BREAKING NEWS: Portuguese judge orders ex-cop Goncalo Amaral to pay Kate and Gerry McCann 250k euros each in libel trial decision

Madeleine McCann's parents win $549,000 in Portuguese libel case against former detective

The McCanns have won 500,000 euros ($549,000) in a libel action against a former Portuguese detective who published a book alleging they were involved in their daughter's disappearance. The McCanns were seeking 1.2 million euros in damages from Goncalo Amaral, who was part of the police investigation into Madeleine's disappearance from a vacation home in Portugal's Algarve region in May 2007, days before her fourth birthday.

Associated Press
April 28, 2015 | 3:05 p.m. EDT
+ More

By BARRY HATTON, Associated Press

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — The parents of missing British girl Madeleine McCann have won 500,000 euros ($549,000) in a libel action against a former Portuguese detective who published a book alleging they were involved in their daughter's disappearance, according to a Lisbon court ruling published Tuesday.

The McCanns were seeking 1.2 million euros in damages from Goncalo Amaral, who was part of the police investigation into Madeleine's disappearance from a vacation home in Portugal's Algarve region in May 2007, days before her fourth birthday.

The claim included amounts for the parents as well as for Madeleine and her younger twin brother and sister.

The court decided to award 250,000 euros each to Kate and Gerry McCann, but didn't grant the other claims.

It said Kate and Gerry argued that they were "totally destroyed" and "depressed" by Amaral's allegations and felt "ashamed" that they might appear to have been to blame for their daughter's disappearance, as well as being "seen as cowardly people who allegedly hid her body, pretending she had been snatched."

They say their daughter was abducted while unattended in her family's resort apartment in Praia da Luz on Portugal's south coast as her parents and their friends dined nearby.

"More than financial compensation, what (Kate and Gerry McCann) want is public moral reparation," the court said.

The McCanns welcomed the ruling in a statement issued by the family spokesman, Clarence Mitchell.

"We are delighted with the judge's verdict today. We want to emphasise the action was never about money. It was entirely focused on the effect of the libels on our other children and the damage that was done to the search for Madeleine," they said.

"We would like to remind people that there is still an innocent little girl who is missing and that those responsible for her abduction remain at large," they added.

Amaral argued in his defense that his claims stemmed from the police investigation and that Portuguese media had already reported the possibility that the parents might have played a role in Madeleine's disappearance.

The 52-page ruling, handed down Monday, also prohibited the sale of Amaral's 2008 book "The Truth of the Lie."

Portuguese police closed the case in 2008 because authorities had detected no crime.

British police launched Operation Grange in 2011 to try to find out what happened to Madeleine. British detectives said that after sifting through the Portuguese case files they identified new avenues of investigation.

The public prosecutor's office in Lisbon reopened the investigation in 2013, saying new leads emerged during the case review though it didn't elaborate.

Last June, British police conducted searches of scrubland around where Madeleine went missing but announced no new evidence.

Cases that are under investigation in Portugal are covered by a judicial secrecy law, which forbids the release of information.

Madeleine's disappearance sparked global interest as pictures of her and her grieving parents were published around the world. Her parents briefly met with Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square in June 2007, a month after Madeleine disappeared, and the pontiff held a picture of their daughter.

A former Portuguese police officer who headed the investigation into the 2007 disappearance of British girl Madeleine McCann has been ordered to pay 500,000 euros (HK$4.25 million) to her parents in a libel case.

Kate and Gerry McCann sued Goncalo Amaral, the former head of the investigation, over his 2008 book called The Truth of the Lie in which he accused the couple of concealing the body of their daughter after she died accidentally.

Madeleine disappeared from her room on May 3, 2007, just days before her fourth birthday, in the small seaside resort of Praia da Luz in southern Portugal where she was on vacation with his family.

In a written verdict made public on Tuesday, the Lisbon court ordered Amaral to pay each parent “compensation of 250,000 euros.”

The court also ordered Amaral and his publishers to withdraw all copies of the book in circulation and prohibited any reissuing of the book. It also banned broadcasts of a documentary based on his allegations.

