Gonc tries to release his book

Hi folks,
This is my tupennyworth, :

1. Murat and the McCanns were the subject of libellous comments reported in British and Portuguese Newspapers.

2. Murat and the McCanns reputations were affected by such libellous comments.

3.Murat and the McCanns took out proceedings against the British Newspapers.

4. Murat and the McCanns settled out of court with said newspapers.

5. Murat lives and works in Portugal but has family and friends in Britain.

6. The McCanns live and work in Britain.

7. Murat (according to Correiro da Manha) has started proceedings against Portuguese newspapers and 2 TV chanels.

8. The McCanns may have have similar purpose but we simply do not know.

Now as far as I can see the only facts that are different between Murat and the McCanns is their country of residence. If any of the libel actions had gone in front of a judge, I feel that this would have been taken into consideration, but they didn't. However, IMO that consideration would have only been reflected in the amount awarded.


I really feel that this subject should be put to bed so to speak. A healthy debate is good, but IMO this one has been flogged to death!!

Gerry McCann, did not get his job back, because he never lost his job, he was not sacked and he did not resign, he took unpaid leave.

If someone is defamed in the papers 24/7 and another person is defamed in the papers 1/7, it is only logical to think that those affected 24/7 are in fact worse off, especially if they live in the country this garbage was being printed in.

However, this is *not* the point, the point is that a judge would not even want to know how badly the McCann's are defamed as it would have no bearing at all on the case he/she is trying.
Still doesn't alter the fact that any judge awarding damages would take into consideration the country of the defamation and whether he worked in that country and also his good name, which would have bearing among his family and friends and the amount of damages awarded would reflect all that.


As far as saying he got off lightly, that certainly was not a reflection on his guilt or innocence, it was saying he got off lightly, because we all know how the press in this country can be when they decide to pursue someone. He got off lightly because it was settled out of court, if it went into court, it could have got really messy and very distressing for him.

I just felt that I had to make that clear.

I await to see if he does take action against the Portuguese press, now that will be interesting because they view libel differently according to Maria and if they do, then the Portuguese press will probably take him all the way *into* court.

I am also waiting to see if the McCann's take further action against the British press, the Portuguese press and the PJ. Of course this will depend on what transpires over the coming few weeks.

He got his job back after taking leave - I never said he lost his job.

Yes he had back up in returning to work however there are other areas where he did not which I have mentioned. They are both victims of the press.

Bye.... :D

Hello all, long time no see, have been reading for a while about gonc's "truth" book, interesting that the launch date coincides with the arguido release date. Just to get the vipers out of their homes, away from their computers to slaver over some more rubbish(unless they order it on-line), which is more likely.

Presenting a book as fiction, whilst publicising it as a true crime account, after being a serving officer on the case, just to get around confidentiality rules is beneath contempt. It is bad enough that a recently serving officer displays such morally corrupt behaviour by making money( like another colleague) from a missing child. This trend seems to be growing, mess up an investigation - Get taken off - write a book for the dimwitted - retire. But this individual has been told he will not get away with it so has written it as fiction; but still the dumb and dumber will believe his inadequate tales.

I only hope this sells well with his family and they are sued royally by the McCanns afterwards, Madeleine deserves better than these people making her a pension fund.

Nice to see you posting. You have definitely been lying low for a while.

The secrecy order was expected to continue until Aug 24th, but it was not extended, so the release of the recommendations has been b/fwd to today. I think that has caught a certain lying book pedlar by surprise. The thing is, this last flurry of smears is the last that will go unanswered, as from now on, the McCanns and Murat will be able to answer for themselves. And they will, they will sue for libel.

I have faith that the Portuguese people are not as stupid as their own press beleives them to be. Surely they must be questioning why, if all the latest things that have been printed are true, the McCanns have not been charged. When the evidence becomes available and these lies are refuted, and the libel cases are over, with the FindMadeleine fund having a lot more money than it started with, I hope the Portuguese people demand to know how this has happened, and how the PJ got it so very very wrong.

Hope you had a good holiday?

Succinctly put as usual, I have missed you.

Isn't it just a wonder to behold if these people were so certain of what happened to Joana and Madeleine, why they did not solve these mysteries while they were still actually police detectives and had the resources to do so?

I think these pair are odious in the extreme and beneath contempt.

