Madeleine McCann’s parents have lost their appeal over the acquittal of Gonçalo Amaral, a former inspector of the Judiciary Police, who claimed in his book, ‘Madeleine, Truth of the Lie,' that Kate and Gerry McCann had been responsible for her disappearance.
Amaral wrote that the McCanns faked the abduction of Madeleine, claiming that she had died in the Praia da Luz holiday apartment in May 2007.
In April, 2016, the Court of Appeal overturned the judgement that had required Amaral to pay €250,000 to each of Madeleine McCann's parents, plus interest for late payment, but the McCanns appealed to the High Court.
This appeal now has been dismissed and Madeleine’s parents lost the case without leave for any further appeal.
“What we have been told by our lawyers is obviously extremely disappointing,” the couple said in a statement. “It is eight years since we brought the action and in that time the landscape has dramatically changed, namely there is now a joint Metropolitan police-Policia Judiciaria investigation which is what we’ve always wanted.
“The police in both countries continue to work on the basis that there is no evidence that Madeleine has come to physical harm. We will, of course, be discussing the implications of the supreme court ruling with our lawyers in due course.”
Previously, the McCanns' lawyer suggested that her clients would present the case to the European Court of Human Rights if they were unsuccessful in pursuing their civil claim through the Portuguese courts.
This, the McCanns now can do as they have exhausted all legal avenues in the Portuguese system.
