McCanns not allowed to testify in Amaral libel trial

Kate and Gerry McCann have been refused permission to give evidence at the Portuguese libel trial against Gonçalo Amaral and his book 'The Truth of the Lie' according to their spokesman. No reason has been given.  

The McCanns had asked to give evidence at the Lisbon trial but an unamed source 'close to the family' said that judge Maria Emilia Melo e Castro refused permission for the McCanns to give evidence at the next hearing scheduled for Tuesday 7th January.

The Leicestershire couple are reported to be disappointed by the decision. Isabel Duarte, the McCann's lawyer, may be instructed to appeal against the decision.

The McCanns launched a £1 million legal action against the 51 year-old former Portuguese police inspector Gonçalo Amaral, the publisher of his book, and the makers of a documentary that was based on the opinions expressed in the book. The McCanns claim that the former detective's printed allegations damaged the hunt for their daughter Madeleine and made their distress that much more unbearable.

Amaral's assertion that Madeleine died from an overdose of sedatives and that her parents covered up her death did nothing to improve relations with the McCanns. Amaral initially led the Madeleine enquiry before he was sacked.

Last October Trish Cameron, Gerry McCann's sister, told the Lisbon court that the couple's anguish over the disappearance of their 4-year old daughter was "multiplied 100 times" by Amaral's book. The McCanns have referred to Amaral as a 'poisonous liar'  and have accused him of being a manipulative money-grabber.

Madeleine disappeared from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Lagos (pictured) in May 2007 where she was sleeping with her twin siblings. Her parents were dining at a nearby restaurant with friends.

Comments  

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0 #13 chiptheduck 2014-06-16 23:05

Quoting Heinrik Gustaffson:

Quoting Gill A:

Many Brits feel the Judge has rightly decided that it might only be an opportunity to show off any newly-acquired emoting skills in the dock.

Many of us are rooting for Amaral.

Really Gill A? Are you an animal of some sort? Rooting for Amaral? What a clod you are!

That was 5 months ago Heinrik, and suddenly you're throwing your toys out of the pram.

They are back in Lisbon once again in their quest for riches, leaving the kids at home, and this time I understand they will testify and tell the court how distressed they were by his book.

And some people support Amaral's right to free speech.

There's no clod like a slow clod!

-1 #12 Heinrik Gustaffson 2014-06-16 18:10

Quoting Gill A:

Many Brits feel the Judge has rightly decided that it might only be an opportunity to show off any newly-acquired emoting skills in the dock.

Many of us are rooting for Amaral.

Really Gill A? Are you an animal of some sort? Rooting for Amaral? What a clod you are!

+7 #11 Gill A 2014-01-13 00:30

Many Brits feel the Judge has rightly decided that it might only be an opportunity to show off any newly-acquired emoting skills in the dock.

Many of us are rooting for Amaral.

+6 #10 Chip the Duck 2014-01-12 11:40

Spot on, Rev!

+10 #9 Rev 2014-01-12 10:22

I too wish Sn Amarel good luck in this case. He merely told the facts as he had seen them. There are far more people here in Portugal who believe his findings than believe in anything that the McCanns have said in order to cover up their neglect of their children, which led to this whole tragedy. They had plenty of money to spend on wining and dining every evening to the late hours, but not a cent to pay for one of the three baby sitting services that were available to them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-9 #8 Norman Walker 2014-01-06 00:13

Comments so far have ignored the significant points in your report, namely 1) that the plaintiffs who have brought the action are denied the right to give evidence in support of their case and 2) that the court has not explained why. This is very strange legal procedure. Particularly in view of the widespread public interest in the case, the court has a duty to explain its ruling.
Contrary to most of your commentators I regard Gonzalo Amaral as a very unreliable source of "the truth" about anything. He is a convicted perjurer.
I wonder if the court will allow him to give evidence? That would be very biased behaviour indeed.

+17 #7 Sylvie 2014-01-05 20:12

Snr Amaral did nothing wrong with what he put in this book. Everything in it is what was found out during the investigation. Since reading the book and the official PJ files, I have certainly had my initial thought's clarified. Something happened to Madeleine, and they know what that was imo! Cadaver dogs don't lie, and there was no abduction, and Snr Amaral got the boot for getting to close, after intervention from the British Government, all in my opinion. The truth needs to come out and I wish him well next week in this insane libel case against him from the McScams, oops McCanns .

+15 #6 Lisa Edington 2014-01-05 17:43

If anyone is interested in the background information and official police files, please join us here https://www.facebook.com/groups/HiDeHoCONTROVERSYofMadeleineMcCann/

-7 #5 Nate Woodgate 2014-01-05 07:49

Apparently the entire cast has upped sticks and moved to Algarve expat forums:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzMhU_4m-g

Nothing like a trial by ignorance and gossip.

+7 #4 Pedro Marmelosh 2014-01-04 16:41

These damned Brits have stumbled on the 1890 British Ultimatum ... and are discussing whether the horrendous treatment of the McCanns over the years - the many spoof 'Find Maddie' websites, many thousands of pointless contributions to the search, unending offensive comment whenever the couple are mentioned in the worlds press - is somehow linked to this long ago historical event that so traumatised us Portuguese.
http://www.expatsportugal.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=14986
Well worth a read ...

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