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Kate and Gerry McCann could be forced to endure hearing repeated
allegations of their involvement in their daughter’s disappearance in
courts across Europe for years to come, it emerged.
Speaking on the third day of a libel hearing outside the main civil
court in Lisbon, the detective who led the initial investigation into
the missing girl said he would take his battle “all the way to the
European Court of Human Rights.”
Goncalo Amaral is
fighting to lift an injunction banning a book in which accuses the
McCanns of concealing Madeleine’s body and faking her abduction after
their daughter accidentally died after being left unattended.
The former detective, who led the initial investigation into the
three-year-old’s disappearance from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz
on May 3, 2007, called a series of top Portuguese law enforcement
officials as witnesses to support his theory.
Mrs McCann, 41, admitted that listening to the claims presented in court
had been difficult but incomparable to the pain of losing their child.
“It’s not easy,” she said during a break in proceedings. “But it’s never
going to be as bad as what we’ve been through already.”
But she expressed no regret in bringing the libel action even though it
had provided their detractor with a public platform on which to air his
suspicions.
“I’m pleased we took this action,” said Mrs McCann. “It’s been shown
again that there is no evidence that Madeleine came to any harm and no
evidence that we’re involved.
“The bottom line is that Mr Amaral’s book is based on opinion but not on
fact and as it’s a child’s life we need facts and evidence.”
Only minutes before her statement, Mr Amaral said that whatever the
outcome of the hearing he would fight to get his book, “Maddie: The
Truth Of The Lie” back on the shelves.
The ex-policeman's lawyers argue that the material in his book is
contained in the official Portuguese police files for the investigation,
many of which were made public in August 2008.
The police case was archived and the McCanns, both doctors from Rothley,
Leics, were removed as suspects in their daughter’s disappearance after
police failed to provide any evidence.
“No matter what happens I will go wherever I need to guarantee freedom
of speech of the Portuguese people,” the former Algarve detective said
outside court. “I believe that this injunction goes against the
Portuguese constitution.”
He said if the judge ruled in the McCanns’ favour he would appeal within
Portugal and even take the battle to Strasburg.
“If I need to I will go all the way to the European court of human
rights.”
The McCanns lawyer, Isabel Duarte, admitted that the process could
continue for years to come and likened it to a “Pandora’s box”.
“I am most confident we will win” she said. “I’m just sorry that my
clients have to be submitted to this pain and distress but we knew a
Pandora’s box was opening so we have to expect these things - we have to
face the enemy.”
The hearing, which is one step in a lengthly legal battle in which the
McCanns are seeking libel damages worth at least 1 million euros, has
been adjourned until February 10. |