During the trial, the McCanns tried to show that Amaral’s book had hindered the search for their daughter and had asked for 1.2 million euros in compensation.

The couple said they were “delighted” with the verdict.

“We want to emphasise the action was never about money. It was entirely focused on the effect of the libels on our other children and the damage that was done to the search for Madeleine,” they said in a statement issued through the McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell.

Portuguese police closed their investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance in 2008 after 14 months but reopened the case five years later.

British police opened their own investigation in July 2013 and have since made several trips to Portugal. Excavations last summer revealed “no evidence” according Scotland Yard, but four people were indicted in July.

“A lot has changed in the six years since we launched the action and we are pleased that there is still an active investigation in both Portugal and the UK,” the McCanns added in their statement.

“We would like to remind people that there is still an innocent little girl who is missing and that those responsible for her abduction remain at large.”

Court considers "fair and adequate" compensation for McCanns

Gonçalo Amaral will have to pay for damage caused by the publication of "Maddie - The Truth of the Lie".

The Civil Court of Lisbon considered "appropriate and proportionate" compensation of 500,000 euros, the former PJ inspector Gonçalo Amaral will have to pay the couple McCann, for damages caused by the publication of "Maddie - The Truth of the Lie". The 1st Civil Chamber of the Central Instance of Lisbon decided to ban Gonçalo Amaral and the War and Peace publisher to sell that book, condemning them to the collection for delivery to the authors, within 60 days after the final judgment, of copies who still remain in bookstores, retail outlets, warehouses and stores, reads the sentence that agency Lusa had access. By decision of the court, Gonçalo Amaral and the publisher shall also be prohibited to come up with new editions of the book, as well as Carvalho Movies Valentine is prevented from doing new editions of the DVD "Maddie - The Truth of the Lie". Gonçalo Amaral, War and Peace Editors and Carvalho Movies Valentine are even forbidden to assign, reward or free of charge, in any form, copyright and editing of the book and DVD. Should it be disrespected what the court now stipulated, each of the defendants is liable to pay a penalty payment of 50,000 euros for each violation of the prohibitions.

Truthiness2 » Wed Apr 29, 2015 10:00 am

Carana wrote:
I'm not sure whether the fact that he breached (and caused others to breach) judicial secrecy will have been a factor in this ruling or whether that would be considered separately as a criminal case, if a prosecution is brought against him.

I'm also curious as to whether the judge accepted the evident argument that he (ab)used his position as the former coordinator to present his opinions as fact ("we experts...") and thus a substantialy greater impact on public opinion than the average village idiot. There's a point about positions of authority and aggravating factors (again to dig out), but in the penal code.

This was always the point, Carana, that his position, in Portugal, carried weight (pardon the pun) and therefore had a devastating effect on the search for Madeleine. It is the Portuguese that the McCanns need to come forward with information, but why would they when Amoral has told brainwashed them into believing that there is no child to look for?

He also turned it into a British (imperialists) vs (poor) Portugal battle.

His book, doc and endless reinforcing interviews on daytime TV, meant that Madeleine wasn't considered worthy to be looked for because a) she was dead, b) she was British, and c) she was the evil McCann's daughter.

His 'opinions' and book gave birth to the anti's via the likes of Morais and Bennett who used his book like a bible against the heathens. That damage is incalculable, and as a result of yesterday's decision the McCanns and their twins are probably more at risk of a nutter (encouraged by the antis) harming them than at any other time.

And I wonder when that vile man began writing that 'book'? Clearly inspired by how PCC's book about Joana, that gave the jailed one a new career, status and financial reward, did Amoral start writing it while he was supposed to be looking for Madeleine?

Certainly, a book that involved parental involvement and British interference would always be 'sexier' than one about an abducted child that the best policeman in Portugal failed to find.

It makes me sick to my stomach that Madeleine's fate was in the hands of this man (an arguido himself at the time) and all he could see was money making opportunities and a chance to follow in Cristavao's footsteps.

