Scottish Daily Record
Janice Burns
DAD'S OUTBURST AT COURT HEARING
GERRY McCann yesterday angrily accused a Portuguese ex-cop of endangering the hunt for his missing daughter Madeleine.
The Scots doctor twice addressed reporters directly outside Lisbon's main civil court - after sitting through two days of accusations that he and wife Kate faked Madeleine's abduction in 2007.
Meanwhile, the former detective whose book and TV documentary led to the trial provoked outrage by telling a British TV crew at the court: " F the McCanns ."
Goncalo Amaral, who was thrown off the McCann case only months into the hunt, made the foul-mouthed outburst when asked:"Is your book hurting the McCanns?"
He then appeared to laugh as he walked away.
A McCann family friend said:"It's disgraceful and gives a true measure of the man."
In the trial, Amaral is attempting to overturn an injunction banning further publication of his book and stopping him repeating his claims about the McCanns.
Glasgow-born heart consultant Gerry and his GP wife Kate are suing him for more than £1million for defamation but no date has yet been set for that case.
Yesterday, a visibly frustrated Gerry, 41, said the main motive for challenging Amaral is their fear that people will stop looking for Madeleine if they think she is dead.
He insisted there was no evidence to support Amaral's claims that Madeleine died in her family's Algarve holiday flat on the night she vanished, just before her fourth birthday.
"Over the last two days, we've heard a lot about Mr Amaral's thesis that Madeleine is dead," he said.
"And I also hope you've heard that there is absolutely no evidence to support that thesis.
"A thesis without evidence is meaningless. It's evidence we're interested in. There is no evidence that Madeleine is dead, that's what you heard yesterday."
Gerry was asked by a reporter whether it was worth the emotional cost for the couple to attend the court.
He replied: "Do you have children? Anyone who has children would go through the same process."
He added: "We're looking for new information to help the search."
A former senior detective called as a witness by Amaral yesterday dismissed the theory that Madeleine was abducted.
Francisco Moita Flores, a criminologist and a writer, told the court it would be impossible to pass a child through the window of the McCanns' holiday flat.
Prejudice
He also defended the way that the Portuguese police investigated the case, praised Amaral as a "good professional" and said his book did not prejudice the inquiry.
Isabel Duarte, the McCanns' lawyer, argued that the police files reached no conclusion about the window and said there were other ways Madeleine could have been taken from the apartment.
The case will continue today and the judge, Maria Gabriela Cunha Rodrigues, could order further hearings.
The McCanns say any damages awarded to them would go towards funding the hunt for Madeleine.
Gerry was last night returning to his home in Rothley,Leicestershire, because of work commitments.
Fiona Payne, one of the friends who was on holiday with the McCanns when Madeleine disappeared on May 3 2007, is flying out to support Kate.
Previous Article
