Top Maddie Cop Gonc' blasts “ I will go to the Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights”
The disgraced Portuguese ex-cop that headed up the Madeleine McCann investigation and at the heart of a libel law suit brought about by Madeleine’s parents, Gerry and Kate McCann has said that if he loses this libel case he intends to go the Supreme Court and even the European Court of Human rights.
Kate McCann was joined by Fiona Payne in court today, a close friend who was with the McCann’s when Madeleine went missing from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on May 3, 2007, while her parents dined with friends nearby.
Mr Amaral did nothing to endear himself yesterday answering a reporter’s question outside of the court he replied “fuck the McCanns” when asked whether he thought his book was hurting the couple. It’s beginning to get lively, the cool and level headed veneer that Amaral has paraded so far is starting to crack around the edges. Leaving the court today he appeared distracted and petulant, a big difference to the composed detective that left the court building early yesterday to claim a moral victory.
The drama did not stop outside of the court but continued inside as the witnesses for Mr Amaral took the stand. First to be called to the stand today was Antonio Santos. Santos responded well to Amarals legal team questioning and discussed various aspects of his involvement with the production of the documentary based on Amaral’s book “The truth of the Lie”. Santos like those witnesses before him took time out to repeat accusations in a raised voice that the UK media were responsible for leading an attack against the disgraced detective. Agitated it was clear that Santos believed that the treatment of Amaral at the hands of the UK media was clearly not deserved. Santos also stated that he was in no doubt that Amaral had not been supported during the McCann investigation by his superiors. For my money the McCanns legal team begin to realise just how easy it could be to break this witness down around about this time and they did a fine job of picking Santos apart.
Rapid fire questioning from the McCanns legal team Isabel Duarte set a pace at which Santos seemed to have difficulty keeping up with. Clearly rattled by the ferocity of the questioning he looked more and more uncomfortable on the stand when pressed regarding his knowledge of the pre production process of the documentary based on Amaral’s book. This line of questioning proved fatal for Amaral’s defence when Santos admitted to the court that he was “telling a story” when asked directly why they hadn’t included the public attorneys verdict in the conclusions arrived at by the investigation team were wrong.
Duarte had her man and no further questioning was needed. Santos was dismissed from the stand.
After the break for lunch next on the stand was Luis Velho who added little of value to the proceedings. Duarte now in her stride quizzed Velho about the documentary and after discovering his ignorance of the pre production for the documentary he was dismissed.
Following the rather lacklustre contribution from Velho, Paulo Soares took the stand and there was a wag in the tail as he confidently answered the defences line of questioning about the documentary and how it come to be broadcast. Duarte finished off before the afternoon break in proceedings to cross examine Soares on aspects of the documentary and the reasoning behind the networks choice. Soares remained calm and collected throughout the cross examination and left the stand looking quite relaxed.
Last to be called to the stand in defence of Amaral on day three was Ana Teixera, another witness from the TVI network. After much unnecessary posturing brought about by the defence team questioning things moved on to confirm various aspects once again of the broadcast of the documentary.
What should have been a no brainer libel contest for Amaral is now decidedly looking more of a sticky wicket with lots of cracks now evident. If Duarte could get any of her challenging questions seaming of those cracks she could take the head clean off the Amaral defence. Howzat !
Ze Mole will return to comment on the Amaral v’s McCann libel case.
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The full transcript of todays session from Jondi Paolo now follows:
3 minutes ago from web Proceedings are finished and will start again on the 10th of February.
3 minutes ago from web Teixera: Firstly, audiences; secondly, to get two versions of the case; thirdly, to prevent rival channel SIC getting the audience share.
Teixera: There are three main reasons to broadcast both documentaries.
half a minute ago from web Teixera: All this means that TVI did everything it could to broadcast the documentary.
4 minutes ago from web TVI tried to stop the broadcast by SIC but their attempt was rebuffed by a court.
5 minutes ago from web Teixera: We then acknowledged that another Portuguese channel, SIC, was going to broadcast the documentary.
6 minutes ago from web Teixera: We requested via their lawyer that the McCanns take into consideration the fact that TVI is Portugal's biggest broadcaster.
7 minutes ago from web Teixera: A few days later we received a call from Channel 4 saying the documentary was not to be sold to TVI because the McCanns opposed it.
11 minutes ago from web Teixera: They signed the deal to screen the Channel 4 documentary, but a time slot was not assigned. It was pencilled in for 9.15pm.
about 1 hour ago from web She tells the court that the channel's general programme director had wanted to buy the Channel 4 documentary on the mccanns.
about 1 hour ago from web We're back in court and Ana Teixera, international programming director for TVI, is the next witness to take the stand.
about 1 hour ago from web Kate mccann has left court. She said she believes in portuguese justice and these proceedings will go a long way to help find madeleine.
about 1 hour ago from txt Proceedings have been put on hold for a short break.
about 1 hour ago from web The McCanns' lawyer, Isabel Duarte, is cross-examining Mr Soares on the subject of the channel's decision-making.
about 2 hours ago from web Soares: The marketing and communication plan was unaffected by the version chosen.