Re: Twitter (News and important information only please)
Post plebgate Yesterday at 9:27 pm

A tweeter just asked on twitter - since the libel case was NOT about the money, should the money be given towards the £10 million Met investigation?

Now I believe that is a very good question indeed

Post sallypelt Today at 11:23 am

Isabelle McFadden @QUEENdePORTUGAL
@Katycakes1 yes. Isabel Duarte didn't comment because judge is going to throw a book at her. Or maybe the bookcase #mccann

LIAR.  

If McFadden put down the crack pipe, she would know that Ms Duarte has, in fact 'commented' at considerable length. But hey, if they choose to believe lies from that troll, why should we care? It just makes it even funnier when the truth comes out.

Sonia Poulton @SoniaPoulton · 48m 48 minutes ago
I have been informed that as of an hour ago, #Amaral's lawyer still did not have notification. #McCann

AnneGuedes
‏@aacg
@SoniaPoulton @QUEENdePORTUGAL Normally press agencies look for informations, they don't passively regurgitate them.

Davina Bat ‏@davina_bat 5m5 minutes ago
@fiorifan I've got the book, in the original language. They can come and get it, and I'll slap the bitch and her pimp. Hate them both.

Jim Gamble @JimGamble_INEQE · 48 mins 48 minutes ago
@magsmags @BBCWorld lol. The shame is all his. Unprofessional & IMO inexcusable behaviour that damaged the search for a missing child.

Alfred R Jones

Re: Madeleine McCann's parents win libel damages in trial of police chief.
« Reply #225 on: Today at 11:37:13 AM »

Quote from: Faithlilly on Today at 11:34:11 AM
"“I informed them immediately by email and Kate wrote back to say they were absolutely delighted and so very happy."

You'd have thought they'd found Madeleine, wouldn't you ?

You sound so bitter Faithlilly. Have you finished washing through Smiffy's underwear yet?

tigerloaf » Wed Apr 29, 2015 6:14 am
Well, that was an interesting day! And having slept on the information from Portugal a couple of thoughts struck me.

We were told for years (literally years) by the so-called expert Portuguese commentators that the Portuguese system does not shell out large sums with regard to damages for libel. The expectation they were promoting was that, at best, the McCanns would receive a token payment.

In that case, either they were spectacularly wrong as they seem to have been about everything else, merely expressing a forlorn hope that their hero would not have to pay out any large sum or the judge concluded that his actions were so dammingly clear and disgraceful that she awarded exceptional damages for the libel that Amaral had written.

It really does not matter which. The fact is that the Judge has awarded £433,000 to the McCanns for the actions of this ex-policeman.

My second thought was that my brief venture into hate land last night revealed that nothing there changes. No matter how many facts emerge. No matter how many actual legal judgements emerge nothing changes. The haters will still hate. The haters of the McCanns have their set views which nothing changes. They have either gone into wild rant mode, gibbering furiously but incoherently; have gone into conspiracy mode suggesting that the Judge is a puppet of some mysterious group who are protecting these two unfortunate doctors for unspecified reasons; or have slipped away fearful for their own pockets like the English blogger who apparently soiled himself or the Portuguese blogger who now claims to not care but who was Amaral's biggest mouthpiece for years. They are so wedded now to the lies propounded in this book that they cannot ever admit they were so wrong for so long.

And reading round this morning, I see that someone on JATYK2 has mentioned that Amaral may now be in further trouble.

One of the key points the Judge made was that Amaral most definitely wrote his book while he was serving in the Policia Judiciara. It could not have been published three days after he left the force otherwise. It has been pointed out on that other forum that he may well face a criminal prosecution for these actions now. Using information from unreleased files, breaking judicial secrecy by releasing information to printers, publishers, editors in advance of the archival of the case etc. It is proven fact that he did these things and he should be punished for those actions.

