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McCann's anger at policeman's book saying Madeleine is dead
10 Sep 2009The father of missing Madeleine McCann said it was "unforgivable" that Portuguese people may have been led to believe his daughter was dead.
Gerry McCann was reacting to news of an injunction against the further publication of a book called The Truth of the Lie by Goncalo Amaral, a former policeman who investigated the disappearance of the youngster.
In the book, Mr Amaral alleges Madeleine is dead and that her parents Kate and Gerry McCann were somehow involved in her disappearance.
Speaking at a news conference at the Rothley Court Hotel in Leicestershire yesterday, Mr McCann, 41, said: "There's a lot of people in Portugal, who might have evidence, that believe Madeleine is dead.
"If people believe that they won't search for her and they won't come forward with information.
"I know for a fact people have been told Madeleine is dead. There is no evidence to support that and that is unforgivable."
Madeleine disappeared from her family's apartment during a holiday to the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in May 2007.
The decision by Lisbon's main civil court means that copies of the book which are still on sale have to be passed on to the McCanns' solicitors so that, if they choose, the books can be destroyed.
The decision to impose the injunction comes after a year-long campaign by the McCanns' lawyers to prevent the publication of the book and a subsequent DVD.
It also applies to a TV programme about Madeleine's disappearance which Mr Amaral produced several months ago, and the rights for a subsequent film.
Kate McCann, 41, was not present at the news conference, where her husband said the family would be pursuing damages and compensation against Mr Amaral.
Any money awarded by the courts as compensation would be ploughed back into the Find Madeleine Fund, which is paying private investigators to search for the youngster.
Mr Amaral previously worked on the investigation into the disappearance of the three-year-old but was removed from it after he criticised British police.
The injunction, granted yesterday after a hearing last week, means he has to ensure all unsold copies of the book are removed from shops and warehouses across Europe or he faces a 1,000 euro-a-day (£877) fine.
It is understood that Mr Amaral has 30 days to appeal against the injunction.
The McCanns insist that they only took legal action as a last resort, which they felt they had to launch as they tried to produce a fresh documentary earlier this year appealing for evidence in the search for their daughter while at the same time Mr Amaral was claiming that Madeleine was dead.
Mr McCann described Mr Amaral's book as a "skewed version of events".
He added: "This has been incredibly damaging. People have profited from the book. The question I would be asking is why someone would be continuing to purport a thesis that a child is dead when there is no evidence.
"As parents the search goes on and what I would ask is that if anyone has any information that might be relevant to come forward, please."
Earlier Mr McCann's family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said the couple were "absolutely delighted" by the granting of the injunction.
He said Mr Amaral's claim that he believed Madeleine was dead was threatening the search for the youngster.
The former detective also claimed he did not believe the McCanns' account that Madeleine was taken while they were eating with friends nearby.
The injunction bans Mr Amaral from repeating his claims about Madeleine or her parents. It also forces copyright for the book and the film to be passed to the McCanns' lawyers.
In a statement released earlier yesterday Kate and Gerry McCann, of Rothley, Leicestershire, said: "We are pleased with the judge's decision today preventing further distribution and sale of Mr Amaral's book and DVD - The Truth of The Lie.
"Mr Amaral's central thesis has no evidence whatsoever to support it to claim, as he did, that Madeleine is dead, and that we, as her parents, were in some way involved with her disappearance has caused our family incredible distress and continues to do so.
"Without doubt, Madeleine will have suffered as a result of the negative effect this book and DVD will have had on the search for her. Sean and Amelie need protection too, from such awful claims."
Twins Sean and Amelie, now four are the couple's younger children who were also in the holiday apartment when Madeleine went missing.
The statement ended by saying: "Hopefully this injunction today will go a long way towards reducing further unnecessary and unjust distress to us all and allow people to concentrate completely on what is important - finding Madeleine."
Reader views (3)
No wonder the McCanns are angry. They have been vilified and hurt quite enough in their search for Maddie, without this non-policeman causing any further distress in the hope of making a fast buck or two with his libelous book. The decision by the Lisbon Court to have the book destroyed is right and proper. Here´s hoping Maddie is still alive somewhere and will be found safe before long.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands, 10/09/2009 16:32
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Third world country with third world coppers. The case was flawed from the start.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 10/09/2009 13:40
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Finally!I've watched the documentary based on his book hoping that it would clear some things up but all he does is speculating.There is simply no evidence backing up his claims.It's a shame.
- Mandy, Graz,Austria, 10/09/2009 12:48
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