I used to have some sympathy for the McCanns but that died when I came to realise that they failed to cooperate fully with the official investigation being conducted by the Portuguese and English police and decided to bring in a bunch of criminals masquerading as private investigators.
Apart from being shocked to the core by the ongoing assaults on Madeleine McCann's family and her parents, their friends and anyone associated with them ... I have no entrenched opinion on either Dr Kate McCann or Dr Gerry McCann, apart from concurring with the Portuguese Judge on their legal status.
I understand entirely their concerns regarding the conduct of the inquiry into Madeleine's disappearance and their mounting concerns which led to the employment of private investigators who at the least were looking for a living child.
I would not consider contributing to a fund set up to finance an appeal against what I consider to be a just verdict against a man who more than went out of his way to confirm his prejudices in the most unprofessional manner he had to hand and the illegality of which has been confirmed in court.
The people who are most affected by the rule of the law of the land are the citizens of Portugal and the information I would find to clarify their opinion on the matter is not forthcoming ... and that is how much is being contributed from Portugal to Mr Amaral's fund to finance his appeal, if it is allowed to proceed.