The Trial

I have heard that the trial has been postponed. Don't know why or any details but a new date should be known in the next few days.

Keela wrote:I have heard that the trial has been postponed. Don't know why or any details but a new date should be known in the next few days.

Thanks Keela. Keep us updated please.

This was mentioned somewhat obliquely the other day by virtue of an out of context blog extract.

Didn't get clarified fully at the time, but no doubt details will emerge soon.

A team of British crime specialists who have scrutinised the Madeleine McCann case claim there are inconsistencies in her parents' version of events.

The retired experts believe there is a question mark over Kate's response when she discovered the four-year-old was missing.

Forensic scientist Professor David Barclay, part of the four-man team who reviewed the case for Channel Four's Dispatches show, said: "We examined all of the available evidence and the conclusion we came to was that there appeared to be some significant inconsistencies.

"One thing we looked for was any sign of 'staging', the term we use for the actions of someone who has committed a crime and wants to 'stage it' to appear someone else has done it.

"The first words apparently spoken by Kate McCann when she discovered Madeleine had vanished were significant. She is supposed to have said 'They've taken her, they've taken her' - which seems a strange choice of phrase.

"I don't think that would have been my first reaction if my child had gone missing."

Prof Barclay also questioned the McCanns' claims that an abductor got into their Praia da Luz holiday flat through the back shutters.

He said: "We checked the scene of the crime and it struck us immediately how unlikely it would be for anyone to try and access the apartment through the back windows. The shutters there were firmly shut and couldn't be opened and the car park behind the flat was overlooked.

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"We're not saying it was impossible to have gained entry that way, but with all of our collected years of experience to us it seemed highly unlikely and a very implausible scenario.

"It could be that claim is consistent with staging, but without full knowledge of all of the facts in the case it would be impossible to say for sure."

Prof Barclay visited the crime scene along with ex-Detective Chief Superintendent Chris Stevenson, the man who caught Soham killer Ian Huntley and psychological profiler David Canter.

The will seen on tonight's show visiting key sites and seeing footage of the police in action.

Prof Barclay, 62, added: "There has been a tendency to criticise the Portuguese police but on the whole they did a pretty good job.

"However, they made two big mistakes. Firstly, they did not seal of the crime scene anywhere nearly quick enough. Secondly, in my opinion they were not aggressive enough with the McCanns in the first stage of the investigation.

"It is actually for the parents' benefit in cases like this that the police tackle them robustly and demand a comprehensive account of their movements during the relevant timeframe."

Old mirror story doing the rounds on twitter.

About the trial, it was said from good sources on the other forum it's postponed because Amaral has a new lawyer . Because now he is living in Lisbonne and the former lawyer was too far, it was not convenient for the meetings.

frencheuropean wrote:About the trial, it was said from good sources on the other forum it's postponed because Amaral has a new lawyer . Because now he is living in Lisbonne and the former lawyer was too far, it was not convenient for the meetings.

WTF so a trial in PT can get postponed because a lawyer lives too far away ????
No wonder the Macs think they can win, I dont want to upset any PT posters but I am losing faith in your country.

duncanmac wrote:

frencheuropean wrote:About the trial, it was said from good sources on the other forum it's postponed because Amaral has a new lawyer . Because now he is living in Lisbonne and the former lawyer was too far, it was not convenient for the meetings.

WTF so a trial in PT can get postponed because a lawyer lives too far away ????
No wonder the Macs think they can win, I dont want to upset any PT posters but I am losing faith in your country.

Seems reasonable to me. If a lawyer is 300 km away, that presents quite considerable difficulty. I'm sure that not everything can be done by email, Skype or on the phone. There will be documents to go over in fine detail, which have to be signed and discussions that are best undertaken face to face. I have great faith in a country that will allow a man some time to properly instruct a new legal representative.

duncanmac wrote:

frencheuropean wrote:About the trial, it was said from good sources on the other forum it's postponed because Amaral has a new lawyer . Because now he is living in Lisbonne and the former lawyer was too far, it was not convenient for the meetings.

