'Poker face' Kate to sue

27 October 2007
The Sun
Clodagh Hartley and Antonella Lazzeri
Fury over 'interview act' slur

ANGRY Kate and Gerry McCann may sue over claims this week's emotional TV interview was "staged like theatre".

Kate, 39, was blasted as being like a "poker player" -and her heartfelt tears were called "part of the act" by a psychiatrist.

And Gerry, 39, "controlled" Kate in the Spanish TV broadcast, Jose Cabrera claimed.

Last night a pal of the McCanns said: "When the time is right they will take action against anyone who they feel has overstepped the mark.

"He is one more person on the list to sue.

"The people who criticised Kate when she managed to hold it together are now attacking her because she couldn't."

Kate and Gerry think daughter Madeleine, four -who vanished from Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3 -may be in Spain. On Monday they gave their first TV interview since they were named as suspects.

The couple, from Rothley, Leics, were warned not to show too much emotion after Maddie vanished in case an abductor "gets off on it". But Kate finally broke down in the 30-minute interview.

Spanish facial expression specialist Cabrera, 50, said: "Kate seemed like a poker player.

"She holds the secret. When people cry, they move muscles in their face and she did not move one single muscle.

"Any English person is cold but she has something else."

He told a Portuguese paper Gerry controlled Kate, adding: "When she opened her mouth to talk he squeezed her hand. He knows he has to control her so she does not go to far."

And Portuguese criminologist Moita Flores called the interview "a circus act". But the McCanns' spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "Kate and Gerry have nothing to hide. Our lawyers are watching carefully."

Kate's mum Susan Healy, 62, said: "You couldn't get a more heartfelt interview than that. They can't win either way."

Cops in Portugal are waiting for DNA test results. Gerry has said he fears the analysis may not be enough to clear them.

Robert Murat, 33 -arrested 11 days after Maddie vanished -has asked to be re-interviewed in a bid to clear his name.

Continue Reading... Labels: Antonella Lazzeri, Clarence Mitchell

New team fury over files mess

New team fury over files mess
21 October 2007
The Sunday Mirror
Grant Hodgson

Search for Madeleine Day 172

The new team leading the Madeleine McCann inquiry have savaged the officers previously involved in trying to find the missing youngster.

In a withering attack, investigators who took over from disgraced detective Goncalo Amaral accused the old team of ignoring key leads.

And they complained they had to spend more than a fortnight putting vital information left lying around on bits of paper by Amaral's team on to police computers. Paulo Rebelo, a highly respected officer, took over the inquiry last month after Amaral was sacked for accusing British police of being too close to Madeleine's parents.

A Portuguese police source told Expresso newspaper: "A lot of key information was discarded. The whole process is being reviewed. Putting the papers in order has been a massive task."

A team of officers have been working round the clock to log every piece of information relating to the inquiry on to police computers. However, the number of officers involved in the case has been cut from 100 to around 40.

Continue Reading... Labels: DISGRACED, Goncalo Amaral, Grant Hodgson, Mirror

Cops probe nanny's dumped at sea claim

Cops probe nanny's dumped at sea claim
14 October 2007
The Sunday Mirror
Lori Campbell and Grant Hodgson

Exclusive missing Madeleine Day 164
Key witness quizzed again
Police dig into parents' uni days

Portuguese police are becoming increasingly convinced Madeleine McCann's body was dumped at sea.

Last night officers drafted in to revitalise the investigation were planning to re-interview a key witness who saw a sailor acting suspiciously after the tot disappeared.

And British police are to delve into the student pasts of Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry.

Last night nanny Charlotte Pennington told how she saw a sailor kicking at something in the hull of his vessel in Praia da Luz, where the McCanns had been staying, two days after their daughter vanished.

Charlotte, who was working at the Mark Warner holiday complex where their apartment was, ran to get a friend to see what was happening but by the time they returned the boat - and the sailor in yellow fluorescent jacket - had gone.

The next day Charlotte spotted the man, wearing what she thought was the same jacket, and contacted police.

Charlotte, 20, back home in Leatherhead, Surrey, said: "I'm really pleased they are taking this seriously because it means they aren't just looking at the McCanns as suspects."

Her sighting of the sailor - and his possible involvement - was last night described by one police source as "credible".

The officer added: "Whoever had the expertise to make Madeleine disappear from the flat also had the expertise to throw her into the sea."

Police believe Madeleine was killed on May 3 and her body dumped in the Atlantic. They fear she may never be found.

Local council leader Manuel Borba reckoned the chances of finding Madeleine in the area were now virtually nil.

Mr Borba, who spent two weeks searching, insisted: "I personally looked in 40 wells. I'm not going to say that it's impossible the body has been hidden here but I don't believe that it has." Several new officers, including two murder squad detectives based in Lisbon, started work on the case yesterday under the command of Paulo Rebelo.

He replaced controversial Goncalo Amaral, 48, taken off the case after his criticism of British police. Mr Rebelo is reported to be receiving long-awaited results from DNA samples taken from the McCanns' hire car and apartment in the next few days. The test results, produced by the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham, are being sent in sealed envelopes via the British embassy.

The Portuguese hope they will provide a breakthrough - and possibly back their theory that Madeleine's parents helped dispose of her body after she died accidentally.

