Portugal Court Overturns Libel Conviction of Former Portuguese Detective in Connection to Madeleine McCann Case

A Portugal appeals court has overturned the libel conviction of an ex-Portuguese detective who published a book alleging the parents of missing girl Madeleine McCann were involved in their daughter's disappearance. 

A court of appeals in Portugal upheld the appeal of Gonçalo Amaral, an ex- police chief who worked on the disappearance case of Madeleine McCann. The British girl went missing in Algarve, Portugal in 2007, the Guardian reported. Her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, sued Amaral over his book, published in 2008, titled, "The Truth of the Lie."

Amaral was ordered by the court judge to pay Kate and Gerry McCann £395,000 in damages April last year. The British couple has sought €1.2m as compensation in the case, stating they were "totally destroyed, depressed and felt ashamed" over Amaral's claims. It was allegedly suggested from the book that they were to be blamed for the girl's disappearance.

According to Telegraph, Amaral accuses the parents of staging their daughter's kidnapping, claiming in truth that the girl died during their holiday vacation on their Algarve apartment. A judge in Lisbon also ordered Amaral to pay interest for exceeding the freedom of speech limits.

The couple's representing Portuguese lawyer, Isabel Duarte, confirmed the ruling, saying they were disappointed; however, she said she was not surprised. Duarte added that Kate and Gerry McCann told her to file an appeal.

The Lisbon lawyer explained that the said decision was unanimous and the initial decision has been revoked by the Portugal appeals court, Daily Mail reported. "This decision was an appreciation of the law and not the facts. The court is basically saying he had the right to express his opinions," Duarte said. Because of the appeal decision in Amaral's favor, the book will be available again for sale in store.

The McCanns never received the compensation money from the initial ruling. Madeleine McCann's disappearance case was opened in 2008, wherein no crime was detected. British authorities are still investigating the case.

Tags

Goncalo Amaral, Madeleine McCann's Disappearance, Kate and Gerry McCann, Libel Conviction, Overturned, Portugal

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