases within my portfolio

and form a 'Specialist Canine Homicide Search Team' including the S.A.M dog
teams fiom Dyfed Powys.

My core role includes the training and operational handling of specialist search dogs
in the fields of Human Victim Recovery and Forensic Crime Scene Investigation.

I have trained and handle two operational specialist search dogs. 'Eddie' is a 7-year-
old English Springer spaniel dog. 'Keela' is a three-year old English Springer spaniel
bitch. I also have a six-month old English Springer spaniel dog, puppy, in training,
'Morse' .
Search Asset Profilq

'Eddie' The Enhanced Victirn Recovery Dog (E.V.RD.) will search for and locate
human rernains and body fluids including blood to very small samples in any
environment or terrain. The initial training of the asset is conducted using pig as the
subject matter for solid hides and human blood for fluid. The use of human remains
for the purpose of training dogs in the U.K. is not acceptable at this point in time. The
dog has however considerable experiente in operational recovery of human remains
and evidential forensic material and has trained exclusively using human remains in
the U.S.A. in association with the F.B.I. The enhanced training of the dog involves the

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use of collection of 'Dead body scent' odour fiom corpses using remote technical
equipment which does not contact.

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The E.V.R.D. will locate cadaver, whether in the whole or parts thereof; deposited

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surfiw or sub-surface to a depth of approximately 3-4 feet shortly &er death to the

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advanced stages of deposition and putrefaction through to skeletal. This includes
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incinerated remains even if large quantities of accelerant have been involved.
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The dog will locate human cadaver in water either fiom the bank side or when
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deployed in a boat where a large area may be covered using a gridding system.
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The dog has also been trained to identifl 'dead body' scent contamination where there
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is no physically retrievable evidence, due to scent adhering to pervious material such

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as carpet or the upholstery in motor vehicles. Whereas there may be no retrievable

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evidence for court purposes this may well assist intelligence gathering in Major Crime
investigations. This may be completed by the dog being deployed directly to the
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subject area or by scent samples being taken on sterile gauze pads and the scent check
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being completed by scent discrimination exercise at a suitable venue.

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The dog will alert to the presence of 'dead body' scent whether it is at source or some
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distance away fiom a deposition site. This enables the use of the dog to identifl the
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exhaust of the scent through fissures in bedrock or watercourses. A geophysical

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survey of the area will then reduce the size of the search area.

The dog may be used to screen clothing, vehicles or property in a suitable

environment. This is completed in a scent discrimination exercise where controls rnay
be included to increase assurity.

I have developed the training of the E.V.R.D. to include the screening of scent pads
taken fiom motor vehicles, property or scenes by a ST100 Scent Transference Unit.

The unit is designed in a two-part design. The main body is a battery operated
elect.rica1 device that draws air in at to the fiont and exhausts through the rear. There
is no 're-circulation' of air within the unit. The second part is a 'grilled' hood that fits
to the main body. A sterile gauze pad is fitted into the hood. When operated, the
ST100 draws air through the hood and the sterile gauze pad and exhausts through
ports to the rear. 'Scent' is trapped in the gauze, which may then be forensically
stored for use within scent discrimination exercises.

The ST 100 unit is cleaned following use in such a manner that no residual scent is
apparent. This is checked by control measures where the dog is aliowed to search a
given area where the S100 is secreted. Any response by the dog would suggest
contdnation. Tests have shown that the decontamination procedures are effective in
this case with the dog NOT aierting to the device when completed.

Use of the ST100 is recommended when subject vehicles, property, clothing, premises
are to be forensically protected fiom contamination by the dog, and for covert
deployment. At a11 other times best practice would be for the dog to be given direct
access.

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Operational use of the STü100 is in a developmental stage.