Detectives in Britain are to dig into the couple's backgrounds as far back as their university days 20 years ago.

Strathclyde Police have been asked to contact former friends and colleagues to establish if there is anything in either's past which may shed light on the case.

Kate and Gerry, both 39, from Rothley, Leics, met as junior doctors in Glasgow's Western Infirmary in 1992 after finishing their medical degrees.

The couple, who attended the Church of the Sacred Heart near their home yesterday with two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie, have had no contact from Portuguese police since they returned to the UK. They deny any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance.

A friend said: "They've not heard a word. Not only are they unaware what is happening regarding their status as suspects but they fear nothing is being done to look for Madeleine."

Their spokesman Clarence Mitchell said they would stay in Leicestershire for the twins' sake but would return to Portugal if asked.

In an increasing sign of desperation, Portuguese police were last night studying a map sketched by Chilean mystic Isabel Avila of an area where she claims Madeleine can be found. It suggests she is near a bridge and tall antennas.

Desperate cops to study map drawn up by a psychic

Continue Reading... Labels: Goncalo Amaral, Grant Hodgson, Mirror, Paulo Rebelo

Paulo Cristóvão talks about Joana case

from "Grande Entrevista", RTP1, Oct. 11 2007

Continue Reading... Labels: A Verdade da Mentira, Cipriano case, Paulo Pereira Cristóvão

Madeleine parents in the clear

Madeleine parents in the clear
Martin Evans
8 October 2007
The Daily Express

New shock on DNA evidence

The case against Kate and Gerry McCann lay in tatters last night after DNA evidence was found to be inconclusive.

With no fresh leads, Portuguese police are coming under increasing pressure to clear the couple.

Now friends of the McCanns have said it is time for the investigation to focus on finding missing Madeleine.

Scientists have worked round the clock for more than two months analysing forensic material found in the McCanns' Algarve holiday apartment and hire car.

But no solid evidence has yet emerged to support the theory that the toddler died the night she vanished, aged three.

A source close to the investigation said:

"The tests which have taken place so far have proved inconclusive.

"Retesting will continue for some time but all the indications are that there will not be anything significant to come out of it."

Friends of the McCanns said the Policia Judiciaria case against the couple had only added to their distress instead of helping to find Madeleine, who vanished on May 3.

One said yesterday:

"Of course they have no DNA evidence against them. How could they? They're not guilty.

"The case has been full of holes from the start, yet Madeleine's heartbroken parents have been forced to endure the agony of being accused of killing her.

"It is a disgrace and it is now time to drop the whole ludicrous thing and get on with what they should have been doing from day one - and that is searching for Madeleine."

Kate and Gerry, both 39, are also terrified that they will not be able to rebuild their lives while the suspicion hangs over them.

A source close to them said:

"Gerry and Kate's biggest fear is that Madeleine will never be found and the case will go unsolved. They could go on for ever without knowing what happened to their daughter and that's unbearable.

"If Madeleine isn't found, the McCanns also fear they will have to live under a cloud of suspicion for years. They are desperately hoping Madeleine is alive and that hope still drives them.

"They want the police to refocus their concentration on finding Madeleine and will do whatever it takes."

Even before the latest findings emerged, cracks had already begun to appear in the Portuguese investigation.

Last week the man heading the case, Goncalo Amaral, was sacked for accusing British police of being manipulated by the McCanns, while his second in command applied for unpaid leave.

The DNA evidence formed the central plank of the PJ's case against the couple.

A huge amount of material was passed for analysis to the Forensic Science Service laboratory in Birmingham after British sniffer dogs searched in and around Praia da Luz in early August.

They were said to have detected the scent of a corpse in key locations, and found hairs allegedly belonging to Madeleine in the back of the McCanns' hire car and traces of a bodily fluid under the upholstery.

The couple had not hired the vehicle until 25 days after Madeleine went missing, so police concluded that they must have moved her body in the boot weeks after first hiding it.

Detectives were confident enough with the evidence to declare the couple arguidos, or official suspects.

But McCann family members explained the DNA - Madeleine's clothing had been placed in the boot of the Renault Scenic, as had soiled nappies belonging to the couple's young twins Sean and Amelie. The "corpse" smell was due to left-over food including meat being taken to a rubbish tip in the car.

Yesterday it emerged that a missing persons expert who claims he tracked Madeleine to a beach in Praia da Luz is returning to Portugal.

Danie Krugel, a South African former police colonel, first visited in July and used sophisticated tracking techniques to follow a trail that went cold at the water's edge.

He said:

"I'm convinced Madeleine's body is in Praia da Luz."

Continue Reading... Labels: Forensic Science Services, Goncalo Amaral, Gonçalo Amaral, Policia Judiciaria

Warning over cop shambles

Warning over cop shambles
7 October 2007
The Sunday Mirror
Grant Hodgson

THE SEARCH FOR MADELEINE DAY 157

BRITISH crime chiefs told Portuguese police to "smarten up their act" during high-level talks last week that lead to the sacking of the cop leading the Madeleine inquiry.

British police chiefs and Government officials heaped pressure on the Portuguese as the shambolic investigation lay in tatters.

"Portuguese cops were told to sort it out," a police source told the Sunday Mirror, which last week exposed the long, boozy lunch breaks taken by Goncalo Amaral.

