Hugh Dunnit?

by missbeetle 23.05.14 10:25

At the last two meetings the barrister and legal assistant were joined by a consultant called Hugh, whose profession was not at first explained (‘ Just call me Hugh,’ he said enigmatically). It transpired that he was a former intelligence officer, now a kidnap negotiator and counsellor. We were told that an anonymous (but evidently very generous) donor had set aside a considerable sum of money for us to put towards the cost of hiring a private-investigation company if we wished. Hugh had been brought in by a firm called Control Risks, which was primed to help.
McCann, Kate (2011-05-12). Madeleine: Our daughter's disappearance and the continuing search for her (Kindle Locations 1873-1877). Transworld. Kindle Edition.

Forgive me if this has been covered before - but who on earth is this Hugh fellow?

by **Tony Bennett** 23.05.14 10:50

missbeetle wrote:At the last two meetings the barrister and legal assistant were joined by a consultant called Hugh, whose profession was not at first explained (‘ Just call me Hugh,’ he said enigmatically). It transpired that he was a former intelligence officer, now a kidnap negotiator and counsellor. We were told that an anonymous (but evidently very generous) donor had set aside a considerable sum of money for us to put towards the cost of hiring a private-investigation company if we wished. Hugh had been brought in by a firm called Control Risks, which was primed to help.
McCann, Kate (2011-05-12). Madeleine: Our daughter's disappearance and the continuing search for her (Kindle Locations 1873-1877). Transworld. Kindle Edition.

Forgive me if this has been covered before - but who on earth is this Hugh fellow?

A very good question.

Kate mentions three people associated with the International Family Law Group (IFLG), all unnamed in the book:

a paralaegal

a barrister

and

'Hugh', who had a background in intelligence, and, according to Kate, 'was brought in by Control Risks Group'.

We know that the 'paralegal' was Richard Jones, once described as a 'Family Law Executive' working for IFLG.

We know that the barrister was Mr Michael Nicholls Q.C.

I had an idea at the back of my mind that some researcher had identified 'Hugh', but I can't recall where I read this.

All these anonymous helpers...it's very 'cloak-and-dagger', isn't it?

by Gillyspot 23.05.14 10:53

IMO "Hugh" is Hugh Cursons who was at Control Risks Group until 2010. I could be wrong of course.

Here is his linkedin page [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

by Woofer 23.05.14 11:01

Gillyspot wrote:IMO "Hugh" is Hugh Cursons who was at Control Risks Group until 2010. I could be wrong of course.

Here is his linkedin page [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Seems he was an officer in the parachute regiment - would that equate to having experience in `intelligence` ?

by missbeetle 23.05.14 11:01

You reckon?

The first session Hugh attended, which took place at night, had something of a James Bond atmosphere to it, and not in a good way. I felt as if I’d entered a whole new world, and it was an extremely mysterious and frightening one. Perhaps the worst bit was a remark Hugh made about the reward that was on offer. He told us dispassionately that such an inducement would have ‘put a price on Madeleine’s head’. I was very upset. The thought of anything we had done jeopardizing Madeleine’s life was too much to bear.
McCann, Kate (2011-05-12). Madeleine: Our daughter's disappearance and the continuing search for her (Kindle Locations 1879-1883). Transworld. Kindle Edition.

by **Tony Bennett** 23.05.14 11:03

Gillyspot wrote:IMO "Hugh" is Hugh Cursons who was at Control Risks Group until 2010. I could be wrong of course.

Here is his linkedin page [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Very likely.

Incidentally, Kate says (p. 124):

"Hugh had been brought in by a firm called Control Risks, which was primed to help".

Kate adds these comments about Control Risks Group (all on p. 124):

* independent specialist risk consultancy

* offices and investigators on five continents

* their main line of work is corporate security.

by missbeetle 23.05.14 12:42

...and now this character is a 'Global Security Advisor' at Chevron?

What a fantastic job title.

by Dr What 23.05.14 16:54

I wonder if he has any exploding pens in his pocket?

'Global Security'......He sounds a modest type of person, doesn't he? Or perhaps he just sounds like a twerp.

Cosmic.

by Shhh 23.05.14 17:04

Hugh Janus? Jarse?

Sorry......

by Okeydokey 23.05.14 17:14

Woofer wrote:
Gillyspot wrote:IMO "Hugh" is Hugh Cursons who was at Control Risks Group until 2010. I could be wrong of course.

Here is his linkedin page [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Seems he was an officer in the parachute regiment - would that equate to having experience in `intelligence` ?

Could well be - military intelligence.

by Guest 23.05.14 18:52

Wasn't there a paratrooper ? 'voluntarily' brought in for the search who subsequently died ?

by rainbow-fairy 24.05.14 1:34

Bellisa wrote:Wasn't there a paratrooper ? 'voluntarily' brought in for the search who subsequently died ?

I think you are referring to Colin Sahlke, who later died of a morphine OD iirc.
There is a thread on this somewhere I believe, Belissa, but search function on my phone is rubbish so I don't know where to find it?

by **tigger** 24.05.14 12:34

Tony Bennett wrote:
Gillyspot wrote:IMO "Hugh" is Hugh Cursons who was at Control Risks Group until 2010. I could be wrong of course.

Here is his linkedin page [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Very likely.

