News and current affairs from the Portuguese Algarve.

[John]

Two people “made defendants” in death of burglar in Britons’ villa



BY CARRIE-MARIE BRATLEY
24 September 2015

Preliminary autopsy results have indicated that a burglar who died during a foiled robbery attempt at a villa belonging to a British family in Vilamoura, died due to asphyxia. The Attorney General’s Office said two people have been made defendants in the ongoing investigation.



News of the preliminary autopsy results pointing towards asphyxia was confirmed by a PJ police source on Wednesday.
The Oxford Dictionary of English defines the term ‘asphyxia’ as a “condition arising when the body is deprived of oxygen, causing unconsciousness or death.”

Police are awaiting the results of a formal autopsy report and, as with any case involving a ‘violent’ death, are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the burglar’s death.
It will then be up to the Public Prosecutor’s Office to decide whether or not to press charges.
Also on Wednesday a statement sent to The Portugal News from the Attorney General’s Office, under which the Public Prosecution Service operates, confirmed two people have been made defendants in the ongoing investigation, but did not specify whom.
In its statement the Public Prosecution Service said it has “opened an Inquiry, in the scope of which two people have acquired the status of defendant.

“These two people have further been imposed the restraining measure of ‘Statement of Identity and Residence’ (Termo de identidade e residência).”

It explained that “the Portuguese legal system provides for the opening of a criminal inquiry whenever an act likely to correspond to a criminal offence is reported. Any subsequent steps in view of the determination of the truth and of the identification of the offenders are taken within the said inquiry.”

Known offender and convict Paulo Brito reportedly collapsed and died as GNR officers went to handcuff him after being immobilised at the family villa by long-term British expat Trevor Taylor, 60, and his son Scott, 31, who was visiting Portugal.
The Taylors restrained the intruder after finding and confronting him in the villa during the early hours of Sunday morning, while mother and wife Jill Scott, 61, called the police.

The family is said to be in shock after what happened and as yet no charges have been brought against them.
They are understood to have been contacted by police but no other restrictions have been placed on their movements with the exception of the Termo de identidade e residência and having to inform authorities if they intend to leave the country or move house.

A Q&A piece by a university professor in newspaper Correio da Manhã explained that, should the general assumption that the Taylors were acting in self-defence be corroborated, prosecutors are only likely to come into play should the degree of self-defence be deemed by the Public Prosecutor as excessive or disproportional to the force required by the situation. But, according to other observers, even then, responsibilities could be diminished.

Paulo Brito, 35, had a record for theft and robbery and, according to newspaper Correio da Manhã, had only been released from prison around two months prior to his death following an eight-year sentence.

A decision is expected in coming weeks.

http://www.theportugalnews.com/news/two-people-made-defendants-in-death-of-burglar-in-britons-villa/36034

[John]

From the Portugal Resident...

21 September 2015

"Despite reports in the Portuguese press that the burglar died as police prepared to handcuff him, new information is that Paulo Brito, 35, was dead by the time GNR agents responded to the Taylor family’s call."

http://portugalresident.com/exclusive-new-information-on-how-portuguese-burglar-died-at-hands-of-british-father-and-son

[misty]