"It's not good enough when the man who was supposed to be running the world's biggest police inquiry was taking huge lunch breaks," the source said.

Leicestershire Police - the McCanns' local force - the Home Office and Foreign Office were all believed to have been involved in the talks.

The Sunday Mirror can also reveal how DNA evidence collected by officers in Praia da Luz is being considered "fatally flawed" and "useless".

A Leicestershire police source said:

"There is a huge sense of embarrassment about the whole thing. Questions are now being asked along the lines of, 'Why have we been supporting such a bunch off incompetents?'

"Leicester police aren't happy about it at all."

*******************

NOTE: The Press Complaints Commission received a complaint from the Leicestershire Constabulary as follows:

Complainant Name:
Leicestershire Constabulary

Clauses Noted:
1

Publication:
Sunday Mirror

Complaint:
Leicestershire Constabulary complained that an article had quoted a ‘Leicestershire police source’ being critical of the Portuguese police (in relation to the investigation into Madeleine McCann’s disappearance) when that was not the official view of the Force.


Resolution:
The matter was resolved when the newspaper agreed to place a note of the complaint in its archive files, which made clear that the quoted source was not speaking on behalf of the Force.

Report:
76

Continue Reading... Labels: Carvi Scandal, Forensic Science Services, Goncalo Amaral, Gonçalo Amaral, Grant Hodgson, Leicestershire Police, Mirror, WikiLeaks

Portuguese police fly in supercop to solve the mystery of missing Madeleine

Portuguese police fly in supercop to solve the mystery of missing Madeleine
Matt Drake
7 October 2007
The Express on Sunday

Police were last night preparing to call in one of Portugal's most respected detectives in a desperate attempt to solve the mystery of missing Madeleine McCann.

Chief Inspector Carlos do Carmo is being lined up to spearhead the faltering investigation after the leading officer working on the case, Goncalo Amaral, was forced to stand down.

While the inquiry will officially remain based on the theory that Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry killed her, the change of leadership is expected to signal an in-depth review of the case.

Mr Carmo could take over the six man team as early as next week to avoid further allegations that the investigation is on the verge of collapsing.

Close friends of the McCanns say they are worried that for two months police have made no effort to search for Madeleine, who was three when she vanished on May 3.

Police sources confirmed yesterday that Carmo's outstanding record marked him out as the obvious choice to take over Portugal's largestever missing person case.

The McCanns' spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, welcomed the possible appointment.

He said:

"Kate and Gerry are keen to see a quick and effective transfer of the handling of the case. Their main concern is that the attention of the investigation returns to searching for Madeleine.

"They are willing to do whatever is asked of them to co-operate and have always said they are willing to return for a review of the case." 

Amaral was taken off the case after he made controversial remarks about British police allegedly being influenced by the McCanns.

Mark Williams-Thomas, a former child protection detective, said whoever takes over will have to catch up quickly if the case is not to lose momentum.

"It will be very difficult, " he said. "It's good to have a fresh pair of eyes but it will take a while to get up to speed. But I don't think it will be an insurmountable task." 

Colleagues of Mr Carmo say his scientific approach could finally provide answers about what really happened on the night Madeleine went missing.

He has forged a reputation for getting results after leading a number of high-profile investigations. The chief inspector made his name in 2005 after tracking down a gang of armed bank robbers on the Algarve using phone bugs and advanced forensic techniques on suspect vehicles.

Before moving to Lisbon in 2006, he was also credited with cracking a corrupt network of undertakers in the Portimao area who were paying hospital staff for tip-offs about terminally ill patients and then contacting relatives.

Should Mr Carmo be appointed, it is expected he will return from Lisbon to live in the Algarve.

The move follows strong criticism yesterday over the amount of time it has taken forensic experts in Birmingham to return complete results of DNA tests which could provide conclusive evidence as to whether Madeleine is dead.

A police source said:

"The McCanns would never be made official suspects just based on results of the searches carried out. Naturally, the first results sent from Birmingham gave consistency to suspicions.

"There are still various operations to be carried out and we will have to wait for the rest of the results. They are fundamental for us to be able to advance with the investigation." 

But the delay was justified by a spokesman for the laboratory. He explained that the complex nature of the tests required more time than normal. He added:

"These are very specific tests and they are still being carried out. We have maintained a strict co-operation with police." 

One theory which Portuguese detectives are reported to be working on is that Madeleine could have died in the holiday apartment as the result of an accidental fall from a sofa.

Unconfirmed sources also said that Gerry McCann had refused to answer any further questions after his interrogators refused to show him the preliminary DNA results.

The McCanns' legal team visited Portugal last week to hold talks about the possibility of them launching a "public interest" appeal to have secrecy orders lifted so that they can talk about the case.

Continue Reading... Labels: Forensic Science Services, Goncalo Amaral, Gonçalo Amaral, Policia Judiciaria

Off the case
Vanessa Allen
Madeleine police chief demoted after amazing rant against McCanns and British detectives
3 October 2007
Daily Mail

The detective leading the hunt for Madeleine McCann was sacked last night.

Chief Inspector Goncalo Amaral was removed from the inquiry after he claimed that British detectives had been duped by Kate and Gerry McCann and only investigated leads which were ' convenient' for the couple.

His outburst led to a reprimand from Portugal's justice minister, lberto Costa, who said: 'We need to concentrate on the job and not on the commentary.'