Yesterday we saw that the mills of Portuguese civil justice grind exceedingly slowly but they do grind exceeding fine. Let's hope that the criminal courts in that country now do the same. It would indeed be fair retribution (as Longfellow might suggest) for Amaral now to be drawn through the courts for years to explain why he damaged the PJ so badly by his appalling breach of trust.

ps Has anyone seen the Hate leaders Hidehopeless or the Harlow halfwit yet?

pps A brief look at Bennett's site reveals that their investigative skills are as keen as ever.

Joss Today at 5:41 am
I haven't read through all the pages on the thread yet, but are any media outlets in Portugal reporting this?

pps I see the haters on Bennett's site are still clinging to the hope that Bonkers Birch will be their saviour.

ppps I note that Sonia Poulton is screeching like the proverbial banshee and has firmly fixed her colours to the rapidly sinking Amaral barge.

tigerloaf » Wed Apr 29, 2015 7:24 am

scoobydoo wrote:
From what I can gather poulton is claiming amaral using his position to make money by lying to convince people victims killed their daughter is just freedom of speech. However telling the police about online abuse is wrong and the person reporting should be hounded, and telling the truth, although leaving out the vilest stuff, about an online abuser is wrong.  

In that case it would serve the woman well were she to stop being so lazy. Idiotically repeating the mantra about freedom of speech without showing any understanding of the legal responsibilities implicit within the phrase merely highlights her lack of journalistic skill. Real investigative journalists know full well their legal responsibilities as well as their rights. Writers of fluff and talking heads are not real investigative journalists.

Poulton would help herself if instead of relying on the drivel from Hutton, Taylor, Bennett, Birch and others of their ilk, she researched the judgement laid down by Tugendhat in the Bennett case.

Douglas Hall @prophonics
#mccann Terrible news for Goncalo, lets hope a tragic accident befalls the McCanns and they die.

Teddy ‏@TeddyShepherd 3h3 hours ago
@AdirenM McCanns can never be exonerated, because nobody ticks ALL the boxes like #McCann ticks the boxes. No patsy possible. Guilty as sin.  

Jasmine ‏@alfibab3 3h3 hours ago
More blog spots and own opinions from anti's #McCann Why can't they see what's staring them in the face?  

Tricia Doolan What a disgusting and libellous heading.....that needs to be kept for mr Amaral ...

catkins» Wed Apr 29, 2015 1:38 pm Still weeping and wailing for a LIAR.....

Miss Vivien @vivienmiss
@fiorifan 2/2 As we're holidaying in PDL in July & would love to meet him.#mccann

Miss Vivien @vivienmiss
@fiorifan Donate several times be4 also,no need 4 thanks,i'm going 2 give it a couple of wks then ask him if we can meet in July #mccann

ann-kristine @fiorifan
@vivienmiss If you manage to arrange that can I send you some cash to give him? For himself, as a treat. A new hat or a meal.

ann-kristine @fiorifan
@vivienmiss I'm sure he'd thank you if he could. xxxx I'd like to treat him to something. Wish I knew how to. A meal, a new hat, anything .

What planet do these muppets live on?.........Like he'd meet up....never mind go for a meal with mad viv or the other troll..

28 April, 2015 - Statement from Gerry and Kate Regarding Libel Case

We want to emphasise that the action was never about money. It has always been focused on the effects of the libels on our other children and the damage that was done to the search for Madeleine.

A lot has changed in the last six years since we started the action and we are pleased that there is an active investigation in both Portugal and the UK.

We would like to remind people that there is still an innocent little girl who is missing and that those responsible for her abduction remain at large.

Gerry and Kate

Joseph O'Driscoll ‏@Josephodriscoll 3h3 hours ago
I think Amoral should get rid of his solicitors and have Gummy, Ros, Adiren, & the rest of the "experts in PMS law" on #mccann advise him..

Sarah Tate ‏@SarahTateAuthor 4h4 hours ago
@Josephodriscoll There is no 600K. You cannot take what isn't there and was never there. They won't get a penny. #mccann

Quote from: Montclair on Today at 05:55:35 PM
Gonçalo Amaral committed no offence, the McCanns just didn't like what he wrote.