http://portugalresident.com/german-doctor-flees-algarve-after-%E2%80%9Ccompulsory%E2%80%9D-committal-to-mental-asylum
German doctor has spoken of the “complete nightmare” that left him with “one hour to leave Portugal” after building up a successful practice in Almancil over 16 years. Reported in Público last week was the story of “a German doctor working in the Algarve” who had seen his appeal against compulsory internment in a mental asylum turned down (click here). What Público did not say was that the doctor actually fled the country last year - fearing for his life. “I would be dead if I had stayed,” Dr Robert Reisert told us from his new base in Bavaria. “They would have put me in a jacket and given me lots of medication. I would have died, for sure.” The story is all the more incredible as Reisert has no idea why he was “prosecuted”. None of his patients had made any complaints. There were no scare stories in the press. Even the Público article was unspecific. It simply said that Évora judges had ruled the doctor - who it did not name - posed an “unacceptable risk” to his patients. Público claimed that the doctor had told patients he could “cure diabetes in 10 days using huge doses of insulin”. Promises were also made over cancer treatments. “It is all lies,” Reisert told us. “I certainly made no promises about curing diabetes in 10 days - and certainly not with high doses of insulin. “It’s all nonsense. I am a doctor; an intelligent man. I have had myself assessed by other doctors, who have said the same thing. “What happened to me in Portugal was incredible. It is incredible that such things can still happen today.” Dr Reisert told us of the moment when his lawyer said: “You have one hour to leave Portugal.”
“They would have come to take me,” he explained. He had lost the first case taken out against him in 2007 and, as far as his lawyer was aware, the authorities were due to enforce the court’s decision to have him compulsorily interned in a mental institution. “I left everything behind. My surgery, my machines, everything,” he explained. “I have no more property anymore in Portugal.” It was clearly a horrific experience which he was loathe to discuss over the phone - particularly as we had rung him during daily consultations. The Resident has agreed to mail Dr Reisert and try and build up a picture of what happened and why - and what it was exactly that led to his court case and self-propelled flight from the country. Meantime, Dr Reisert cannot return to Portugal without the threat of compulsory committal to a mental asylum hanging over him. Even more bizarre is the fact that the Portuguese “Ordem dos Médicos” (doctors association) has made no moves to strike him off, or take any further action. President of the association José Manuel da Silva said it had simply published a resumé of the court ruling in the hope “that citizens realise that they shouldn’t believe in miracles, but in science”. natasha.donn@algarveresident.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A curious state of affairs, which aroused my interest because of the place & the year charges were first brought.
The GP is still practising and apparently highly respected.

[ShiningInLuz]

Armed hostage-taker in a siege underway in Lagos. It started this morning.

"Um homem barricou-se esta manhã nas instalações da Comissão de Proteção de Crianças e Jovens, em Lagos. Há a possibilidade de haver reféns."

Video at CMTV at http://cmtv.sapo.pt/atualidade/detalhe/20151005_1244_homem_barricado_em_lagos.html

A significant chunk of Lagos has been closed down while the police tackle this situation.

ETA.  It seems this has been resolved.  A man armed with a shotgun went into the building as he has been kept apart from his children for a year.  He talked to the children then gave himself up.  A news conference is under way.

[ShiningInLuz]

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May reportedly touched down in Faro airport a few hours ago

Assuming the news is correct, and assuming the forthcoming show is motoring related, then they are probably up this end of the Algarve, with the obvious attraction being the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, the local motor racing circuit.

This has a tenuous connection to the McCann case, as one the 4 chaps made arguidos in mid 2014 went racing on the circuit and pranged his car.

But I guess Clarkson and co have other things planned.

[misty]

http://portugalresident.com/people-told-to-stay-away-from-clifftops-after-rock-fall-at-praia-da-luz-0




The Algarve’s environmental agency (APA Algarve) is warning people to stay away from clifftops after a huge rock fall took place at Praia da Luz on Wednesday morning (October 14).

“Luckily no one was hurt, but people must be aware that cliffs are even riskier when it rains,” APA Algarve president Sebastião Teixeira told the Resident.

Photos of the impressive rock fall were sent to us by reader Jackie Dawson.

“At the largest point of the cliffs, the rock face completely collapsed with a huge roar falling into the cove and sea at the end of the beach,” she said after witnessing the scene.

Teixeira told our newspaper that maritime police have closed off the area around the rockfall, and that it is expected that the sea will clear away the debris.

“This is how nature works. It’s a natural phenomenon that becomes more common during the winter. These kinds of cliffs can experience rock falls even five days after it has rained,” he explained.

By MICHAEL BRUXO Michael.bruxo@algarveresident.com

Photos: Jackie Dawson

[ShiningInLuz]

You should be getting news shortly about flooding and landslides on the Algarve.

I woke up a couple of hours before dawn and it was sheeting down in a thunderstorm, and it remained like for most of the day, until about an hour ago.  It now seems to have stopped.

Towns like Albufeira and Quarteira are reported to be suffering significant flooding.  The Portuguese locals are saying they've seen heavy rain before, but nothing as bad as this deluge.

So it's not always Shining In Luz.   

[John]

Sócrates case - gagging order obtained against Correio da Manhã



By Paul Rees
29 October 2015

The publisher of Portuguese daily newspaper Correio da Manhã has been banned from publishing news about Operation Marquês and José Sócrates’ role in the intricate web of corruption that led to his arrest and imprisonment.