Within hours Alipio Ribeiro, the head of the Policia Judiciaria, ordered Mr Amaral off the case, demoted him to inspector and stripped him of his role as a regional head of the force.

Mr Amaral made his 'angry and explosive' remarks to the Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticias. He claimed: 'The British police have only been working on that which the McCann couple want them to, and which is most convenient for them.'

He said British police appeared to have forgotten that Mr and Mrs McCann remain suspects. He also repeated Portuguese claims that the couple were manipulating the inquiry.

'They (the English) have been investigating tip-offs and information created and worked upon by the McCanns,' he added.

The newspaper also reported an unnamed police source as saying: 'After we bought into a war with the British media we are now buying into another with the English police.'

Mr Amaral, 47, has attracted criticism from the early days of the inquiry and news of his departure was met with relief by those close to the investigation.

He enjoyed frequent three-hour boozy lunches and two days ago a British newspaper claimed he worked only four hours a day and had ignored most of the 252 possible sightings and tip-offs in the case. He is also facing a criminal hearing over another missing girl, Joana Cipriano, accused of concealing evidence that the girl's mother, Leonor, was beaten into confessing to her murder.

Mr Amaral came under pressure to step down from the McCann investigation after it emerged he could face trial over the accusations, but he refused to resign.

His sweaty, corpulent figure is a familiar sight in the restaurants and cafes around police headquarters in Portimao.

While the McCanns have been warned they be jailed for speaking about the case, Mr Amaral, who was 48 yesterday, has frequently been heard holding court and accusing them of killing Madeleine.

He has said: 'We are sure the parents killed Madeleine. They are both doctors and know about drugs. We are confident in our case.'

Mr Amaral, a father of three, has worked in the police for 26 years but has only investigated two other child killings.

British police will hope that his successor will bring fresh impetus to the investigation, which appeared to be stalling as Portuguese detectives refused to consider any evidence which did not fit theories implicating the McCanns.

Clarence Mitchell, the family's spokesman, said last night:

'We're aware of these reports and we simply can't comment. 'Gerry and Kate have consistently said that they are happy to cooperate fully with the Portuguese authorities and will continue to do so no matter who is in charge of the Madeleine investigation.' Mr Amaral had dismissed the latest development in the case, an email sent to Prince Charles which claimed Madeleine was abducted by a disgruntled former employee at the Praia da Luz holiday complex where the McCanns stayed, as 'another fact worked upon by the McCanns'.

Meanwhile Mr McCann, of Rothley, Leicestershire, said he and his wife, both 39, had endured 'another painful day without our beautiful daughter' on Sunday, the 150th day since she disappeared.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alipio Ribeiro, Carvi Scandal, Cipriano case, Clarence Mitchell, Daily Mail, Goncalo Amaral, Gonçalo Amaral, Joao Cipriano, Leonor Cipriano, Policia Judiciaria

Madeleine detective kicked off case after blasting British police

Madeleine detective kicked off case after blasting British police
David Pilditch and Martin Evans
3 October 2007
The Daily Express

The Portuguese detective leading the Madeleine McCann case was sacked last night.

Chief Inspector Goncalo Amaral was booted off the inquiry hours after launching an astonishing public attack on British police – claiming they had been duped by Kate and Gerry McCann.

Disgraced Amaral has been removed from the case, demoted to the rank of inspector, and stripped of his role as regional head of the Policia Judiciaria.

He was ordered to clear his desk at police headquarters in Portimao and will begin work in a new role at nearby Faro.

A Portuguese police spokesman said last night: "We cannot make any comment on the reasons for his dismissal.

"But we can confirm that he did not resign. He was removed from his post. The decision was taken by the national leadership of the Judicial Police." Amaral, who turned 48 yesterday, was taken off the case by his boss Alipio Ribeiro.

Last night a friend of the McCanns said:
"The most important thing is that the inquiry is headed by someone who can do a professional job and help them find Madeleine."

The couple's spokesman Clarence Mitchell said:
"We are aware of what has happened and we simply cannot comment.  "However, Kate and Gerry have constantly said they are very willing to co-operate fully with the Portuguese authorities.  They will continue to do so regardless of who is in charge of the hunt for Madeleine."

The bombshell came after Amaral accused British police of shielding the McCanns.  He claimed they were only pursuing leads that could help clear the couple, and were hampering his investigation into the four-year-old's disappearance from her family's holiday apartment in the the Algarve.

The explosive outburst led to the first intervention by the Portuguese government, in a very public reprimand by the Justice Minister Alberto Costa.

Last night a Portuguese police source described Amaral's remarks as "the straw that broke the camel's back".

He had breached Portuguese law and broken his silence over the Madeleine case, claiming:

"The British police have only been working on what the McCann couple want them to and what suits them most."

The McCanns have been warned they face jail if they speak about the case – but Amaral appeared unconcerned by the secrecy laws as he sneered at a line of inquiry being followed by Leicestershire Police.

Amaral said a tip-off sent to Prince Charles's website that Madeleine may have been snatched by a former employee at the Ocean Club complex had "no credibility whatsoever".

He told Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticias:
"The Ocean Club is in Praia da Luz, not in London.  "That means that anything in respect to the complex and the employees – current or ex – has been or is being investigated by the Policia Judiciaria.  "It won't be an email, and an anonymous one at that, which will distract our line of investigation."