about 2 hours ago from web Soares: We had allocated a specific time slot to broadcast a documentary about Madeleine - whether it was the British or Portuguese version.
about 2 hours ago from web Soares: That's why we chose the Portuguese documentary instead.
about 2 hours ago from web Soares: The deal with Channel 4 would have restricted the amount of time available for us to broadcast the documentary.
about 2 hours ago from web Soares: Channel 4 bought the rights to the documentary, which covered its broadcast in Portugal.
about 2 hours ago from web Soares: Suddenly, the production firm lost interest in selling the documentary, because the McCanns didn't want it broadcast on our channel.
about 2 hours ago from web Soares: Though there were lots of cameras in the Algarve there was no in-depth analysis of the case.
about 2 hours ago from web Soares: I heard the McCanns were involved in the production of the documentary.
about 2 hours ago from web Soares: I did not know what material the British documentary contained.
about 2 hours ago from web Soares: I took the email in to the usual weekly executive meeting in order to decide whether or not to buy it.
about 2 hours ago from web Soares: I received an email from a British production company advising me that they were going to produce another documentary on Madeleine.
about 3 hours ago from web Soares: We tried to buy the documentary produced by (British) Channel 4 but were unable to.
about 3 hours ago from web The next witness to take the stand is Paulo Soares, another executive from TVI.
about 3 hours ago from web Mr Velho's testimony has ended and he has left the court.
about 3 hours ago from web Velho: Because we wanted a documentary about the case.
about 3 hours ago from web Duarte: Why was your channel interested in the documentary?
about 3 hours ago from web Velho: No.
about 3 hours ago from web Duarte: Did you kow the content of the documentary before it was broadcast?
about 3 hours ago from web Mr Velho: No, I didn't know that.
about 3 hours ago from web Duarte: Did you know that the documentary was broadcast on Madeleine's birthday?
about 3 hours ago from web Mr Velho: Not very many people saw the Oprah interview because it was broadcast on cable television.
about 3 hours ago from web Isabel Duarte (McCann lawyer): How many people in Portugal saw the Oprah interview with the McCanns?
about 3 hours ago from web Mr Velho: The amount of people who saw the documentary based on the book was far smaller than the audience for the McCanns' Oprah interview.
about 3 hours ago from web Luis Cunha Velho, from Portugal's biggest TV channel, TVI, has taken the witness stand.
about 3 hours ago from web Kate McCann and Fiona Payne have returned to the courtroom and resumed their positions on the bench at the front of the public seating.
about 3 hours ago from web Ms Duarte also said she has made a an official complaint to the police about Mr Amaral, alleging that he has abused the legal aid system
.
about 3 hours ago from web However, it should be easy to tell who has won - by seeing whether Mr Amaral's book goes back on sale.
about 3 hours ago from web The final verdict in this preliminary hearing will be released to the lawyers on each side but will not be made public.
about 3 hours ago from web The judge may make a decision after hearing the two extra witnesses on February 10, or she may take more time to consider her verdict.
about 3 hours ago from web This week's hearings are only to decide whether the temporary injunction should be sustained, ahead of a main trial for the full injunction.
about 3 hours ago from web The McCanns' senior lawyer, Isabel Duarte, said during the lunchtime break that this is only the first part of the injunction process.
about 3 hours ago from web The court has re-started for the afternoon session - but Goncalo Amaral, Kate McCann and Fiona Payne are all absent.
about 3 hours ago from web Amaral has denied a report that he swore when speaking about the mccanns yesterday.
about 4 hours ago from txt Amaral says that if he loses this case he will appeal to the supreme court and the european court of human rights.
about 4 hours ago from txt There will be a further hearing in this case on february 10 when two more witnesses are being called.
about 5 hours ago from txt Isabel duarte: the amaral side is trying to do in civil court what it could not do in criminal court
about 5 hours ago from txt Isabel duarte: we knew we would open a pandora's box and that we had to face the enemy.
about 5 hours ago from txt Kate mccann says having her friend fiona payne here has been a big support.
about 5 hours ago from txt Kate mcann outside court: it has been shown again that there is no evidence to support amaral's claims.
about 5 hours ago from txt Proceedings are breaking up for lunch.
about 6 hours ago from web Mr da Silva has finished giving evidence and left the courtroom.
about 6 hours ago from web Mr da Silva: Because I was telling a story.
about 6 hours ago from web Isabel Duarte: Why didn't you include the public attorney's verdict that the conclusions arrived at by the investigators were incorrect?
about 6 hours ago from web Ms Duarte, the McCanns' top lawyer, then asks how Mr da Silva can say Mr Amaral's book was based on the case, if he hasn't read the file.
about 6 hours ago from web Isabel Duarte asks Mr da Silva whether he has seen the official case files. He says no.
about 6 hours ago from web Mr da Silva: In my opinion, the documentary does not provide the last word on the case. Its conclusion calls for further investigation.
about 6 hours ago from web Mr da Silva: When we carried out a reconstruction I realised Mr Amaral's frustration at the McCanns' account of Madeleine's disappearance.