Incidentally, Kate says (p. 124):

"Hugh had been brought in by a firm called Control Risks, which was primed to help".

Kate adds these comments about Control Risks Group (all on p. 124):

* independent specialist risk consultancy

* offices and investigators on five continents

* their main line of work is corporate security.

Iirc Woolfall was also working for Control Risks Group? He was sent to PdL by Bell Pottinger. Woolfall was on the spot by the Friday or Saturday.

All this 'putting a price on her head' is a bit Wild West. We must remember that in theory some 'greedy unscrupulous person' might actually have delivered Maddie back to her doting parents, having decided that the reward was ample compensation for the loss of a child who could throw tantrums and was a screamer according to her equally doting paternal family.

Were these the same people who pressed the PJ to focus on Murat?

The people present to help the McCanns in the immediate aftermath look to me to be the kind of experts you send out when you want to wind up the problem very quickly.
Perhaps they were unaware of the fact that the McCanns, with their wider agenda and plans for a Global Maddy day, weren't of the same mind.

by Nereid 24.07.14 10:05

It could also be Hugh Vernon, who counts Control Risks Group as one of his clients.
He served in the British Army for 22 years and retired as a Warrant Officer Class 1.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I find this part of his CV particularly interesting:

"Designed and delivered teambuilding courses inspired by the successful outcome of ‘Hearts and Minds’ campaigns; persuading people to change by encouraging new beliefs."

So a PR exercise in 'winning over' a group of people?

by Woofer 24.07.14 10:25

Nereid wrote:It could also be Hugh Vernon, who counts Control Risks Group as one of his clients.
He served in the British Army for 22 years and retired as a Warrant Officer Class 1.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I find this part of his CV particularly interesting:

"Designed and delivered teambuilding courses inspired by the successful outcome of ‘Hearts and Minds’ campaigns; persuading people to change by encouraging new beliefs."

So a PR exercise in 'winning over' a group of people?

That made me shudder. Hearts and Minds is part of Common Purpose using NLP to change peoples` thinking - it is a massive brain washing programme - supposedly already infiltrating schools and children`s minds.

by Dont Make Me Laff 24.07.14 10:58

Is this the Link @rainbowfairy? [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

by missbeetle 03.12.14 19:59

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
(I haven't a date for this, sorry)

Could the bespectacled and bejandaled fellow to the left -

- acting as Gerry's bag-wallah -

- be this "Call me Hugh" chap...?

He appears a lot in the background - and acted as Gerry's chauffeur, too :

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Gerry's white T shirt with suit trousers and those spivvy-toed shoes -

- what a strange look...! There's something not quite right about that man.

My opinion only.

by rustyjames 03.12.14 21:20

missbeetle wrote:[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
(I haven't a date for this, sorry)

Could the bespectacled and bejandaled fellow to the left -

- acting as Gerry's bag-wallah -

- be this "Call me Hugh" chap...?

He appears a lot in the background - and acted as Gerry's chauffeur, too :

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Gerry's white T shirt with suit trousers and those spivvy-toed shoes -

- what a strange look...! There's something not quite right about that man.

My opinion only.

It was the 22nd May returning from England. Seems they collected the post while they were there.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

by Guest 03.12.14 21:25

It reads on the right of the photo that GM is leaving his hotel in PdL to fly to England that night, 20th May.

by rustyjames 03.12.14 21:29

Ladyinred wrote:It reads on the right of the photo that GM is leaving his hotel in PdL to fly to England that night, 20th May.

Yes the second picture missbeetle put up was leaving for the UK. The first one and mine with Clarence Mitchell was the return on the 22nd.

by Guest 03.12.14 21:33

Ok, sorry. They haven't changed their clothes though!

by Liz Eagles 03.12.14 21:33

rustyjames wrote:
Ladyinred wrote:It reads on the right of the photo that GM is leaving his hotel in PdL to fly to England that night, 20th May.

Yes the second picture missbeetle put up was leaving for the UK. The first one and mine with Clarence Mitchell was the return on the 22nd.

Was that the disastrous time that Gerry's wallet went missing at a cashpoint, he was late for a meeting, couldn't face going to the Rothley home so went to stay with trusted friends and came back with Clarrie in tow to release the 'last photo'?

Or do I have the timelines of these things out of synch?

by rustyjames 03.12.14 21:44

aquila wrote:Was that the disastrous time that Gerry's wallet went missing at a cashpoint, he was late for a meeting, couldn't face going to the Rothley home so went to stay with trusted friends and came back with Clarrie in tow to release the 'last photo'?

Or do I have the timelines of these things out of synch?

Last photo was released 24th May if I recall correctly. The loss of wallet was on the second trip home in June.

by Liz Eagles 03.12.14 22:01

rustyjames wrote:
aquila wrote:Was that the disastrous time that Gerry's wallet went missing at a cashpoint, he was late for a meeting, couldn't face going to the Rothley home so went to stay with trusted friends and came back with Clarrie in tow to release the 'last photo'?

Or do I have the timelines of these things out of synch?

Last photo was released 24th May if I recall correctly. The loss of wallet was on the second trip home in June.

Thank you rustyjames, sometimes it's hard to remember things.

by **PeterMac** 04.12.14 9:01

Last Photo Released by the French press agency on 24th, so they must have had it on 23rd
GM and CM arrived in Pdl on 22nd
Philimena also arrived on 22nd