There was no libel and the judge made clear that the book was factual. You see, someone can win damages even if the defendant has written or spoken the truth.

What broke the "stalemate" is the fact that it was accepted that on the one hand the McCanns suffered as a result of his accusations and that the McCanns have a right to the presumption of innocence. On the other hand, magistrates and police officers have a number of principles and rules to uphold. As a former PJ coordinator, he still had a duty to uphold them. Instead, he used his former position to bolster his credibility and income-generating potential as he merrily breached those principles/rules big time, insisting on his own interpretation based on only selected parts of the files, giving the impression that he was conveying the official conclusions of the entire investigation. Oh, and managed to cast aspersions on current magistrates and PJ officers while he was at it.

Blacksmith !
Post Lioned Today at 19:43

Clearly couldn't work out how to open the "Curtain on the truth" and shit himself !

xxxxxxhttp://blacksmithbureau.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/editor-john-blacksmith-regrets.html?m=1

Sorry to his loyal fans but hard to resist when the Maddie case biggest wum since Coldwater exposes himself !

Joana Morais @xklamation · 11h 11 hours ago
@Friar_Balsam It is a victory of sorts, banned book, banned documentary, remaining books and Dvd's likely to be destroyed as ID once said

http://www.gofundme.com/legal-defencepjga

Campaign Not Found
We're sorry, but the campaign URL you entered cannot be found.  

MrsWaspie ‏@MrsWaspie 3h3 hours ago
@w_nicht @Katycakes1 there was also a gofundme page set up today - was £826.00 in it when I last checked then this happened!!

Katycakes ‏@Katycakes1 3h3 hours ago
.@MrsWaspie @w_nicht that's the page I was watching. It was almost £1000 then pulled.
WHY ? #McCann

N.M ‏@AdirenM
Actually if I can raise the money PDL will sue Kate's book #McCann for libel, harassment, false accusation  

Inez Shoota! ‏@CaroleShooter 3h3 hours ago
Goncalo Amaral is averaging £100 ph in donations. #mccann

Jennifer ‏@jailbirdsrus 3h3 hours ago
@CaroleShooter and its great that it will all probably end up in the #McCann pockets.He'll have to declare it as income! thanks antis.

Sam Studley It says "campaign not found" on the Go Fund Me page?
17 mins · Like

Wendy Rowbottom Yep it does now , what is going on???
12 mins · Like

Leanne Jodie Drewitt Where's the page gone? It's saying not found?
3 mins · Like

Simone Donnelly bena nd leanne trying to sort it out xx

Ben Thompson Listen guys, seriously, the site is safe and secure, and with a fantastic reputation. It is them who deals with all transactions, card details etc, are perfectly secure, and are never divulged to us. The pros will have reported it, and it is just a case of verifying our cause.

Leanne Baulch
8 mins · Birmingham
Please be patient, I am currently sorting the minor technical issue with GoFundMe, it should be back up and running shortly. I apologise for the inconvenience.

Katycakes ‏@Katycakes1 4h4 hours ago
#McCann Where's defence fund gone ??? Whooshed ?!
http://www.gofundme.com/legal-defencepjga …

Jasmine ‏@alfibab3 4h4 hours ago
@Katycakes1 Butlers nicked it. LOL #mccann

Isabelle McFadden ‏@QUEENdePORTUGAL 3h3 hours ago
@SuppDoc @susanmcbrierty Just received 2 emails from them, they said Leanne needs to answer email she received. They will reinstate.#mccann

Rachel Debbage Just got an email from go fund me. The page has been reported, and found to be in violation of their terms and conditions so they are issuing a refund of the donations made. I replied and asked if that meant it was fraudulent? They say no, not fraudulent, just in violation of terms and conditions. Fishy indeed.  

Faithlilly on Today at 09:39:23 PM
it would seem the Truth of the Lie has gone the way of most banned books and downloads have increased due to the headlines generated by the lovely Isobel.

A rather phyrrhic victory I'd say.