about 6 hours ago from web Mr da Silva: When we consider making a new film we think in terms of profits, as we are a commercial company.
about 6 hours ago from web Mr da Silva: The documentary is based on the book. I didn't add anything else.
about 6 hours ago from web Mr da Silva appears uncomfortable under the line of questioning he is facing.
about 6 hours ago from web Mr da Silva: Mr Amaral's theory is that the McCanns hid Madeleine's body.
about 6 hours ago from web Mr da Silva: It was crucial that Mr Amaral was involved in the production of the documentary.
about 6 hours ago from web Mr da Silva: We reconstructed some scenes in order to facilitate the understanding of the events surrounding Madeleine's disappearance.
about 6 hours ago from web Mr da Silva says he has a professional relationship with Mr Amaral.
about 6 hours ago from web Carlos Coelho da Silva, TV director at VC Films, the production company behind the film based on the Amaral book, has taken the stand.
about 6 hours ago from web Mr Amaral has left the court building through the back entrance.
about 6 hours ago from web Mr Amaral has got up and left the courtroom without any explanation.
about 7 hours ago from web The judge is sitting slumped in her chair, her chin resting on one hand as she listens to the exchanges between Ms Duarte and Mr Santos.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos says he doesn't remember. Ms Duarte says she finds this strange.
about 7 hours ago from web The McCanns' lawyer, Isabel Duarte, asks Mr Santos if he remembers the colour of the first page of the police investigation file.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: Pirate copies of the documentary based on Mr Amaral's book were put on the internet and a copyright complaint was made to police.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: The facts of the investigation can be found on the internet and are available to everyone.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: But up to now, none of the information published by the media has been strong enough to make the police re-open the case.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: If there is evidence that Madeleine has been seen, then the investigation will be re-opened.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: There is no greater pain than losing a child.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: I don't think the book or the documentary increased the pain felt by Madeleine's parents.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: I am a father too. God prevent that I ever lose any of my children. I understand the pain felt by the McCanns.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: Mr Amaral decided to publish the book to clear his professional reputation.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: Mr Amaral was pursuing the truth, and only the truth, no matter what conclusions it led to.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: Mr Amaral was given no support by his superiors in the Portuguese police.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: Sections of the British media portrayed Mr Amaral as an alcoholic.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos is becoming quite impassioned and raising his voice as he gives his testimony.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: While Mr Amaral was in charge of the investigation he came under attack from sections of the British media.
about 7 hours ago from web The contract between the documentary maker, VC Films, and Mr Amaral was signed in March 2008.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: Mr Amaral's personal honour prevented him from publishing the book before his retirement from the police force.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: As a former policeman, I think Mr Amaral's conclusions are based on the evidence gathered during the official investigation.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: Mr Amaral never accused the McCanns of guilt, either in the book or the documentary..
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos: I read Mr Amaral's book and watched the documentary on television.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos is discussing the details of the contract between Mr Amaral and the makers of the documentary.
about 7 hours ago from web She stresses that this trial is solely about the publication and distribution of the book and the documentary upon which it was based.
about 7 hours ago from web The judge has stressed that this hearing is separate to the action being brought by the McCanns for £1m in damages.
about 7 hours ago from web Mr Santos tells the court he considers himself an acquaintance of Mr Amaral's.
about 8 hours ago from web Mr Amaral has arrived in court and has taken a seat in between two lawyers.
about 8 hours ago from web He is also an ex-investigator for Portuguese police, making him a colleague of Mr Amaral's, although they worked in different departments.
about 8 hours ago from web Mr Santos is a lawyer and general manager for the video production association, a nationwide industry body,
about 8 hours ago from web The first witness is being called - Antonio Paulo Santos.
about 8 hours ago from web Another notable absentee is Goncalo Amaral, the former policeman whose controversial book sparked the libel action.
about 8 hours ago from web There are only eight or so people other than Mrs McCann, Mrs Payne and the McCanns' translators.
about 8 hours ago from web There are far fewer people in the court today. Journalists, campaigners and members of the public packed the benches for the past two days.
about 8 hours ago from web Mrs McCann is sitting on the front bench of the public seating with Fiona Payne, a close friend and member of the so-called 'Tapas Seven'.
about 8 hours ago from web We're back in court and proceedings are under way. Kate McCann is here, but Gerry has flown back to the UK.
about 8 hours ago from web Kate mccann: we need to find madeleine. That's why we're here.
about 8 hours ago from txt Kate mccann: i believe this was the right course of action. i have confidence in the portuguese justice system.
about 8 hours ago from txt Kate mccann: there were mistakes made in the investigation but we need to look forward really.
about 8 hours ago from txt Mrs mcann said she was still confident of winning the case.
about 8 hours ago from txt Kate mcann has arrived at court. She stopped briefly outside to speak to the waiting press pack.
about 8 hours ago from txt Cameras are out in force again outside the court today - interest in the trial shows no sign of waning.
about 9 hours ago from txt We've had rain every day so far - but this morning the sun has come up and cast a rainbow over the court building. A good omen for someone?
about 9 hours ago from txt Good morning. We're outside the courthouse for the third day of the mccann libel trial.
