Gonçalo Amaral confirms he will appeal the damages decision to higher Court.

[stephen25000]

It seems some people, who used their real names on the GoFundMe page when making a donation, have been doorstepped by journalists.

So some more of the martin bunt kind of journalism then.

[G-Unit]

The information in the public domain,  didn't accuse the McCann's,  there was no evidence at all,  apart from the 100% DNA headline that came from Portugal,   where did that come from I wonder.

Not from the PJ I imagine;

After exhausting all leads suggesting Madeleine was abducted, police are now working on the theory she suffered an accident or was killed inside the flat.
They have confirmed that the parents are not suspects. Two specialist British sniffer dogs, one with the ability to find small traces of blood and the other a "victim" dog who can detect human remains, were brought in a fortnight ago.
 Alípio Ribeiro, national director of the PJ, said that detectives were "far from throwing light on the case".
He added: "Despite the fact that new elements have appeared in the investigation we still do not know where they will lead us."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1560443/Madeleine-sniffer-dogs-detect-scent-of-body.html

[Carana]

It does mention secrecy. What other kind of secrecy apart from the judicial kind do you think they were referring to?

My understanding is that there are two issues associated with this concept of judicial secrecy:

One is whether a former PJ officer has the right to comment on a case that they were involved in, particularly an unresolved one, once retired. Associated with that is the right to the presumption of innocence: much of the legal mumbo-jumbo concerns the right to a fair trial once charged. However, although they never were charged, his assertions accuse them of various criminal acts - with no proof.

The other is sharing contents of the files with his publishers before the files were made available to the media. It may be considered to be a minor breach, but one nonetheless. And I can't find any specific mention of this in the appeal ruling.

[Lace]

Not from the PJ I imagine;

After exhausting all leads suggesting Madeleine was abducted, police are now working on the theory she suffered an accident or was killed inside the flat.
They have confirmed that the parents are not suspects. Two specialist British sniffer dogs, one with the ability to find small traces of blood and the other a "victim" dog who can detect human remains, were brought in a fortnight ago.
 Alípio Ribeiro, national director of the PJ, said that detectives were "far from throwing light on the case".
He added: "Despite the fact that new elements have appeared in the investigation we still do not know where they will lead us."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1560443/Madeleine-sniffer-dogs-detect-scent-of-body.html

quote -  They have confirmed the parents are not suspects  unquote    Until Amaral misunderstands the DNA and devises his theory based on it.

[G-Unit]

quote -  They have confirmed the parents are not suspects  unquote    Until Amaral misunderstands the DNA and devises his theory based on it.

It's common for police to say people aren't suspects when they are. It's called lulling them into a false sense of security. I would imagine that's even more important when dealing with people from another country who can clear off whenever they wish.

Did the calling in of the dogs create suspicion or did suspicion lead to the dogs being used? I rather think the second option, which suggests they confirmed investigator's suspicions, they didn't create them.

[Lace]

It's common for police to say people aren't suspects when they are. It's called lulling them into a false sense of security. I would imagine that's even more important when dealing with people from another country who can clear off whenever they wish.

Did the calling in of the dogs create suspicion or did suspicion lead to the dogs being used? I rather think the second option, which suggests they confirmed investigator's suspicions, they didn't create them.

I think the dogs created suspicion,  that Amaral didn't understand the forensic report and went on to establish his theory based on what he thought was correct.

[pegasus]

It's common for police to say people aren't suspects when they are.... (snip)

Yes here is an example from a case in South London before it was solved
"Scotland Yard ... confirmed X was being quizzed as a witness not a suspect"

And from a Cambs case before it was solved.
"The officer explained to Y that he was not a suspect"

In both those cases, the "not a suspect" person has since won unlimited free all-season holiday accommodation.

[Miss Taken Identity]

Yes here is an example from a case in South London before it was solved
"Scotland Yard ... confirmed X was being quizzed as a witness not a suspect"

And from a Cambs case before it was solved.
"The officer explained to Y that he was not a suspect"

In both those cases, the "not a suspect" person has since won unlimited free all-season holiday accommodation.

Sometimes this is masked by ' They are helping us with our enquiries'


There seems to be some sort of angst about judicial secrecy regarding Amaral.

Both sides were leaking  stories-The McCANNS were the first by involving the media immediately,traipsing all over the town interfering with possible witnesses,trying for headline grabbing news  and what they got was Sardine munchers etc...
The McCANNS also broke the law by employing an illegal PI company or three to 'investigate'.

The fact about Amaral revealing information too early is laughable really, and had NOTHING to do with hurting the family with all sorts of suffering cause by this book. Which is what the initial claim was about- they stuck that wee bit on after a failed attempt to sue him at first.

So that is more about a criminal act and not under civil law I would guess. So If you feel so enraged, and some really do, then perhaps you should bring this to the attention of the police or CPS equivalent.

 But ,anyway the supreme court are aware and have mentioned it, and didn't see fit to have him arrested and have his finger nails removed for his evilness.

[Carana]

We have a thread about private investigators in PT somewhere.

I have never found anything in the legal code that stipulates that they are illegal. There are loads of PT-based ones advertising as any 2-second google search will show.

What would be illegal is using illegal means to obtain information / violating privacy and / or obstructing the course of justice.

[G-Unit]

We have a thread about private investigators in PT somewhere.

I have never found anything in the legal code that stipulates that they are illegal. There are loads of PT-based ones advertising as any 2-second google search will show.

What would be illegal is using illegal means to obtain information / violating privacy and / or obstructing the course of justice.

I think'obstructing the course of justice' was the problem. Interfering with a live criminal investigation would come under that heading.