Briton Could Face Jail in Portugal

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Briton could face jail in Portugal
29 November 2009 06:33pm Add commentsA British woman is facing
criminal charges in Portugal after making a complaint about a lawyer in
the Algarve, human rights campaigners have said.

Serena Wylde, 58 and from Putney, could be jailed for up to nine
months if she is found guilty of aggravated criminal defamation, Fair
Trials International said.

She wrote to the solicitor's regulatory body asking for disciplinary
action to be taken against Pimenta de Almeida Borges, who is the son of
a Supreme Court Judge in the country, after a dispute with a neighbour.

The "Ordem dos Advogados" regulatory body took no action but sent the
letter on to the prosecutor's office.

In February 2007 two police officers arrived at her home in Praia da
Luz and told her to report to police. She was later charged.

(Wouldn't this be when Praia da Luz was on Gonc's patch?)

Jago Russell, Chief Executive of Fair Trials International, said:
"This prosecution flies in the face of free speech and puts those in
positions of power beyond reproach. I am horrified that Serena is being
threatened with a prison sentence for making a complaint intended to
protect others from a lawyer's unscrupulous behaviour."

Serena Wylde said: "It is devastating to be charged with a criminal
offence. In my case this happened because I told what I believe to be
the truth and it has been turned against me by those who don't want to
hear it. This ordeal has made me question every reference point of my
daily security, and even my own sanity."

The Press Association

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.

Why is it aggravated criminal defamation to report a solicitor to his own governing body for improper action? If there is no case to answer, then a letter should have been sent back to her saying no case. It is the body itself that has defamed the solicitor by making the complaint public.

Also, if Portugal has such a things as aggravated criminal defamation why hasnt Amaral been charged, or a preliminary trial (or the equivalent) held to determine if he has a case to answer.

Accusing people of killing their child, disposing of the body and running a massive international fraud, should surely come under the guise of aggravated criminal defamation. Far far worse than complaining about the improper actions of a solicitor.

Portugal is starting to look like a third world fascist state. Unless a great deal of the story is missing, it would appear that this poor woman is being prosecuted from making a complaint against a solicitor using the correct method of lodging a complaint. I really think that this one will be dropped, as it will be a done deal if it hits the EU courts.