Kate and Gerry McCann are to return to Portugal for the start of a libel trial

lnorton wrote:So, the mccanns will be attending amaral's trial. Will they be required to give evidence or are they there merely to sit in the courtroom and spook the poor guy. I would surely be spooked if they were in the same room as me.

Colonel Fabien wrote:

lnorton wrote:So, the mccanns will be attending amaral's trial. Will they be required to give evidence or are they there merely to sit in the courtroom and spook the poor guy. I would surely be spooked if they were in the same room as me.

I think Gonçalo Amaral is used to facing some pretty spooky criminals.

MaryB wrote:So presumably it will be in Portuguese. So how will the McCanns follow it I wonder. Don't think they are fluent speakers of Portuguese. Not fluent enough to hire a babysitter in any case.

Laffin Assasin wrote:

MaryB wrote:So presumably it will be in Portuguese. So how will the McCanns follow it I wonder. Don't think they are fluent speakers of Portuguese. Not fluent enough to hire a babysitter in any case.

Didn't they claim they were going to learn a word a day, of Portuguse ??

Lilemor wrote:http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Madeleine-Kate-And-Gerry-McCann-Return-To-Portugal-For-Libel-Trial-Of-Man-Who-Led-Investigation/Article/201001215518652?lpos=World_News_First_Home_Article_Teaser_Region_6&lid=ARTICLE_15518652_Madeleine%3A_Kate_And_Gerry_McCann_Return_To_Portugal_For_Libel_Trial_Of_Man_Who_Led_Investigation

McCanns Return To Portugal For Libel Case

11:05am UK, Monday January 11, 2010

Neal Walker, Sky News Online
Kate and Gerry McCann will return to Portugal later for the libel trial of the former policeman who led the investigation into their daughter's disappearance.

The McCanns say any damages they are awarded will fund private investigatorsThe couple launched legal action against former Portuguese detective Goncalo Amaral after he published a book questioning their account of what happened to Madeleine.

Mr and Mrs McCann, from Rothley, Leicestershire, will fly to Lisbon today ahead of the three-day trial, which is due to start at the main civil court in the Portuguese capital tomorrow.

The couple plan to attend all the hearings, but do not intend to go back to the Algarve resort where Madeleine vanished more than two-and-a-half years ago.

Family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "I can confirm that Kate and Gerry McCann will be returning to Portugal on Monday to attend the resumption of the Amaral trial on Tuesday.

"The details of their travel plans and itinerary will remain private at their request."


Madeleine was nearly four years old when she went missing from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on May 3, 2007, while her parents dined with friends nearby.

Four months after her disappearance, Mr and Mrs McCann were made 'arguidos', or formal suspects, but this was lifted when the investigation was shelved in July 2008.

Mr Amaral led the investigation in the first six months following Madeleine's disappearance.

But he was taken off the case in October 2007 after criticising the British police in a newspaper interview.


In his book Maddie: The Truth Of The Lie, which was published in July 2008, Mr Amaral claimed that Madeleine was dead, and questioned the McCanns' account that she was abducted.

A Portuguese judge granted an injunction in September last year banning further sale or publication of the book.

The former policeman was also prohibited from repeating his claims about Madeleine or her parents.

The McCanns travelled to Lisbon for the opening of the libel trial in December, but the hearing was adjourned until this week after Mr Amaral's lawyer failed to turn up for health reasons.

The couple have previously said any money awarded in damages by the courts would go towards paying for private investigators to look for their daughter.

:: Sky News Online will be covering the libel case with line-by-line live updates from inside the courtroom in Portugal.

Eve wrote:

I wonder if we will ever know the truth of what happen

Beattie wrote:

Eve wrote:

I wonder if we will ever know the truth of what happen

The short answer is NO, unless Madeleine"s body is found.

Lilemor wrote:Since the McCanns are directors of the fund they can do whatever they want with the donated money ("to find Madeleine"...)

That is a fact.



But they did NOT inform the donators about that I assume.
Which seems to be LEGAL...