From this article.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/20/madeleinemccann.ukcrime

Pinto de Abreu told The Observer that the expected 'archiving' of the police case would mean that the McCanns' legal team would also be given immediate access to the case files, which would be opened for public scrutiny after a further three weeks.

So in three weeks, the files will be available to the public. That is why Gonc has rushed the book out now. He has three weeks to get his dirty little story across before anyone will be able to publicly throw ridicule on his claims, with support of the evidence. But does he think that the McCanns will sit there while his lies go public. They will after all have access to the files, so will be able to start proceedings against him. I dont think he even has three weeks.

I wonder, why was the proposed date being published by all press for the release of the files was Aug 24th. If that was when the McCanns were expected to be given access, and it took another three weeks for full access to public, then I wonder if a certain fat boy may have been taken a bit surprised by the release of the info. He may have thought he had a full six weeks or more before anyone would be refuting his load of crap lies that he is publishing. And there would have been no one to refute the allegations he was making. Now they can be refuted immediately, certainly not helping his image. Not with an upcoming court case.

Just my own thoughts. We will never know of course, but interesting to see what happens over the next month, in regards to extracts from the book.. Will any paper print them, knowing they will be courting possible libel suit,and they have the ability to check the accuracy themselves before printing anything.

I believe that Gonc's book will be an evidence in itself, no need to wait for the release of files. Only today he gives his views to Correio da Manha and he defends that 'no evidence is not innocence' against all and any moral and legal principle of presumed innocence. Paulo Cristovao insurged yesterday against the shelving aledging 'all the evidence gathered other than arguidos' incriminating one'. I think them both, more than attacking family McCann, are playing a very dangerous political game here against their own prior employers and Public Prosecutors, betting on the proverbial 'comradeship' for support. Only here, and for the second time, they are playing with peoples lives and missing children.

I believe it actually is a good thing the book comes out prior to the files being released and the secrecy fully lifted. It will confirm the systematic use of leaks to the media as a 'investigative' method, with all the harm it brought to Madeleine (the victim) and her family, and the investigation itself . And this can backfire a second time from two directions: the portuguese judicial authorities and family McCann ( and why not R Murat? If there is anything there that he can use, I'm sure he will use it faster than the McCanns).

Maria, I think you said that major libel suits are uncommon in Portugal. If there is some doubt then whether suits (ie against press and/or police) on the part of the McCanns would succeed, that could be the cause of the unbelievable arrogance displayed by Amaral and Cristovao regarding their books, and their loudly and openly expressed opinions on the case. In England they simply could not get away with it and they would know it. This could be the reason why both the McCanns and Murat sued the press in the UK first. They might have been warned that the 'system' in Portugal was stacked against libel litigants?

It will be interesting to see what happens. If the system IS stacked against them this fact will be laid bare for the whole world to see once they bring their suits, if they do. And surely their chance of winning is greatly increased by the fact that they have been released by the Portuguese from their arguido status -- a fact not needed for their suits in the UK to succeed. This, I imagine would carry more weight in Portugal than any success they had in winning their case in England?

tulip wrote:Maria, I think you said that major libel suits are uncommon in Portugal. If there is some doubt then whether suits (ie against press and/or police) on the part of the McCanns would succeed, that could be the cause of the unbelievable arrogance displayed by Amaral and Cristovao regarding their books, and their loudly and openly expressed opinions on the case. In England they simply could not get away with it and they would know it. This could be the reason why both the McCanns and Murat sued the press in the UK first. They might have been warned that the 'system' in Portugal was stacked against libel litigants?

It will be interesting to see what happens. If the system IS stacked against them this fact will be laid bare for the whole world to see once they bring their suits, if they do. And surely their chance of winning is greatly increased by the fact that they have been released by the Portuguese from their arguido status -- a fact not needed for their suits in the UK to succeed. This, I imagine would carry more weight in Portugal than any success they had in winning their case in England?