The former prime minister’s lawyers successfully obtained an injunction against Cofina, owner of the title and others all of which now are banned from covering the case which is soon to keep the nation enthralled as to the depths of corrupt practices in the corridors of power in Portugal.

The court decision takes immediate effect and if the paper continues to keep its readers informed by publishing stories damaging to Sócrates’ reputation, as it has been doing, Cofina faces significant fines.

In a statement sent to newsrooms today the defence team acting for Sócrates reported on the judgment of the Lisbon court dated 26 October 2015.

The court accepted the lawyers' application to block all of Cofina’s titles, namely Correio da Manhã, Destak, Jornal de Negócios and the weekend journal, Sábado.

The newspapers are banned from publishing details of Operation Marquês including transcripts of telephone conversations that show the former PM in a less than honest light.

The ruling also prohibits the journalists António Sérgio Azenha and Sónia Trigueirão of editing, publishing or disseminating, even to other Cofina journalists, details of the case by any means, on paper, in electronic form or tapes, on radio or television, by direct transcription or any other indirect way the substance of any evidence being used in Operation Marquês.

The court also ordered that any copies of the printed edition of Correio da Manhã still circulating, which have damaging reports about the former PM,  are withdrawn and delivered to the court within three days.

In today’s printed edition of Correio da Manhã, the injunction was covered as the main news item which referred to the gagging order.

João Araújo, the main lawyer acting for the former prime minister, believes that the newspaper has a vendetta against his client.

The deputy director of Correio da Manhã, Eduardo Damaso, says the Cofina group will accord with the injunction but will oppose it in court and will keep up its investigations even though it can not print them, for the time being.

"This decision will not stop Correio da Manhã scrutinising Sócrates," ran today’s editorial written by Damaso who said the court decision clashes "with national law and European Court of Human Rights legislation."

"The injunction was requested by Sócrates’ defence and has the effect of silencing Correio da Manhã on this case, but does not silence Sócrates or his lawyers. In a democracy we should have as pillars the freedom of the press and freedom of expression. This type of gagging order is dangerously approaching censorship," said Eduardo Damaso.

José Sócrates was arrested on November 21 2014, at Lisbon airport, and indicted for the crimes of qualified tax fraud, money laundering and accepting bribes for tort.

He was remanded in custody in Évora prison for 41 weeks and then released to remain under house arrest. He was released last week.

http://www.algarvedailynews.com/cases/socrates/7057-socrates-case-gagging-order-obtained-against-correio-da-manha


Comment

Brings a whole new meaning to free speech in Portugal!

Ed

[ShiningInLuz]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34779839

The recently elected govt has been flushed down the toilet.  We found out from an estate agent who thought property prices are going to plummet.  (I am of a different opinion.)

From the BBC link -
"Portuguese left-wing opposition parties have toppled the country's minority government by rejecting its programme in parliament.

A centre-right coalition won most votes in October's election but lost its overall majority.

A new leftist bloc has now voted 123 to 107 against the administration's programme, prompting its collapse.

The move could lead to a new government led by the Socialist Party, likely to focus on alleviating austerity."

[Brietta]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34779839

The recently elected govt has been flushed down the toilet.  We found out from an estate agent who thought property prices are going to plummet.  (I am of a different opinion.)

From the BBC link -
"Portuguese left-wing opposition parties have toppled the country's minority government by rejecting its programme in parliament.

A centre-right coalition won most votes in October's election but lost its overall majority.

A new leftist bloc has now voted 123 to 107 against the administration's programme, prompting its collapse.

The move could lead to a new government led by the Socialist Party, likely to focus on alleviating austerity."

"The current government has warned that the left-wing coalition risks turning Portugal into another Greece."

Not necessarily ... Iceland rejected a bail out and austerity ... and they seem to have come through it quite well.  The money my Local Authority had invested in the Icelandic Bank has long since been repaid

[Admin]

Algarve man jailed after kidnapping daughter



12 November 2015

A Tavira man accused of kidnapping his young daughter in 2012 was yesterday evening sentenced to three years and two months in jail.





The Faro court ruled that Paulo Guiomar was guilty of aggravated kidnapping, depriving his daughter of freedom and causing her serious mental harm in the process.

