So what were the McCann relationships with the other members of the Tapas group ? The first two to we hear about are Fiona and David Payne. Kate tells us on P33 of her book she first became friends with Fiona in December 2000 at Leicester General ICU, so I suppose that David came as part of the package in that friendship. If I read her book correctly Russell O’Brien, Jane Tanner, and Matthew and Rachael Oldfield were closer friends of the Paynes, but known acquaintances of her and Gerry (P59). It was the first time the McCanns would holiday with the ‘acquaintances’. With no deep foundation to their relationship it was going to be unlikely this lot could stick together under the circumstances of 3rd May on any meaningful level.
So if not friendship, what else might bind then together? A blog to read is Textusas, who believes the group were swingers. This suggestion may have its roots in the fact that Mark Warner holidays cater for ‘adults only’ holidays; there is a link from steel magnolia here:
http://steelmagnolia-steelmagnolia.blogspot.co.uk/…/113-day…
Also from the Jane Tanner rogatory appears this bolt from the blue:
“078 “Okay. Is there anything else that you need to speak about”?
Reply “Erm no I don’t think so, don’t think anything else is”.
4078 “What about your personal opinions Jane”?
Reply “Yeah erm, well obviously I, I mean I was almost gonna say this at the very, very end of anything but I just, I’d just really like to say to the Portuguese Police you know, I think there’s been a lot said but from a, you know we’re not a bunch of swingers that went out there for a swinging holiday, I can’t think of anything to be worse to be honest but yeah, we didn’t go out there on a swingers holiday to dump our kids in the kids club while we got pissed and shagged each other you know, that’s not what we did.”
Kate says in her book P59, they had been away with Dave and Fiona several times and always enjoyed themselves; Dave was an avid organiser of holidays it seems. It was he who instigated the infamous timeline lists handed to the PJ, and he was at the Rothley meeting that Clarence Mitchell tells us was for ‘operational reasons’ on 17th November 2007, that caused such indignation within the PJ, just 10 days after the Telegraph reported that two of the Tapas wanted to change their story and had consulted their solicitors..
http://www.mccannfiles.com/id379.html
Maybe it’s something altogether more sinister. David’s odd, almost casual conversations with Gerry in front of the Gaspars can only add to the consternation.. I have no doubt just that there was than just swinging going on. . Payne is at the centre of the holiday soirées, surrounding himself with friends, and someone, with his prepared timelines, who needs to try and control what the PJ think when in reality he should just be a bystander letting them get on with their job. The other’s eagerness to comply with his actions on 3rd May is complete,. So what does he have over them that they feel powerless to confront?
Maybe it’s a secret that can’t be revealed; a bond they have above friendship born out of mutual embarrassment in the event of exposure. While swinging, or some other nefarious activity, might suggest a stronger kind of cement than just friendship to hold the group .
Whatever happened David Payne was in the thick of it.
circusbuoy 