Tulip, major or minor libel suits are uncommon in Portugal. That is due to the fact that we still are a low self estime People and therefore courts do not understand it either. I know some papers are sued regularly but that is not made public and I even watched a certain pride in exibhiting their TIRs (let's be fair, it has been during a debate about Madeleine's disappearance and to emphasise the low importance of the arguido status put on the McCanns). This gives you an idea on the low consideration our courts are taken because of their 'attitude'. That is certainly the cause of GA's and PC's arrogance. 'In Portugal they simply can get away with it and they know it.' It may also happen that PJ and PGR are fed up with these attitudes and finally start an official inquiry on their activities. PGR could even initiate a case over breach of professional secrecy: in fact, writing about any case investigations is not acceptable even if the author is no longer member of the police force who conducted it. It is as if a bank employee left and started telling the world about customers accounts' details or bank internal and confidential procedures.

The arguido status only hampers libels eventually related with the investigation. Murat started already two suits based on other libels I believe related to his private life that have nothing to do with the investigation. McCanns have probably been advised to wait, as they could have sued already: remember the accusations of swinging or Gerry not being Madeleine's father. And this advice to wait is probably due to strength the suit will have after the arguido status lifting.

I'm not sure that the british courts' decisions will 'impress' our courts, but I feel and hope that if the cause (libel for instance) is serious enough, then no 'out of court agreement' should be achieved and the case can go up to the Constitutional Court, and eventually the ECHR. Or may be our judges will finally open up their eyes and decide correctly, who knows? If that happens, wait for the bashing on them 'because there is a justice for rich and another for poor' (which unfortunately is true, but that's the world we live in and the McCanns are not to pay for it).

Very interesting. You are very objective -- I don't know if I could be in your position. I hope this will proceed as we hope, even if it will be something new for Portugal. The international dimension may make it less easy for them to get away with it this time, as the courts in most other European countries (I assume) do not have such a relaxed attitude to libel. Maybe Amaral and Cristovao (and the PJ generally) have under-estimated this?

I take your point about self-esteem. If this is generally low at a national level (and this could explain the extreme defensiveness of some Portuguese posters) the attitude could well be 'what is there to be damaged?'. Maybe this will trigger some advances or reforms? I hope so. Then something good will have come of it for Portugal.

I wonder how all the people who supported Gonc are feeling today? You know the ones that were writing to Gonc and were getting thoughtful responses from the man himself (Vile, Dr. Val, etc..)

Keep writing your letters, Vile, Dr. Val and all the gang - he'll need your support a lot more now that his court case is coming closer - I hope they allow penpals in Portugal's jails.

Calsite51!!!



"""""""""I hope they allow penpals in Portugal's jails.""""""""

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLL

I hope your referring to the type of pen????Im sure all of them will be in the same pen so they can be pals to the end...Awwwwwwwww bless them all to.And at night time the little ies can all snuggle up close to the big ie (Gonc the plonk!!)

This little ie went to market#
This little ie stayed at home
This little ie had roast beef
And this little ie had NONE!!!
And goncy little ie cried wee wee wee wee wee all the way to jail!!!!!!!!!!

He will loose a lot of weight surely.

I see with concern the big number of tv interviews where he is now a guest, the book launch and more interviews in the papers. He is the hero right now. Seriously, this can be worrying.

Furthermore, a small war of words broke out between the previous PJ director and the current one. Remember the previous director, Alipio Ribeiro (who came from the Public Attorney's office), kicked out Gonc, later declared that it had been a hasty decision to make the McCanns arguidos and then kicked himself out over a row on where PJ should be within the state organisation:ministry of justice, where it is, or internal affairs, where other polices are and he thinks it should be too. He now commented that, again, it was hasty to shelve the case, the arguido status should have been dropped but the investigation should continue. The new director (who came from PJ itself and whose name I forget) replied 'he's not remembered by being a good investigator'. This is personal attack and to me means that Gonc may, for the moment, feel comfortable about his activities and that PJ will not move a straw against him.

However, as all that's coming out of PJ and Gonc can be perceived as criticism of the Public Prosecutor, and adding these leaks, may be, just may be, there is a slight chance of an official inquiry on him initiated by the Public Prosecutor.

And you are right, Gonc is very much 'working' for his forthcoming trial by jury.

A very enlightening analysis!

When push comes to shove, I think that the McCanns will be much more concerned about their reputation in the UK than in the Algarve. There will always be people in Portugal who WANT to believe that Amaral is right and the foreigners guilty. It makes them feel better; the alternative for them is quite depressing. I know I'd feel like that if this had happened in England -- and we are a country that has quite a lot of self-esteem!

