Madeleine McCann parents

2022 - 9 - 20

Post cover — Image courtesy of "Sky News"

Madeleine McCann's parents lose legal battle over detective's ... (Sky News)

Lawyers for Kate and Gerry McCann argued that the Portuguese authorities had breached their right to respect for a private and family life in the way the courts ...

Mr Amaral was ordered to pay the McCanns €500,000 in libel damages by a Lisbon court in 2015, but the decision was overturned and then thrown out by the Portuguese Supreme Court in 2017. "It followed that the national authorities had not failed in their positive obligation to protect the applicants' right to respect for their private life." The court added: "The information had thus been brought to the public's attention in some detail even before the investigation file was made available to the media and the book in question was published. Instead, this was "a result of the suspicions expressed against them, which had led to their being placed under investigation" and had led to intense media attention and controversy. Lawyers for Kate and Gerry McCann argued that the Portuguese authorities had breached their right to respect for a private and family life in the way the courts there dealt with their libel claims against Goncalo Amaral. Any damage to Kate and Gerry McCann's reputation would have arisen not from the detective's book but from the fact that they had been suspects in their daughter's disappearance, the European Court of Human Rights ruled.

Madeleine McCann's parents lose challenge over Portuguese libel ... (The Guardian)

Couple sought redress from European court of human rights after libel case against detective was overturned. Gerry and Kate McCann at inquiry into press ...

It was the first time Portuguese authorities had [officially identified a suspect](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/apr/21/madeleine-mccann-man-named-as-formal-suspect-by-portuguese-authorities) in the case since Madeleine’s parents were declared as such in 2007. But an appeal court [overturned the decision](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/apr/20/libel-conviction-ex-detective-goncalo-amaral-madeleine-mccann-overturned) the next year and, in 2017, the supreme court also [found against the McCanns](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/feb/01/madeleine-mccanns-parents-lose-libel-case-appeal-in-portugal). The focus is now rightly on the search for Madeleine and her abductor(s).” He later took part in a documentary for Portuguese television. In a statement, they said they were “naturally disappointed” by the decision but much had changed since they started legal proceedings 13 years ago. It followed that the national authorities had not failed in their positive obligation to protect the applicants’ right to respect for their private life.”

Madeleine McCann's parents lose court challenge over detective's ... (BBC News)

The parents of Madeleine McCann have lost the latest stage of a battle over legal judgements made about claims from a Portuguese police detective.

It also said that, in its ruling, Portugal's Supreme Court had not "made comments implying any guilt... In a judgement on Tuesday, however, the court said that the couple were already public figures before Mr Amaral's book was published and that any damage to their reputation had been caused by the fact they had been declared suspects, not Mr Amaral's claims. In their case at the European Court, the couple said the Portuguese courts had failed to uphold their right to a private life and their presumption of innocence.

Madeleine McCann's parents 'disappointed' after losing legal battle (BreakingNews.ie)

Lawyers for Kate and Gerry McCann argued that Portuguese authorities had breached their right to respect for a private and family life in the way the courts ...

“It followed that the national authorities had not failed in their positive obligation to protect the applicants’ right to respect for their private life.” It said: “While the Court understood that the book’s publication had undeniably caused anger, anguish and distress to the applicants, it did not appear that the book, or the broadcasting of the documentary, had had a serious impact on the applicants’ social relations or on their legitimate and ongoing attempts to find their daughter.” In a judgment published on Tuesday, the European Court of Human Rights found that the couple’s reputation had been damaged by the fact that they were made official suspects in the case for a short time, rather than Mr Amaral’s comments.

Madeleine McCann's parents lose European Court of Human Rights ... (Independent.ie)

Kate and Gerry McCann sued Mr Amaral for libel. In 2015, a Portuguese court ruled in their favour, ordering Mr Amaral to pay them damages. Two years later the ...

“The focus is now rightly on the search for Madeleine and her abductor(s). The parents were questioned by police as formal suspects that autumn. In 2015, a Portuguese court ruled in their favour, ordering Mr Amaral to pay them damages.

Madeleine McCann's parents lose European court challenge over ... (The Irish Times)

Couple sued man who led botched police investigation over comments alleging they were involved in disappearance of child in 2007.

It was the first time Portuguese authorities had officially identified a suspect since Madeleine’s parents were declared as such in 2007. In a statement, they said they were “naturally disappointed” by the decision but much had changed since they started legal proceedings 13 years ago. It followed that the national authorities had not failed in their positive obligation to protect the applicants’ right to respect for their private life.”