David Buff Moore ® ‏@buffmoore 4m4 minutes ago
#mccann getting £350k payout absolute joke pair is the deserve to be burnt alive.

Lorraine Birks
What kind of wristbands would you go for . These work out about 50 p each

SafariSara ‏@SafariSara 3h3 hours ago
Congratulations are in order. Amaral is now associated with - hate/terrorist orgs or inflammatory & accusatory campaigns. Good job! #mccann

Post Silverspeed Today at 10:54 pm

http://portugalresident.com/gon%C3%A7alo-amaral-ordered-to-pay-parents-of-madeleine-mccann-%E2%82%AC500000-in-damages

The above article includes a quote from Goncalo "We are in the face of a mere battle in a war that is far from over."

The fat lady has not started singing just yet.

Leanne Baulch
37 mins · Birmingham
The page was reported for potentially violating their terms and conditions.
We have had to verify that this is not the case and we are now awaiting a response from the review team.
As we do not breach these t&c we fully expect this to be rectified.
We will update you accordingly.
ALL donations are safe. If they decide that this does go against T&C then all monies will be refunded by them and we continue using the original pay pal channel.  

There was another Court case that I forgot about.

After being found guilty in the Torture case, Goncalo tried to get the decision reversed.  He lost.

So at the very least he LOST the following cases against him:
1)  Perjury in the Torture case.  LOST
2)  An attempt to get the Perjury decision reversed ... LOST
3)  Lawsuit against his brother, (Amaral owed him mega bucks) ... LOST
4)  Case against Marcos Aragao Correia and Dores ....  LOST

Was there another?

I see that it seems my original list of cases that he LOST has been taken down.  Why?

Kindly do not remove this list.    Thank you
It is relevant, and could be part of the reason that the Judge awarded higher than expected damages.

Maybe she felt that she couldn't trust Amarals testimony?

The Rise and Fall of the Great Amaral

Chinagirl » Thu Apr 30, 2015 5:20 am

Strikes me that Amaral is the perfect example of hubris leading to the inevitable nemesis. He rode a wave of fame and fortune in Portugal and Europe for about a year from the publication of his book, but he has been steadily declining from the day the McCanns filed suit against him for libel, culminating in the spectacular judgment against him made public a day or two ago. He is now thoroughly disgraced and discredited in the eyes of all those who matter.

After being lauded in several Portuguese papers, and being invited for interviews on TV shows, how galling it must be him to realise that now his only support comes from totally inconsequential idiots like Bennett, Brown, Hall, a tiny handful of Portuguese private citizens, and a few conspiracy nutters and haters who infest Twitter and Facebook! One wonders if there's anyone left among his former employers, the PJ, who would give him the time of day, particularly after his more idiotic statements such as "We policemen, experts ...." It is hard to think of a more cringe-worthy pronouncement than the context in which that one was made ...., unless it be his speculation about the coffin in the church!

And I wonder if he has sufficient self-awareness to realise that all of this (the irreparable damage to his reputation and his bank balance) could have so easily been avoided, most of all by simply staying in the PJ until he retired naturally, where his incompetency would have been hidden. Every police force has less than brilliant detectives who plod along and never make their mark, but at least do no harm. However, he felt compelled to "restore his honour" by resigning and writing a book about his four or five months leading the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine. The real irony, to my mind, is that even then he could have written an honest assessment of that part of the investigation, even have included his personal opinion at that time of the possibility of parental involvement, but left his conclusions open-ended in light of the final assessment by the Portuguese AG. Had he written such an account, had he tempered his writing style, had he given prominence to the archiving summary, I don't think the McCanns would have had a case against him. But no - so sure was he of his beliefs despite the lack of corroborating evidence, and of his inviolability - hubris in other words - that his book has today led to nemesis.

Foolish, foolish man! And all brought on by his own actions - he is the sole architect of his disgrace!

tigerloaf » Thu Apr 30, 2015 7:26 am

I find myself in full agreement with you Chinagirl. Entirely the man's own fault no matter how loudly his fan club proclaim otherwise. I think the reaction of Joana Morais is interesting. Though I rarely agreed with her she was one of the more intelligent of the Amaral fan club. Her clear dissillusionment with the disgraced ex-cop and the current low-lifes who remain devoted to him speaks volumes.

