Madeleine McCann's parents win €500k in damages against former police chief.

[Eleanor]

I very much doubt he will be expressing any more opinions on what he thinks happened to Madeleine.

[Lyall]

I very much doubt he will be expressing any more opinions on what he thinks happened to Madeleine.

No, but it wouldn't need to be a controversial book, just the story of the past 6 years or so.

[Anna]

I've been the biggest critic of GA's book there is.  I think it is a good thing that this money - made off the back of a family tragedy - can now be used for good deeds.  Parents who have lost a child will surely use it for a good cause - especially given their Catholicism.  People in a position to do good, should do.  Kate McCann would be the first to support me on that point.

I know that you are a critic, who was against the book in question Gadfly.

It is good to donate money to a good cause, if you are in a position to do so, I totally agree with that statement, as I'm sure Kate and Gerry would also.

However, I think the fact that the book has been banned, because the author of the book has lost in the libel case, is uppermost in the minds of a lot of people right now.

After all, we can be pretty sure, that the money will be put to some good charitable use. I would be very surprised if this was not the case.

Being a Catholic does not make you a better person. Compassion, kindness, consideration for others, caring and love, do that, nicely.

[misty]

No, but it wouldn't need to be a controversial book, just the story of the past 6 years or so.

He has actually written another book but not yet had it published. It may well be that the ending needs re-writing.

[Eleanor]

No, but it wouldn't need to be a controversial book, just the story of the past 6 years or so.

What?  A Pity Story do you mean?  It wouldn't be a good idea to knock The Portuguese Justice System.  He's in enough trouble with that already.

[Anna]

What?  A Pity Story do you mean?  It wouldn't be a good idea to knock The Portuguese Justice System.  He's in enough trouble with that already.

Maybe a "Truth of a Truth" Book then?

[Lyall]

What?  A Pity Story do you mean?  It wouldn't be a good idea to knock The Portuguese Justice System.  He's in enough trouble with that already.

No, not a pity story. History. The story of the court case. That's all it would need to be.

[Anna]

No, not a pity story. History. The story of the court case. That's all it would need to be.

Wont that all be in the court files soon?

[DCI]

McCanns 'Delighted' With £433k Libel Victory

Kate and Gerry McCann say their legal action "was never about money" after winning a two-year libel trial in Portugal.
18:37, UK,

Tuesday 28 April 2015

A former Portuguese detective has been ordered to pay 606,000 euros (£433,000) to the parents of missing Madeleine McCann as their two-year libel trial comes to an end.

Goncalo Amaral, who led the search for the little girl, was accused of making defamatory statements about Kate and Gerry McCann in a book he wrote.

His 2008 book The Truth Of The Lie claimed the McCanns hid her body and faked an abduction after she died in an accident.

The two doctors said the book, which was a bestseller in Portugal, damaged the search for their daughter and added to their anguish.

A civil court in Lisbon ruled against Mr Amaral, and ordered him to pay 500,000 euros (£357,000) in damages and 106,000 euros (£76,000) in interest to the McCanns.

The McCanns had asked for £1m compensation when the trial began in 2012.

The court also prohibited any more sales of the book, and gave the publisher 60 days to return all existing copies.

It also ordered Valentim de Carvalho, who produced a TV documentary based on the book, not to sell any more copies of the film.

The McCanns, from Rothley, Leicestershire, said they are "delighted" with the judge's verdict.

"We want to emphasise that the action was never about money. It has always been focused on the effects of the libels on our other children and the damage that was done to the search for Madeleine," they said in a statement.

"A lot has changed in the last six years since we started the action and we are pleased that there is an active investigation in both Portugal and the UK.

"We would like to remind people that there is still an innocent little girl who is missing and that those responsible for her abduction remain at large."

went missing from the couple's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in the Algarve, Portugal, on 3 May 2007, as her parents dined at a nearby restaurant with friends.

Despite a worldwide hunt, the little girl has never been found.

Last year, British and Portuguese police examined patches of ground in the resort, but had no success.

In October 2013, Mr McCann's sister Trish Cameron told the libel trial the couple's pain was "multiplied 100 times" by the book.

The McCanns said they launched the libel action to stop the suffering the theories in the book have caused them.

Mr Amaral can appeal the court's ruling.

http://news.sky.com/story/1473806/mccanns-delighted-with-433k-libel-victory

[Lyall]

Wont that all be in the court files soon?

That's the legal black and white. I mean the personal stories behind the headlines.

[Gadfly2.1]

After all, we can be pretty sure, that the money will be put to some good charitable use. I would be very surprised if this was not the case.

The McCanns, from Rothley, Leicestershire, said they are "delighted" with the judge's verdict.

"We want to emphasise that the action was never about money. It has always been focused on the effects of the libels on our other children and the damage that was done to the search for Madeleine," they said in a statement.

This is promising.  I hope their actions will match their words.

[Anna]

That's the legal black and white. I mean the personal stories behind the headlines.

You mean his side of the story. How can he possibly know any other side? He doesn't even speak English ....apparently.

Behind the headlines? which ones, the true or false. No I think it would have to be someone neutral to write such a story.

Oops! I think we are off topic now and to be honest the subject of Mr Amaral losing the libel trial, or indeed the Drs McCann winning, could do with being on another thread.

[Alfred R Jones]

That's because you choose to see only the tip of the iceberg of those with doubts about this case.

The rest may not be on forums every day but they're still wondering what actually happened to Madeleine.

Whatever mistakes he made (and also whatever his character) he was the only one who didn't fold in 2008. In the right hands that's a powerful story.

Please don't be utterly absurd.  What book do you think Amaral could write now that would shed light on what happened to Madeleine?  And what do you mean he was the only one who didn't fold?  Did the McCanns?!

[Lyall]

Please don't be utterly absurd.  What book do you think Amaral could write now that would shed light on what happened to Madeleine?  And what do you mean he was the only one who didn't fold?  Did the McCanns?!

There's more than one book to be written on what they did.

One consequence of the court action against him and the other parties is that his name is still well known when otherwise it may have not have been by now. That's why a book with his name on it would I'm sure sell. Not hugely but profitably. It doesn't have to touch what happened to Madeleine although I do think it is possible to write one that mentions many possibilities that isn't libellous.

[Alfred R Jones]

There's more than one book to be written on what they did.

One consequence of the court action against him and the other parties is that his name is still well known when otherwise it may have not have been by now. That's why a book with his name on it would I'm sure sell. Not hugely but profitably. It doesn't have to touch what happened to Madeleine although I do think it is possible to write one that mentions many posibilities that isn't libellous.

Amaral is a proven liar, twice over.  He might have a career as a fiction writer, but that is all.  No one is going to believe another word he writes, well no one with any sense anyway.