Kate McCann admits in her book that private criminal investigations in Portugal were illegal.

[ferryman]

By SIMON HUGHES and ANTONELLA LAZZERI
Published: Today (29 June 2009)

The first enquiry was shelved on 4 August 2008 ...

[John]

By SIMON HUGHES and ANTONELLA LAZZERI
Published: Today (29 June 2009)

The first enquiry was shelved on 4 August 2008 ...

And Método 3 were sacked at the end of February 2008 so this event happened well before the archive.

[Mr Gray]

And Método 3 were sacked at the end of February 2008 so this event happened well before the archive.

do we know they were referring to metodo and not halligen

[ferryman]

From the article:

It is illegal in Portugal to run a private investigation into a crime when a police one is still active.

At the time, there was no active police investigation.

[stephen25000]

From the article:

It is illegal in Portugal to run a private investigation into a crime when a police one is still active.

At the time, there was no active police investigation.

The sun article ??

Now that's a good one.

[Alice Purjorick]

Maybe, but first on the list would be the PJ and Amaral, I think most people would agree on that.

That sir would depend on how one is defining "most people".
Taking the world population as the whole "most people" sharing the view you have expressed would seem to be improbable.

[Alfred R Jones]

That sir would depend on how one is defining "most people".
Taking the world population as the whole "most people" sharing the view you have expressed would seem to be improbable.

Most people with an opinion of the way the PJ handled the Madeleine McCann case I meant, not the entire population of the world (the vast majority of whom have no idea what the PJ is or who Amaral is, I'm sure you'd agree madam).

[Angelo222]

From the article:

It is illegal in Portugal to run a private investigation into a crime when a police one is still active.

At the time, there was no active police investigation.

The incident was pre archive regardless of when the article was written.  What I want to know is why they weren't prosecuted for purposely obstructing an official police investigation.

[Brietta]

The incident was pre archive regardless of when the article was written.  What I want to know is why they weren't prosecuted for purposely obstructing an official police investigation.

No-one has been able to provide a cite detailing any illegal activity ... that is because there was none.

They weren't prosecuted for your ridiculous suggestion that they were purposely obstructing an official police investigation ... because that nonsense has no basis in fact. 

As can be seen from the entirely different focus of the new investigation into Madeleine's case, the original investigators had already taken entirely the wrong route which led only to a dead end.

There would have been no conflict with the police operation; for the simple reason that the private investigators were trying to find Madeleine; the official investigators were trying to pin her disappearance on her parents; two entirely different cases.

[Angelo222]

No-one has been able to provide a cite detailing any illegal activity ... that is because there was none.

They weren't prosecuted for your ridiculous suggestion that they were purposely obstructing an official police investigation ... because that nonsense has no basis in fact. 

As can be seen from the entirely different focus of the new investigation into Madeleine's case, the original investigators had already taken entirely the wrong route which led only to a dead end.

There would have been no conflict with the police operation; for the simple reason that the private investigators were trying to find Madeleine; the official investigators were trying to pin her disappearance on her parents; two entirely different cases.

Several cites have been provided so take the rose speckled blinkers off!   Kate McCann even tried to justify their criminal activity by referring to it as 'technically illegal' in her book of thoughts.  It appears there is one law for Amaral and another for the McCanns so no wonder they fled the country when the heat was on them.

[Mr Gray]

Several cites have been provided so take the rose speckled blinkers off!   Kate McCann even tried to justify their criminal activity by referring to it as 'technically illegal' in her book of thoughts.  It appears there is one law for Amaral and another for the McCanns so no wonder they fled the country when the heat was on them.

No cites have been able to quote the exact law..Kate never admitted to breaking any law in her book

[Matthew Wyse]

No cites have been able to quote the exact law..Kate never admitted to breaking any law in her book

Sorry Angelo but this makes me so very angry.  The Mccanns made it impossible for the Portuguese investigation to continue when they high tailed it out of PdL after saying they would never leave without Madeleine. When they didn't get it all their own way they set up an illegal alternative investigation using people who can only be described as criminals and conmen and used money donated by well meaning British people to support it.

[Matthew Wyse]

No cites have been able to quote the exact law..Kate never admitted to breaking any law in her book

The law of contempt is universal and she did admit in her book of thoughts to technically illegal activities.    Suggest you should read it again my friend.

[Angelo222]

The law of contempt is universal and she did admit in her book of thoughts to technically illegal activities.    Suggest you should read it again my friend.

You beat me to it Matt.  Davel is well practised in the art of obfuscation    

If some of the most senior officials in Portugal considered it illegal then it is good enough for me.  The only part which surprises me is that more wasn't made of it or done about it but then who knows what's down the road ???

[Alice Purjorick]

No cites have been able to quote the exact law..Kate never admitted to breaking any law in her book

I do believe, sir, you are blinded to reality by your worship of the McCanns. If the McCanns said the moon was made of green cheese you would probably believe they were correct and statements to the contrary would in your view be a criticism of the McCanns.