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'Keela' The Crime Scene Investigation (C.S.I.) dog will search for and locate human

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blood to such small proportions that it is unlikely to be recovered by the forensic
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science procedwes in place at this time due to its size or placement.
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She will locate contaminated weapons, screen motor vehicles and items of clothing
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and examine crime scenes for minute human blood deposits. She will accurately
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locate human blood on iterns that have been subjected to 'clean up operations' or
having been subjected to severa1 washing machine cycles.
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In training she has accurately located minute samples of blood on property up to

thll.ty-six years old.
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In order for the dog to locate the source the blood must have 'dried' in situ. Any
'wetting' once dried will not a i
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Blood that is subjected to dilution by precipitation or other substantiai water source

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prior to dryng will soak into the gromd or other absorbent material. This may dilute
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the scent to an unacceptable leve1 for accurate location.

It is possible however that the EVRD will locate the scent source as it would for 'dead
body' scent. Forensic testing may not produce evidence but any alert may provide
intelligence to support other factors in the investigation of a crime.

The assets may be deployed upon request of an Senior Investigating Oficer (S.I.O.)
following consultation with the appropriate S.M.E.'s and advisors.

The project tearn rnakes decisions on suitability for case deployment. Due to the very
nature of the dog's presence, cross contamination and preservation of vital evidence at
crime scenes must be considered prior to any deployment in consultation with the
senior crime scene coordinator.
Both dogs and I are licensed as two separate working tearns. We are independently
tested and licensed mually, normally at six monthly intervals as a 'rolling'
programme to ensure best practice is maintained. They are tested to units of
assessment prepared as a stand-alone system as these dogs are the only assets of their
type in the world. Training records are maintained and are available if required.

POINTS TO ASSIST

Whilst it is stated that the E.V.RD. is originally trained using pig the following notes
of guidance should be considered when assessing indications:

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P In six years operationai deployment in over 200 cases the dog has neva
alerted to meat based foodstuffs.

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> The dog has never alerted to 'road kill'

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P Alerts given by the dog where no obvious human remains are found are

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supported by forensic evidence I anecdotal witness accounts.

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> The dog, a scavenger, uses its olfactory system to locate food sources, identifi
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its young and other pack members, enemies and predators over large
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distantes. It can track its prey identifiing a direction of travel. This entails the
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dog being able to discriminate the time difference between footsteps using the
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sense of smell !
> The dog is an animal that's basic firnction in the wild is to scavenge food and
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procreate.
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> In a domestic environment it responds to humans as a food source and bonds

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in the manner it would with other pack members.

> The reward of food and protection / close codort provides the basis for a
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system to be adopted where the dog shows a willingness to respond in

response to the reward. We are thereby able to 'train' the dog using
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conditioned responses to stimuli. Repetition and reward then ensure

efficiency. Positive and negative reinforcement then shape the required
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behaviour in their role.

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P Pavlov's theory is used in the case of the E.V.RD. system of alert. He has
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been 'conditioned' to give a verbal alert when coming into contact with 'dead
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body scent'. The presence of tangible material is not required to produce the
response.
> Although the dog is 'trained' using reward based methods the behaviour
shaping and enforcement regime produces an asset that does not false alert
unlike electronic devices.
> Pseudo scent is a chemically produced product that its manufwturers claim to
resemble 'dead body scent'. Although some trainers have had limited success
when tested on my dogs they showed no interest.
> Operational finds backed by forensic corroboration have shown that the
system adopted by me in the training of the dogs is both effective and
efficient.
Acting in my role of advisor to the U.S.Justice Department I have facilitated
assessment of numerous cadaver search dog tearns in the United States. These
dogs are exclusively trained using human cadaver sources. When I introduced
 pig based products into Atraining assessments 100?! of the animals alerted to
the medium.
> The result fiom scientific experiment and research to date would tend to
support the theory that the scent of human and pig decomposing material is so
similar that we are unable to 'train' the dog to distinguish between the two.
That is not to say that this may not be possible in the fiiture.
> The odour target of cadaver is scientifically explained through 'volatile
compounds" that in a certain configuration are received by the dog as a
receptor. Recognition then gives a conditioned response 'ALERT'. Despite
considerable research and analytical investigation the compounds cannot be
replicated in laboratory processes. Therefore the 'dert' by dogs without a
tangible source cannot be forensically proven at this time.
> 'Dead body scent' cannot be removed by cleaning. The compounds adhere to