They will, I am sure, never want to go back to Portugal: Martin Brunt also said there is still a lot of anti-feeling there. I expect they would only go if it would increase the chances of finding Madeleine and I can't see how that could be.

There seem to be a lot of political ramifications too.

From what you say, Maria, legal action against Amaral or, say 24 Horas, might not go down well in Portugal. The McCanns may decide the unpleasantness it isn't worth it -- though if they could use that to swell the Madeleine fund who knows?

I would so love to see them go for these people and win.

Actually, Tulip, I feel there is a big spin going on, and it has its public, of course.

I'll tell you a true story. I was once having lunch with a (loose) friend and a girl he knew joined us at the table. We were talking about Madeleine, of course, and Joana Cipriano was mentioned. None of us trusted PJ's and doubted the thesis that the mother or uncle had killed her and all the rest. The girl immediately jumped saying that Paulo Cristovão had written a book where he states that, and therefore IT IS true, not IT MUST BE true, but IT IS true. And she closed the argument stating that nobody leaves PJ to write lies in a book. She wasn't sure about Madeleine because she hadn't read any book about it therefore she wasn't sure if Kate had done the same...!!! This was last November. My friend told me not to worry, as she was a simple minded girl, but how many of those do we have?

But I'm sure that Gonc needs desperately to hide his forthcoming trial. And the problem is that Leonor Cipriano does not have well reputed lawyers by her side, as I said, there is a justice for poor... This book is a good chance for him, if the McCanns sue first, the patriotism will come out in force and we may well see many people, who don't approve of his actions, closing ranks against the 'imperialistic' or 'patronising' british.

I don't think however that the McCanns should be put off of a proper law suite if they feel they have a case (many cases I would say). They are not here to please anyone, but to find their daughter and seek justice. I don't think they are there for the money. And what works in one way on the media may well backfire in court. I would give Gonc the rope, he is absolutely capable of hanging himself.

One final info: we are going in judicial holidays, the McCanns will not be able to file any charges before September. Gonc's trial is in September as well.

I don't feel this is a very coherent piece, emotions and english are very much in the way... Sorry.

What you say makes perfect sense Maria. Your English is totally coherent and the points you make equally so.

There are of course large numbers of people in all countries who believe everything they read and who never think to question what they see as authority. Maybe they are lazy, or not very clever, or maybe they have just been brought up in an environment where any questioning or argument is frowned upon. Bearing in mind Portugal's history, the acceptance of what one is told may be more common there than it is here, where people have come to be cynical and not easily fooled. Perhaps TOO cynical sometimes.

I hope that Amaral will fail to muddy the water before his trial with his book and media appearances. After all, as you say, finally the law decides, not the media. I'm sure the representatives of the law in Portugal are not naive and -- unlike Amaral -- do not have a personal axe to grind, and will be interested more in facts than in self-preservation!

The McCann's legal advisers will know what to do and when, and what the chances of success are. After all, they have legal representatives in both countries, who probably collaborate. I agree that there is likely to be a defensive closing of ranks in Portugal if they do decide to sue. It's a natural reaction even in less passive societies. But the McCanns are very brave and have been toughened I think by what has happened in the past year. If they can handle that they can handle 'public opinion' in a place where they do not even live. They have survived much worse.

I think they will set a lot of things in motion first to revive the efforts to find their daughter, so the recess in Portugal is unlikely to be an issue. By then they will be in a better position to decide what legal action to take, if any. We all want to see Amaral's nose rubbed in what he has done (and failed to do); maybe the courts will do that for us before any lawsuit is started at this end!

First I just want to say that your English is very good and I can understand you with ease.

I have read this thread with interest and find then insight you give about the legal system and attitudes in Portugal to be enlightening and thank you for providing them, they have certainly helped me come to a better understanding of the situation in your country.

I agree with you about your comments on Amaral and Cristoavo, I hope that when they go to court that true justice can be done for Leonor Cipriano. Maybe because of all the publicity that the Madeleine abduction has given Amaral and Cristaovo, it may cause the jury at their trial to think more carefully.

I understand that at Leonor's original trial there was much controversial evidence put forward and that the blood found in the freezer which Amaral said belonged to Joana, turned out NEVER to have been DNA tested and when Leonor's legal team requested that the samples be DNA tested, they were told that the sample had been discarded, thrown away?! Amazing as this should never have happened.