I wonder when (or should that be if) Amaral will be invited on Querida Julia this week to explain his current 'situation'? I really don't want to miss that show.

Of course I will fully understand if the producers want nothing more to do with this sad man who has so spectacularly disgraced himself and the Policia Judiciara.

But how will such a refusal to invite him tally with the haters' proclamations that Amaral has been victorious. Any failure of Amaral to appear on TV would appear to render that claim worthless. We will soon see. Let me know the time of his next show somebody!

Sickos troll McCanns for £357k libel cash

MADELEINE McCann’s parents have been targeted by trolls after winning £357,000 damages.

By Jerry Lawton / Published 30th April 2015

Kate and Gerry were blasted on social networking sites over their six-year battle against ex-police chief Goncalo Amaral.

The Portuguese officer claimed they covered up their daughter’s death in a best-selling book.

But the trolls accused the couple of profiting from their daughter’s disappearance.

Last night the McCanns vowed to use “every single penny” of the pay-out to help find Madeleine, who vanished in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007.

A team of 31 Scotland Yard detectives is investigating.

But the McCanns’ spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: “The investigation will come to an end sooner or later and Kate and Gerry will use the official Madeleine fund and any awards made to them to continue their own search.’’

Their Portuguese lawyer Isabel Duarte said: “Damages my clients receive will be spent on the search for Madeleine.’’

Mr Mitchell added: “Kate and Gerry remain very grateful for the continuing support from the Government and the Metropolitan Police but realise it cannot last. In a common sense and practical move they have kept some money back from the Find Madeleine Fund in case it is needed.”

Last night a source close to the case said it was not certain Mr Amaral, 55, who plans to appeal, could pay the damages.

“Some people think he is a multi-millionaire because of this book but he is not,’’ the source said.

Karl Rotcepsni ‏@KRotcepsni 5 mins5 minutes ago
@ChickEll @dminnimouse @CafeMcCann @____DarkSun I'm told he hasn't paid any of his lawyers yet. #mccann

Leanne Baulch
2 hrs · Northfield
So I feel it's only right to explain what happened last night.
The GoFundMe was reported for violating their Terms and Conditions, so we spent four hours explaining why the fund does not. After explaining exactly what the fund was about, and provided the court documents, their manager lifted the suspension. I would just like to reassure everyone that the fund is completely safe and secure, all money goes directly to PJGA, although I set up the page, no money will go into my account, and it never will. From the outset it has been under the PJGA bank account, and it will not/can not be changed.
Despite the suspension, we have still managed to raise well over £1K in just a few hours. I would like to take a moment to thank each and every one of you.
Goncalo still needs to appeal, and we the public need to help fund that. He has expressed how he is eternally grateful for the support in the past, and I know he has been overwhelmed by the support over the past few days. I keep saying, it's not over, far from it, and the gloves are off this time.
The account is directly linked to the PJGA site, and permission was originally sought from Goncalo's friends before the account was set up.
If you have any questions, then please send me a personal message, or message Sofia de Landerset. We will be more than happy to answer any questions, honestly, and as fast as possible.
Thank you xxx

The churnalist 'Len Port', claims Amaral has said:

Amaral intends to appeal. He said today: “I find that the court’s decision is unfair and questions my right and every Portuguese citizen's right to freedom of expression and of opinion. For that reason, I do not resign myself to the decision and I will appeal it until the very last judicial instance.”

Unfair? Only a few weeks ago he was saying how much he trusted in Portuguese justice.

It will be interesting to see if he finds a lawyer.....

PS - are ALL of these ex-pat citizen churnalists pitchforkers? Are ALL of them incapable of putting fingers to keyboard without inserting their own views, seen through their hate goggles, into news stories?

They're bl**dy awful writers for sure - not even up to Daily Star standards.