WTF so a trial in PT can get postponed because a lawyer lives too far away ????
No wonder the Macs think they can win, I dont want to upset any PT posters but I am losing faith in your country.

Oh, believe me, it takes a lot more than that to upset us.

It's perfectly normal, usual and acceptable to take logistics and changed circumstances into account in the UK, so there's no reason why it shouldn't be similar in Portugal.

And this is a Civil Case, not a Criminal Case, so is lower down the "Public Interest" scale.

this may be a dumb question, but here goes....
could the ongoing SY investigation/review be
a factor in any possible court delay?
Maybe there has been an arrangement between
the two sovereign governments and their police
forces to amalgamate inteligence, resources and
commitment in the persuit of justice and political
harmony.
Lets face it, it would do more than hamper things
if a trial was going on whilst an investigation was
being held.
Any thoughts?

It's feasible, I suppose - nothing should be allowed to prejudice a Criminal Investigation that could lead to those responsible (irresponsible?) for Madeleine's disappearance being brought to JUstice.

Perhaps the mccanns are waiting for the met to corroborate the abduction theory so that the libel case can be full proof.

I have just read on another forum that Martin Blunts sky blog says the trial is to be in April. Sorry I cannot give you a link, maybe someone knows how to get to the blog?

Who postponed it....mr amaral or the mccanns...I hope it wasn't the mccanns beause if it is, it means the mccanns are awaiting the outcome off the mets review and I don't like it at all.

kitti wrote:Who postponed it....mr amaral or the mccanns...I hope it wasn't the mccanns beause if it is, it means the mccanns are awaiting the outcome off the mets review and I don't like it at all.

Maybe Amaral is waiting to see how Pat Brown gets on in Praia da Luz.

kitti wrote:Who postponed it....mr amaral or the mccanns...I hope it wasn't the mccanns beause if it is, it means the mccanns are awaiting the outcome off the mets review and I don't like it at all.

Hi Kitti, it said it was Snr.GA so his new lawyer could read up.
I don't want to spread an untruth, it is just what I read was said on Martin Brunts sky blog. Has anyone a way of getting onto it?

Oh dear - I think Pat Brown has already booked her flight.

On Jill haverns blog it says it postponed.0

Oldartform wrote:Oh dear - I think Pat Brown has already booked her flight.

And I had already booked mine too

I've just looked on Jill Havern's forum and while there is no concrete evidence that the case has been postponed, someone suggests it clashes with Dr Amaral's libel case against the Portuguese lawyer Marco Correia de Oliveira. Someone else has suggested that Dr Amaral could have postponed the case, so his new lawyer could get to speed with the case.

I wouldn't have thought Dr Amaral would have been able to postpone the case, I would have thought he would have requested the case be postponed and then it would be up to someone within the court to grant or deny his request. I'm only guessing though, I'm not well up on UK law, let alone Portuguese law.

I've looked on Joana Morais's forum and there is no information regarding the libel case. Joana hasn't updated the posts on her forum since the 16th of January. Which isn't unusual, she quite often doesn't update the posts daily.

I've just had a look on the Sky News website and there is nothing on there to suggest the case has been postponed. I have also put the title of the case in the Google search box and the only information that comes up, is whatever is being talked about on Twitter.

Maybe it's just a rumour, started by one of the McCanns fans.

It has been postponed.

Bobsy wrote:I have just read on another forum that Martin Blunts sky blog says the trial is to be in April. Sorry I cannot give you a link, maybe someone knows how to get to the blog?

http://blogs.news.sky.com/lifeofcrime/Post:027e6ec3-2db5-4452-8b0c-5717ea25e8c9

One of the comments was: "Recon to take place in April."
But the message has gone now!

Claudia79 wrote:It has been postponed.

Until there is proof that the case has been postponed, I'm going along the lines that it is a rumour, started by a McCann fan. If there is a regular poster on here, who is a Portuguese citizen, maybe they can provide proof that the case has been postponed. I'm sure the information will be in one of the Portuguese newspapers, if the case has been postponed.