He even claimed the tipoff was created by the McCanns.

The family live in Rothley, Leicestershire, and local officers have liaised with Portuguese police since their daughter disappeared on May 3. The force organised the DNA tests and brought in the sniffer dogs that allegedly identified the scent of a dead body – which was ironically the moment suspicion turned on Kate and Gerry.

But last week it was reported that the force's role in the inquiry was "hanging by a thread''. It is not known how the sacking will influence or change police thinking in Portimao.

Under Amaral – who was in charge of running the case on a day-to-day basis – Portuguese police believed that the McCanns hid, then disposed of Madeleine's body after she died in an accident the night they said she had been abducted.

The latest theory leaked by police is that Madeleine fell down a flight of 10 steps leading from the patio to the street after being given sleeping pills.

She is said to have woken to find her parents missing, then stumbled when she went to find them – in a muddled state from the effects of the drugs.

The couple were dining with seven friends at a nearby tapas restaurant, although members of the group say they made regular checks on Madeleine and the two-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie.

Police apparently believe that despite the McCanns being under weeks of intense media scrutiny as the Find Madeleine campaign took off, they somehow moved her body in the Renault Scenic hire car they rented 25 days after her disappearance.

Forensic evidence allegedly showed Madeleine's DNA was found in the boot of the car after tests at a lab in Birmingham.

The McCanns deny having anything to do with their daughter's disappearance and have told friends they believe they are being framed by Portuguese police who have bungled the investigation.

Two days after being named as official suspects the McCanns flew back to their home leaving Portuguese police to rely on British officers to pursue inquiries in the UK.

Amaral, who headed the police force in Portimao for six years, has been at the centre of a series of controversies.

Just days ago it was revealed he has been spending as little as four-and-a-half hours a day on the case – while up to 250 potential leads have still not been checked out.

He regularly spends hours enjoying boozy lunches. Last week, while the eyes of the world were on an apparent sighting in Morocco, he spent two hours knocking back wine in his favourite fish restaurant.

Astonishingly, he was put in charge despite being an arguido [suspect] himself – after being accused of helping to cover-up an alleged assault on the mother of another missing girl.

Amaral is to face a criminal hearing for allegedly concealing evidence that three of his colleagues tortured Leonor Cipriano to extract a confession that she murdered her eightyear-old daughter Joana who went missing in September 2004.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alipio Ribeiro, Carvi Scandal, Cipriano case, Clarence Mitchell, DISGRACED, Express, Goncalo Amaral, Gonçalo Amaral, Joao Cipriano, Leonor Cipriano, Policia Judiciaria

Boozy lunches and unchecked leads
3 October 2007
The Daily Express

Goncalo Amaral has been at the centre of a series of controversies since taking over as head of police in Portimao.

Just days ago it was revealed he was spending as little as four-and-a-half hours a day on the Madeleine McCann case.

Amaral regularly enjoys boozy lunches and last week, while the eyes of the world were on an apparent sighting of the toddler in Morocco, the detective spent two hours knocking back wine in his favourite fish restaurant.

It also emerged that up to 250 potential leads have still not been checked out.

Astonishingly, Amaral was put in charge of the Madeleine case despite being an arguido – a suspect – himself.

Amaral is to face a criminal hearing for allegedly concealing evidence that three of his colleagues tortured Leonor Cipriano to extract a confession that she murdered her eightyear-old daughter Joana, who went missing in 2004.

Continue Reading... Labels: Carvi Scandal, Cipriano case, Express, Goncalo Amaral, Gonçalo Amaral, Joao Cipriano, Leonor Cipriano

Replacement Gonçalo Amaral

October 3, 2007
Substituição de Gonçalo Amaral
Director nacional da PJ explica demissão do coordenador
Replacement Gonçalo Amaral
PJ's national director explains resignation of the coordinator

Continue Reading... Labels: Alipio Ribeiro, Goncalo Amaral, Gonçalo Amaral

Detective leading hunt for Madeleine sacked after blast at UK police

Detective leading hunt for Madeleine sacked after blast at UKpolice: 
Inspector says McCanns swayed British officers 
Family lawyer attacks 'absurd' comments
Paul Hamilos, Madrid and Brendan de Beer, Portimao
3 October 2007
The Guardian

The Portuguese detective heading the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann was yesterday removed from the case and demoted from his post as chief of the police in the Algarve town of Portimao, following an outspoken attack on his British counterparts.

Inspector Goncalo Amaral has been transferred to the nearby Algarve city of Faro after criticising the British police in a leading Portuguese newspaper.

Mr Amaral, 47, has been a controversial figure from the outset of the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine on May 3 from an apartment in Praia da Luz, where she was on holiday with her parents. Mr Amaral had become a target for criticism in the British press; he has reportedly investigated only two child murders in his 26-year police career. He also faces a criminal hearing for allegedly concealing evidence, after a woman jailed for the murder of her daughter claimed his officers beat her into making a confession.

Yesterday, in an interview with the respected Diario de Noticias, Mr Amaral accused British detectives of only investigating those leads that Madeleine's parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, wanted following up. "[The British police] have only investigated tips and information developed and worked on for the McCanns, forgetting that the couple are suspects in the death of their daughter Madeleine."

