'Cristovao goes on trial'

Ex Madeleine McCann cop who wrote controversial book claiming toddler's body was dumped at sea goes on trial over violent robberies.

Paulo Pereira Cristovao made headlines after writing a book calling for the McCanns to be arrested and claiming the toddler was dead

A FORMER Portuguese cop who claimed Madeleine McCann is dead and her body had been dumped at sea has gone on trial over a string of violent robberies allegedly carried out by criminals posing as police officers.

Paulo Pereira Cristovao, a pal of disgraced ex PJ detective Goncalo Amaral, was accused by a co-defendant of helping to mastermind two of the home raids on the opening day of the trial yesterday.

Nuno Vieira Mendes said he and Pereira Cristovao waited outside both properties while alleged accomplices with false search warrants went in posing as police officers and stole thousands of pounds.

The ex-cop made headlines after writing a book calling for the McCanns to be arrested and claiming the toddler was dead and her body had been dumped at sea.

Pereira Cristovao, who left the PJ after a torture trial Amaral was also implicated in, was arrested two years ago and accused of marking out wealthy victims for accomplices who tricked their way into homes in police uniform.

Eighteen suspects are now on trial for a string of crimes including membership of a criminal gang, robbery, kidnap, possession of a prohibited weapon and abuse of power, include three police officers and a drugs trafficker.

The 48-year-old has been a constant critic of Kate and Gerry McCann and called for them to be arrested for leaving their children alone in their Algarve holiday apartment after Madeleine vanished in May 3 2007.

He claimed in a 2008 book called The Star of Madeleine that the toddler was dead and her body had been dumped at sea.

His novel - based on the real police investigation which he claimed was hampered by interference from British authorities - ended with two fictional officers gazing out at the Atlantic Ocean following a huge land search.

He mysteriously claimed two of the McCanns’ holiday pals - the so-called Tapas Seven - were “fundamental” to discovering the truth about Madeleine.

The couple’s spokesman Clarence Mitchell called his comments "hurtful and distressing" and accused him of trying to profit from the McCanns’ misfortune.

The ex-cop admitted at the novel’s launch in Portugal: “I am sure Madeleine’s parents will not like the book.”

In a thinly-veiled criticism of Britain’s political involvement in the case, he added: “In their shoes, I’d behave in exactly the same way as they did during the investigation.

“I would defend myself with all the weapons I could use. The difference is that some have more weapons than others.”

Pereira Cristovao wrote his book ahead of his 2009 trial for torturing the mum and uncle of a missing girl into making a false confession while he was still a PJ inspector.

He went on to head Portugal’s association for missing children after being acquitted.

Pal Goncalo Amaral, who recently overturned a libel damages ruling over his best-selling book The Truth of The Lie which the McCanns are appealing, was found guilty of falsifying evidence in the same case.

Joana Cipriano vanished aged eight from Figueira, seven miles from Praia da Luz where Madeleine was staying, in September 2004.

Her mum Leonor and uncle Joao were sentenced to 16 years for murdering her despite their claims they had been tortured into falsely admitting blame.

Judges ruled Leonor had been injured at the PJ station in Faro - where Portuguese police are now helping Scotland Yard detectives probing Madeleine’s disappearance - but could not say how she sustained her wounds.

Pereira Cristovao’s lawyer said after his arrest over the home raids in March 2015 that client confidentiality prevented him from speaking out against many of the “false claims made against him.”

He declined to give evidence at the opening of the high-profile trial yesterday/on Wednesday which is scheduled to resume on June 22.

Last week Pereira Cristovao received a suspended four-and-a-half year prison sentence after being convicted of crimes including embezzlement while he was the vice-president of leading Portuguese football club Sporting.

Maddie cop on trial over violent robberies in Portugal
A FORMER Portuguese cop who angered Madeleine McCann's parents with a controversial book, has gone on trial over a string of violent robberies allegedly perpetrated by criminals posing as police officers.

Paulo Pereira Cristovao, a pal of disgraced ex PJ detective Goncalo Amaral, was accused by a co-defendant of helping to mastermind two of the home raids on the opening day of the trial on Wednesday.

Nuno Vieira Mendes said he and Pereira Cristovao waited outside both properties while alleged accomplices with false search warrants went in posing as police officers and stole thousands of pounds.

