The Daily Telegraph
11 June 2007
Richard Edwards and Fiona Govan
A senior detective investigating the abduction of Madeleine McCann has been accused of beating a suspect in a separate missing child case, it emerged yesterday.
Goncalo Amaral, who has co-ordinated the Madeleine inquiry from police headquarters in Portimao, is among five officers charged over an alleged attack on Leonor Cipriano, the mother of a nine-year-old girl, Joana, who disappeared in the Algarve three years ago.
Cipriano, who was convicted of murdering her daughter, has alleged that she was beaten into a confession.
Portugal's Ministerio Publico (MP), or District Attorney, this weekend charged five Judicial Police officers with "scenes of aggression'', omission of evidence and falsification of documents.
Mr Amaral, who is in his late forties, denies the claims and has not been suspended from working on the Madeleine investigation.
Gerry and Kate McCann were told of the development by the Foreign Office yesterday as they prepared to travel to Morocco to publicise their daughter's plight. A family spokesman said: "They do not remember meeting Goncalo Amaral face to face but naturally they were concerned to hear of the charges.''
Prior to Madeleine's abduction, Joana was Portugal's most high-profile missing child. She went missing from Figueira, seven miles from Praia da Luz, in September 2004. Her body was never found.
Cipriano lodged a formal complaint about her treatment, which was followed up by the MP. It alleged that she was punched and kicked during questioning, and was not given access to a lawyer. She claimed she was left with bruises all over her face and body.
Police sources said Mr Amaral was "very angry'' about the allegations and was considering taking action against the MP.
"He is very professional and has had a lot of success in solving cases,'' the source said.
"He is very upset because reporters never speak of these successes.''
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