This thread has been started in order to give everyone an opportunity to discuss and digest the reports originating from the libel trial.
Kate McCann arriving at court in Lisbon accompanied by Susan Hubbard (R) and Emma Loach (L).
Kate McCann weeped today as a friend told a Portuguese court that the family were 'devastated' by unfounded claims in a former police chief's book. Mrs McCann was attending the court at the restart of the family's libel action against Goncalo Amaral.
- The former police chief published a book alleging she staged her daughter Madeleine's disappearance, despite lack of evidence.
- The McCanns were arrested and formally cleared by Portuguese police.
- Three-year-old Madeleine went missing from a resort in the Algarve in 2007
A friend of missing Madeleine McCann's family today told a £1million libel trial in Portugal that the girl's parents were 'devastated' by claims made in a book by the former police chief who
accused her of staging her daughter's disappearance, despite a lack of evidence.
Kate McCann arrived in the country today, accompanied by her mother Susan Healy for the first hearing of the case against Goncalo Amaral, who published a book making allegations about the three-year-old's disappearance.
The McCanns have strongly denied the accusations in the book, titled 'Maddie: The Truth of The Lie', which allege that Madeleine died in the holiday apartment and her parents staged a cover-up.
They have been ruled out as suspects in Madeleine's disappearance after being arrested and formally cleared by Portuguese police.
The couple say the former detective's claims have damaged the hunt for their daughter and exacerbated the anguish suffered by her relatives.
Today, Susan Hubbard, a friend of the McCanns and the wife of the family's priest, told Lisbon's civil court that Mrs McCann had been 'devastated' by the book.
Mrs McCann, who has travelled to Portugal for the hearing, could have been called as a witness but is not expected to give evidence. Instead, a number of relatives are appearing in the witness box.
They will give evidence relating to the 'damage' caused by Mr Amaral's book, which they claim has poisoned public opinion in Portugal against the family and allegedly deterred people from hunting for Madeleine.
Read more... 2013