He also told a court in Lisbon trying 18 people including the ex police officer that he tried to get him involved in a third operation on the Algarve he described as a "debt collection".

Pereira Cristovao, who left the PJ after a torture trial Amaral was also implicated in, was arrested two years ago and accused of marking out wealthy victims for accomplices who tricked their way into homes in police uniform.

The 18 suspects, on trial for a string of crimes including membership of a criminal gang, robbery, kidnap, possession of a prohibited weapon and abuse of power, include three police officers and a drugs trafficker.

Pereira Cristovao, 48, has been a constant critic of Kate and Gerry McCann and called for them to be arrested for leaving their children alone in their Algarve holiday apartment after Madeleine vanished in May 3 2007.

He claimed in a 2008 book called The Star of Madeleine that the toddler was dead and her body had been dumped at sea.

He mysteriously claimed two of the McCanns' holiday pals - the so-called Tapas Seven - were "fundamental" to discovering the truth about Madeleine.

The couple's spokesman Clarence Mitchell called his comments "hurtful and distressing" and accused him of trying to profit from the McCanns' misfortune.

Pal Goncalo Amaral, who recently overturned a libel damages ruling over his best-selling book The Truth of The Lie which the McCanns are appealing, was found guilty of falsifying evidence in the same case.

Pereira Cristóvão was the mentor of the assaults.

Accusations of Mustafa in court.

the leader of the Cheerleader of Sporting, Nuno Vieira Mendes, known as 'Mustafa', pointed out this Wednesday in court that the former Inspector of Judicial Police Paulo Pereira Cristóvão as the mastermind of attacks on two residences in Cascais and Lisbon.

Pereira Cristóvão, also former vice president of Sporting, 'Mustapha' and 16 other defendants began today to be tried in Lisbon for criminal association, theft, kidnapping, prohibited weapon possession, abuse of power and document forgery in a case related violent burglaries in the Lisbon area and the south of the Tagus river.

Before the collective of judges, "Mustafa" said it was Paulo Pereira Cristóvão who contacted him to ask him to "talk to some people" to collect a debt, and reported to the court the assault carried to the house of a businessman in Cascais, the February 27, 2014, which would, according to the former head of Sporting, one million euros.

The assault have yielded only 80,000 euros: half went to Pereira Cristóvão; 'Mustapha' and his stepbrother were 10,000 euros each, while the other four defendants, two agents of the Public Security Police, receive 20,000 euros.

The second assault occurred less than two months later, a residence in Lisbon, a person connected to a bank, which would have between three and four million euros on the floor, according to information provided by Pereira Cristóvão to mustafa .

However, the defendants eventually find no money in this residence. Accused says he is sorry 'Mustafa' reported that in both situations, he an his half-brother and Pereira Cristóvão waited in a car while the other four defendants, armed with fake search warrants and posing as policemen, rose to homes and materialized the assaults. .

"I am completely sorry I never thought that it turns out to be what is known" said 'Mustafa', adding that Pereira Cristovao, after the failure of the assault on the residence of Lisbon - which also exacerbated the unease felt within the group - even tried to speak of a third case of debt collection in the Algarve.

"But I would not hear. I never spoke to him, pulled away completely and left out of this [assaults] situation, it was not for me," said the association leader, although he admitted that he was "owed" towards the former vice president of Sporting, who always helped him while he held this position.

Next, it was questioned Mario Hugo, known as Victor Hugo, contacted by the half-brother of 'Mustafa' to "get" the performers, who took the "architecture" of the plan for the actions of the defendants who entered the homes, which were chosen by him.

"As I saw on television that there were people strolling by employees of finance to go to people's homes, I thought to get dressed in the police and make a search false," said the accused, noting that were never used weapons or violence, only " theater "that had to be done in a police search.

Victor Hugo said he was "upset" by the assaults did not result in getting the money indicated by Pereira Cristóvão, since "no one works tassel", but admitted he was sorry. The defendant, who has served 10 years in prison for robbery and other crimes, also confessed to involvement in three assault cases - on their own - in Lisbon and in the southern bank of the Tagus, two of which included the participation of two policemen . The next session was scheduled for June 22.

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Oh dear, the word disgraced has popped up again for Goncalo Amaral too.

I am probably having a senior moment but I don't recall the book written by Paolo Cristovao.