Mr Amaral criticised the British police decision to investigate an anonymous tip-off emailed to Prince Charles's website claiming Madeleine was abducted by a former employee of the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz, where the McCanns were staying when she disappeared. Mr Amaral said the lead "has no credibility for the Portuguese police".

National police director Alipio Ribeiro last night confirmed that Mr Amaral had been removed from the case and demoted, saying it was a "decision I took myself".

Carlos Pinto de Abreu, the McCanns' Portuguese lawyer, told news website Portugal Diario yesterday: "The McCanns cannot confess to something they did not do and cannot and should not lie only to please the police." He said the comments by Mr Amaral were "false and absurd" and that Kate and Gerry had answered all the questions put to them by the police. Mr Abreu advised the police "to talk less and work more to find the girl".

The Portuguese minister of justice, Alberto Costa, described the cooperation between the Portuguese and British police as "beneficial", saying "we need to focus on the job in hand and not on commentary".

Mr Amaral still faces scrutiny over the case of eight-year-old Joana Cipriano, who disappeared from Figueira, not far from Praia da Luz, three years ago. Joana's mother, Leonor, was jailed for 16 years, even though the body of her daughter has never been found and she has since retracted her confession. Mr Amaral was not present at the time of her alleged beating but is accused of covering up for his colleagues, which he strenuously denies.

At the weekend Mr Amaral was criticised in the British press for allegedly working 4 1/2 -hour days, enjoying "boozy lunches" and failing to investigate most of the 252 tip-offs his officers have received.

British authorities have been working with the Portuguese from the start of the investigation. Forensic tests were conducted on behalf of the Portuguese police at a government laboratory in Birmingham. Portuguese police leaked to the local press that the evidence indicated DNA from Madeleine was in the boot of a rental car the McCanns used after her disappearance, and led to them becoming formal suspects. However, Mr Ribeiro said the forensic tests were inconclusive.

Portuguese police were yesterday in Huelva, south-west Spain, 30 miles from the border. Despite rumours that they were there to investigate a journey the McCanns made to Huelva in August, the Spanish police said that they had invited their Portuguese counterparts to celebrate the patron saint of police, Angel Custodio.

Continue Reading... Labels: Alipio Ribeiro, Carvi Scandal, Cipriano case, Goncalo Amaral, Gonçalo Amaral, Joao Cipriano, Leonor Cipriano, Policia Judiciaria

Axed detective was controversial figure in Madeleine inquiry

Axed detective was controversial figure in Madeleine inquiry
3 October 2007
02:07 AM
Press Association National Newswire

Chief Inspector Goncalo Amaral, who has been removed from the Madeleine McCann inquiry, was a controversial figure at the centre of the investigation.

There was concern when it emerged in June that he had been charged over an alleged attack on the mother of another missing girl.

The coordinator of the Policia Judiciara (PJ) in Portimao, Algarve, is one of five men accused of 'scenes of aggression'' against Leonor Cipriano, whose nine-year-old daughter, Joana, vanished in September 2004.  The little girl's body was never found but Cipriano and her brother, Joao, were charged and convicted of her murder.  She went missing from her home in Figueira, not far from where four-year-old Madeleine was abducted in Praia da Luz on May 3.

It is claimed the attack on Cipriano happened when she was questioned over Joana's apparent abduction.

The Ministerio Publico (MP), or District Attorney, charged three PJ officers with torture, a fourth with omission of evidence and a fifth with falsification of documents.

The MP did not reveal who had been charged with what offence.

Mr Amaral was 'very angry'' about the allegations and was considering taking action against the MP, according to a police source.

'He is very professional and has a lot of success in solving cases,'' the source said.  'He is very upset because reporters never speak of these successes.''

A Portuguese newspaper reported claims that the beating took place as Cipriano was questioned without a lawyer.

She lodged a formal complaint about her treatment which was followed up by the MP.

Despite the charges, Mr Amaral, who is in his late 40s, was not suspended from work.

Mr Amaral was also forced to defend taking a two-hour lunch break.

He was spotted with PJ spokesman Olegario Sousa at a fish restaurant in Portimao as the McCanns travelled to Berlin and Amsterdam to appeal for more information about their missing daughter.

A diner said he spotted them drinking what looked like white wine and whisky.

Asked if it was acceptable for police to drink alcohol in their lunch time, Mr Sousa said: 'I don't know, it is very, very sad but a person's free time is for lunch. That is normal to do.

'The persons are in charge in the day, they are working in the day but they must eat and drink - it is normal. I drink what I want to drink when I can drink.''

Continue Reading... Labels: Carvi Scandal, Cipriano case, Clarence Mitchell, Goncalo Amaral, Gonçalo Amaral, Joao Cipriano, Leonor Cipriano, Olegario Sousa, Policia Judiciaria, Press Association

New head of investigation should refocus inquiry

By PA Reporters
3 October 2007
01:29 AM
Press Association National Newswire

The new head of the Portuguese police investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann should 'refocus'' the inquiry on finding the youngster, the family's spokesman said today.

Chief Inspector Goncalo Amaral was taken off the case following his comments that Kate and Gerry McCann had been calling the shots by identifying lines of inquiry for Leicestershire officers.

The family's spokesman Clarence Mitchell told GMTV the claims were 'ludicrous''.