Maria Alice spent two years away from her mother in Belgium, where she was kept at the home of her paternal grandmother, who was given a two-year suspended sentence.

http://www.theportugalnews.com/news/algarve-man-jailed-after-kidnapping-daughter/36598

[Admin]

Previously...

"They cut my hair to look like a boy"



By Pedro F. Guerreiro
9 September 2015

Maria Alice, aged 10, testified with her father and grandmother out of the courtroom.



Paul Guiomar arriving at court.

With his father and grandmother outside the courtroom, Maria Alice explained that for two years she lived in Belgium, fleeing the police. The shortest of testimony, she is now ten years of age, marked on Wednesday the start of the trial of the Maritime Police agent, Paul Guiomar, and grandmother, Maria Dolores, on kidnapping charges.

Alice told the judges that she lived in several houses and that "one of them had no windows." And that she came out few times onto the street. "She sometimes playing with other boys, but not often. I would do a little homework," said the minor, who said that the father and grandmother "were afraid" that the police would find them. So, they did everything to go unnoticed. "They cut my hair like a boy and I wore boy's clothes. I did not like it and cried," confessed the minor, who was called Sara.

The father reported that, in his view, he had "no option" but to stay with his ​​daughter, because after the minor had asked for help he believed that "Mary Alice was in danger in the charge of her mother." The grandmother, Maria Dolores, did not give evidence.

The defence lawyer, Ricardo Serrano Vieira, considers that another legal assessment of the case should be undertaken and argues that "there is evidence that may give rise to a cause of exclusion or special mitigation of punishment."

http://www.cmjornal.xl.pt/nacional/portugal/detalhe/cortaram_me_o_cabelo_a_menino.html

[Brietta]

Posted by portugalpress on November 19, 2015

Horror as dismembered body of baby is found in rubbish

The dismembered body of a baby - missing its head, an arm and leg - was found in a rubbish bag in Seixal. The horrific discovery was made by an employee of a waste management company in the early hours of Wednesday morning (November 18).

According to Correio da Manhã newspaper, the body was so badly decomposed that authorities could not determine the sex of the child, who is believed to have been one or two months old when it died.

Setúbal’s PJ criminal police are trying to establish whether the baby was already dead when dumped.

“When it was found, the body had already passed through several machines that separate, compact and destroy waste. The body may have been dismembered during this time,” a PJ source told CM.

The body was taken to the morgue at Almada’s Garcia de Horta Hospital and is expected to undergo an autopsy today.

Tags:
portugal news  dismembered body  baby  seixal
- See more at: http://portugalresident.com/horror-as-dismembered-body-of-baby-is-found-in-rubbish#sthash.tqMpEYc2.dpuf

[misty]

Posted by portugalpress on November 19, 2015

Horror as dismembered body of baby is found in rubbish

The dismembered body of a baby - missing its head, an arm and leg - was found in a rubbish bag in Seixal. The horrific discovery was made by an employee of a waste management company in the early hours of Wednesday morning (November 18).

According to Correio da Manhã newspaper, the body was so badly decomposed that authorities could not determine the sex of the child, who is believed to have been one or two months old when it died.

Setúbal’s PJ criminal police are trying to establish whether the baby was already dead when dumped.

“When it was found, the body had already passed through several machines that separate, compact and destroy waste. The body may have been dismembered during this time,” a PJ source told CM.

The body was taken to the morgue at Almada’s Garcia de Horta Hospital and is expected to undergo an autopsy today.

Tags:
portugal news  dismembered body  baby  seixal
- See more at: http://portugalresident.com/horror-as-dismembered-body-of-baby-is-found-in-rubbish#sthash.tqMpEYc2.dpuf

In a morbid way we can but hope the waste management companies' employees were equally as diligent in 2007, ruling out such a gruesome scenario for Madeleine.

[Brietta]

In a morbid way we can but hope the waste management companies' employees were equally as diligent in 2007, ruling out such a gruesome scenario for Madeleine.

Shining did a good bit of research on the subject and posted that it would have been impossible for Madeleine not to have been found had she been put into a dumpster because of working practices in force at the waste disposal sites.

Even if proper searches hadn't been carried out before the bins were emptied I think this sad case confirms that had she been disposed of in this way, she would have been found.