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surfáces. The scent can be 'masked' by bleach and other strong smelling
odours but the dog's olfactory systern is able to separate odour and identiq

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specific compounds' and mixes to cellular level. A similar system would be a

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device similar to an electron rnicroscope.
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In training the dog has accuately alerted to a 1 cm cube of pork soaked in

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petrol for 1 week and then burnt until only a residue remains.
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The dog's olfactory system is so highly developed that it continues to be
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efficient at cellular level. :
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Distinguish the time &fereme betweenfooiprints to give a direction of

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Disfrnguish livepom dead within minutes

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Distinguish human b l d p o m other pcies where the chemical

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constituent parts are identical.

Idènaa the EX4CT lmation of blood so mal1 in size that when
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forem'calt'y recovered will NOTprovidè afiz1DNA strand dèspite low copy DNA
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Anulysis.
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>
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Scientists accept that there is noforensic testing equipment as discriminatory

as the abgs olfactory system at thispresent moment in time.
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> AI1 research and training of the abgs within thisprogram is completed in
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conjzrnction with a t e m of scientistsfor dferingfieeldsof expertise. E k y have

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in the past and will continue to endorse the abgs wes within thecfield of
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homicidè investigation.
 APPENDIX

ATTRACTAHARRON.

A missing person, last seen returning from church, on foot, in N. Ireland.

A missing person search did not reveal her whereabouts.

The search of a suspects 'totally burnt out vehicle' by forensic scientists did not reveal
any evidence.

A 'one minute' search by the E.V.R.D. identified a position in the rear passenger foot

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well where the dog alerted to the presence of human material.

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A sarnple was taken and when analysed revealed the victims' DNA

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The enquiry then concentrateci its efforts on the suspect and the E.V.R.D. located the

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body of the woman in a river bank deposition site.
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Further searches identified a location where the E.V.R.D. alerted in the front bedroom
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of the offenders empty next d w r dwelling house.

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When interviewed the suspect admitted that the body had laid in the room for 1 hour
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prior to disposal. Forensic teams were unable to extract and forensic evidence despite
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being shown the exact position.

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AMANDA EDWARDS
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A missing person abducted by her ex-boyfnend.

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Intelligence suggested that her ex-boy fnend had taken her to his house.
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A search of the house resulted in small blood stains being recovered.

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A search of nearby waste land identified a mattress. Checks revealed it carne fiom the
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house.

The suspect, a builder, was in possession of a van. This was searched and the dog
alerted to a 'wacker plate', spirtit level, and shovel.

A site was identifieú where the suspect had been working. The EVRD then located
the body deposition site in an area of a garage base that had been prepared by the
suspect. He had retumed with the dead girl, dug a grave in the centre, placed the body
in the hole, replaced the spoil and then used the shovel, wacker plate and spirit level
to return the ground to its original state.

Forensic scientists were unable to coníirm using chemical analysis.

CHARLOTTE PINKNEY

Charlotte Pinkney was abducted by an ex-boyf5end and has never been seen since.
An initial search by the E.V.RD. revealed a 'classic' secondary deposition site near to
a sighting of the suspect in suspicious circumstances.

The investigative team distrusted the dogs opinion until a fùll forensic search revealed
a small button off of the girls clothing in long grass.

This evidence was put to the suspect who fùlly admitted the offence.

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There are many instances such as this.

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The most poignant being:

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When 'Keela' was nine months old she was tasked to search an open fishing boat,
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contaminated by rotting fish flesh and BLOOD.
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A missing person was believed to have kilied on the boat.

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The dog located and alerted to a blood sarnple that was so srnall that when LOW
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COPY analysed was reported as being PRIMATE and an uncompleted sample.

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There are only two scenarios to suit this find. The blood was either human or a gorilla
went out in a boat fishing !!
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Should you require fùrther examples or cornments please do not hesitate to contact
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me.
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