He added:

'What they want now is whoever takes over to refocus the inquiry on to finding Madeleine.''

Mr Mitchell said the decision to remove Mr Amaral was 'a decision for the Portuguese authorities.
''  'Kate and Gerry have always said they were more than happy to cooperate with the Portuguese authorities whoever that might be.  'So in other words, whoever takes over from Mr Amaral as head of the investigation, they will continue that cooperation and do anything that is required - including going back to Portugal for more interviews if necessary.''

Asked if it was true the McCann's were identifying lines of inquiry for Leicestershire Police, he replied: 'Of course not, it's an absolutely ridiculous suggestion.''  'It is a Portuguese-led inquiry and will remain so. And of course from time to time there is communication with Gerry and Kate as there would be in any police investigation.  'It is ludicrous to suggest that they have done anything like that.'

He called for an end to the printing of 'unsubstantiated allegations'' in newspapers in Portugal and Britain.

'What they want now is whoever takes over to refocus the inquiry on to finding Madeleine.''  'There have been so many distractions, so many unsubstantiated allegations swirling around all of this out there and repeated here in Britain.  'Surely it is now time to for all of that nonsense to end and for the search for Madeleine to be re-energised.''

Mr Amaral, who heads the regional Policia Judiciaria in Portimao, was quoted yesterday suggesting that British police had overlooked the fact that the couple remain suspects.  And he accused the McCanns of releasing new information each day in a bid to distract and confuse the 152-day-old inquiry.

The authorities in Portugal refused to discuss the decision to take him off the case.

But Portuguese Justice Minister Alberto Costa said:

'We have to concentrate on the work, not on making comments.''

Mr Amaral has been a controversial figure during the search for Madeleine, who went missing in May during a family holiday in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz.

He is one of five men charged over an alleged attack on the mother of another missing girl.  The men are accused of 'scenes of aggression'' against Leonor Cipriano, who was convicted of the murder of her nine-year-old daughter, Joana, in September 2004.

The detective was also forced to defend a two-hour lunch break with police spokesman Olegario Sousa at a fish restaurant in Portimao during the search for Madeleine. The men were spotted drinking what looked like white wine and whisky as the McCanns flew to Berlin to publicise the case.

Mr Amaral's comments yesterday were the latest salvo from the Portuguese authorities in an increasingly bitter war of words over the case.

Mr Amaral broke his silence after it was reported that an anonymous email sent to the Prince of Wales's website was being investigated by British police.

The message suggested a disgruntled employee working at the Ocean Club complex in Praia da Luz may have kidnapped the young girl.

Mr Amaral told Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticias all current and former employees at the resort have been investigated.

He said:

'The British police have only worked on what the McCann couple want them to work on and what suits them.''

Speaking about the email lead, he added:

'This situation has no credibility whatsoever for the Portuguese police.  '(British police) have investigated tips and information worked on by the McCanns, forgetting that the couple are suspected of causing the death of their daughter Madeleine.  'This story about kidnapping for revenge is another fact worked on by the McCanns.''

Earlier, Carlos Anjos, head of Portugal's police federation, accused Mr McCann of being negligent.  His comments came after Mr McCann said he believed someone was hiding in Madeleine's room when he went back to check on the children on May 3.

Mr Anjos said:

'If he was suspicious that there was a man in the apartment, and then he calmly went to dinner, then words cannot describe how negligent he is as a father.''

He also criticised what he claimed was a steady stream of information from the McCann camp. He said:

'Since their daughter disappeared, Gerry and Kate have followed a strategy of almost daily announcements of new facts.''

 

Continue Reading... Labels: Carvi Scandal, Cipriano case, Clarence Mitchell, Goncalo Amaral, Gonçalo Amaral, Joao Cipriano, Leonor Cipriano, Olegario Sousa, Policia Judiciaria, Press Association

Portuguese detective removed from Madeleine case

Portuguese detective 'removed from Madeleine case'
2 October 2007
11:44 AM
Press Association National Newswire
By Josie Clarke, PA

The Portuguese detective in charge of the Madeleine McCann inquiry was removed from the case today after accusing her parents of manipulating British police, it was reported tonight.

Goncalo Amaral was reportedly taken off the case following his comments that Kate and Gerry McCann had been calling the shots by identifying lines of inquiry for Leicestershire officers.

The detective, who heads the regional Policia Judiciaria in Portimao, said today British police had overlooked the fact that the couple remain suspects.

And he accused the McCanns of releasing new information each day in a bid to distract and confuse the 152-day-old inquiry.

Police reportedly said in a statement today that Mr Amaral had been taken off the case but gave no reason for the decision.

Portuguese Justice Minister Alberto Costa refused to comment on the case, saying in reports: 'We have to concentrate on the work, not on making comments.''

Clarence Mitchell, the family's spokesman, said tonight:
'We're aware of these reports and we simply can't comment.
'Gerry and Kate have consistently said that they are happy to cooperate fully with the Portuguese authorities and will continue to do so no matter who is in charge of the Madeleine investigation.''

Despite his previous media silence, Mr Amaral has been a controversial figure during the search for Madeleine.

Last month it emerged he is one of five men charged over an alleged attack on the mother of another missing girl.

The men are accused of 'scenes of aggression'' against Leonor Cipriano, whose nine-year-old daughter, Joana, vanished in September 2004.

The detective was also forced to defend a two-hour lunch break with police spokesman Olegario Sousa at a fish restaurant in Portimao.

The men were spotted drinking what looked like white wine and whisky as the McCanns flew to Berlin to publicise the case.

Mr Amaral's comments today were the latest salvo from the Portuguese authorities in an increasingly bitter war of words over the case.

The head of Portugal's police federation said a claim by Mr McCann that Madeleine's abductor may have been hiding in her room was a 'ridiculous episode''.

Mr Amaral broke his silence after it was reported that an anonymous email sent to the Prince of Wales's website was being investigated by British police.  The message suggested a disgruntled employee working at the Ocean Club complex in Praia da Luz may have kidnapped the young girl.

Mr Amaral told Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticias all current and former employees at the resort have been investigated.

He said:
'The British police have only worked on what the McCann couple want them to work on and what suits them.''

Speaking about the email lead, he added:
'This situation has no credibility whatsoever for the Portuguese police.  '(British police) have investigated tips and information worked on by the McCanns, forgetting that the couple are suspected of causing the death of their daughter Madeleine.  'This story about kidnapping for revenge is another fact worked on by the McCanns.''

Earlier, Carlos Anjos, head of Portugal's police federation, accused Mr McCann of being negligent.

His comments came after Mr McCann said he believed someone was hiding in Madeleine's room when he went back to check on the children on May 3.

Mr Anjos said: 'If he was suspicious that there was a man in the apartment, and then he calmly went to dinner, then words cannot describe how negligent he is as a father.''

He also criticised what he claimed was a steady stream of information from the McCann camp.

He said: 'Since their daughter disappeared, Gerry and Kate have followed a strategy of almost daily announcements of new facts.''

 

Continue Reading... Labels: Cipriano case, Clarence Mitchell, Goncalo Amaral, Gonçalo Amaral, Joao Cipriano, Leonor Cipriano, Policia Judiciaria, Press Association

Amaral accused McCanns of manipulating British police

2 October 2007
06:18 AM
Press Association National Newswire
By Chris Greenwood, PA Crime Correspondent

The Portuguese detective in charge of the Madeleine McCann inquiry today accused her parents of manipulating British police.  Goncalo Amaral said Kate and Gerry McCann have been calling the shots by identifying lines of inquiry for Leicestershire officers.

The detective, who heads the regional Policia Judiciaria in Portimao, said British police have overlooked the fact that the couple remain suspects.  And he accused the McCanns of releasing new information each day in a bid to distract and confuse the 152-day-old inquiry.  His comments are the latest salvo from the Portuguese authorities in an increasingly bitter war of words over the case.

The head of Portugal's police federation said a claim by Mr McCann that Madeleine's abductor may have been hiding in her room was a 'ridiculous episode''.

Mr Amaral broke his silence after it was reported that an anonymous email sent to the Prince of Wales's website was being investigated by British police.  The message suggested that a disgruntled employee working at the Ocean Club complex in Praia da Luz may have kidnapped the young girl.

Mr Amaral told Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticias that all current and former employees at the resort have been investigated.  He said: 'The British police have only worked on what the McCann couple want them to work on and what suits them.'' 

Speaking about the email lead, he added: 'This situation has no credibility whatsoever for the Portuguese police.  '(British police) have investigated tips and information worked on by the McCanns, forgetting that the couple are suspected of causing the death of their daughter Madeleine.  'This story about kidnapping for revenge is another fact worked on by the McCanns.''

Earlier, Carlos Anjos, head of Portugal's police federation, accused Mr McCann of being negligent.  His comments came after Mr McCann said he believes someone was hiding in Madeleine's room when he went back to check on the children on May 3.

Mr Anjos said: 'If he was suspicious that there was a man in the apartment, and then he calmly went to dinner, then words cannot describe how negligent he is as a father.''

He also criticised what he claimed is a steady stream of information from the McCann camp.

He said: 'Since their daughter disappeared, Gerry and Kate have followed a strategy of almost daily announcements of new facts.''

Despite his previous media silence, Mr Amaral has been a controversial figure during the search for Madeleine.  Last month it emerged that he is one of five men charged over an alleged attack on the mother of another missing girl.  The men are accused of 'scenes of aggression'' against Leonor Cipriano, whose nine-year-old daughter, Joana, vanished in September 2004.

The detective was also forced to defend a two-hour lunch break with police spokesman Olegario Sousa at a fish restaurant in Portimao.  The two men were spotted drinking what looked like white wine and whisky as the McCanns flew to Berlin to publicise the case.

A spokeswoman for the McCanns said Portuguese police have been 'very helpful'' by regularly updating the family on progress in the case.  She said: 'The McCanns have always worked hard to maintain a positive working relationship with the Portuguese police.  'Obviously it is in their interests to support the work they are doing to find Madeleine.''

Continue Reading... Labels: Carlos Anjos, Carvi Scandal, Cipriano case, Clarence Mitchell, Goncalo Amaral, Gonçalo Amaral, Joao Cipriano, Leonor Cipriano, Policia Judiciaria, Press Association

Dismissal of Goncalo Amaral

2 October 2007
Demissão de Gonçalo Amaral
Dismissal of Goncalo Amaral

Continue Reading... Labels: Goncalo Amaral, Gonçalo Amaral