I also understand at Leonor's trial one judge insisted on going on record as saying he thought Leonor Cipriano was innocent, so the decision between these three judges was NOT unanimous?

Hopefully, when this gets back in court Leonor will get justice and there will be a retrial and Amaral and Cristoavo and the others will get what they deserve.

This time the eyes of the world will be on that trial and wanting to know what has happened and what really happened to Leonor and what made her suddenly confess to killing her daughter without her lawyers being present, in fact she had no legal representation at all.

I find it astonishing that apparently Amaral has only ever conducted two abduction investigations that of Joana Cipriano and Madeleine McCann and both times he has turned around and blamed the people closest to these children and both times there has been no body.

Then we have the very convenient way that Leonor Cipriano's lawyer was caught trying to smuggle drugs into the very prison that Leonor Cipriano is in. Why would this lawyer do this at this very time? I would have thought that he would be acutely aware that there were many PJ who would be extremely angry with him for bringing this against Amaral, cristovao and the others and isn't it also strange that Goncalo Amaral, used to be head of the drug squad?
I really cannot see that this man Jaeo Grade would be so stupid as to take drugs into a prison at this very time, when he was being heavily monitored and probably his every action logged somewhere.

Rosie

Leonor's case has been an abhorration since the beginning, I would say.

1. There were investigations and she and her brother were preventively jailed. At the same time, the 'charges' were made public (more than leaked): she mothered several children from different husbands; she allegedly used to maintain incestuous relations with her brother; Joana came home and caught them in the act and treathened to tell her stepfather (whom she loved and by whom she was loved); they then killed her, quartered her and kept her in a deep freezer (not sure if they quartered first or after freezing) and finally bleached the whole house to destroy DNA(!!!).
2. This immediately ignited popular indignation in the village and country. If they were released from jail they would have been lynched for sure.
3. Interrogations went on WITHOUT the presence of the arguidos' lawyers and PJ officers lead to several places where the body would have been hidden. No success finding the body or any part of it.
4. PJ eventually got a confession from Leonor and a reenactment by her brother (João) of the killing and dismembering. This one was videoed. News on these actions were immediately made public. Again.
5. Pictures of Leonor with two black eyes and bruised all over were published in the papers. PJ justifies with a suicide attempt (throwing herself down a staircase...). Legal representatives (lawyers) blaming PJ of torture to silence her on a new revised confession where she admitted selling Joana and not killing her. Again, interrogated without her lawyer. Low profile confession leak in the news.
6. Now the intriguing thing. Leonor was the guinea-pig of newly introduced 'trial by jury' where a court, instead of being constituted by 3 judges, is constituted by 2 judges and a jury, a person from the public. Don't know how this person is chosen, but being everybody so much emotionally involved and the lack of experience s/he would have, it is puzzling how this was decided. Also don't know who decides for this or that type of court.
4. PJ presents as 'evidence' the reenactment video in spite of having been advised by the court not to do it as it was not amissable. IMO this was to act emotionally on the jury. No other real evidence, as you know, was presented, just the confessions. Defendants remained silent, probably afraid of further torture, I say.
5. The verdict was based on the court's beliefs not on evidence and you are right, not by unanimity. The case went up to the Supreme Court and the sentencing was always maintained on the same grounds and by the same result: 2 to 1.

And why am I recalling all this?

Because Gonc will also answer to a COURT JURY not an ordinary one. He desperately needs to create a tide of support in order to ensure the jury is on his side and bet on one of the judges. Hence the book and previous smears and leaks: to use this little window of opportunity for publicity during the judicial holidays. If he manages to 'convince' he was right on the second abduction case he handled, he is much more credible on his defence and he may get another victory of the 'feeling' over 'evidence'. His only chance lays there and he knows it. It is not by chance that the book will be launched in Lisbon, of course, and then in Portimão, where he lives, used to work and will be trialed. Excellent opportunity to directly contact with the people.

IMO he is too arrogant to even consider an inquiry from the public prosecutor if he publishes a book such as the one we are expecting. On that one, he is counting on 'solidarity between peers'. The launch in Portimão will be a good test/show. But I believe this time he is defying the prosecutor, as the decision to shelve was his, and not PJ's. And if you read the prosecutor's report carefully, it is demolishing for the police: so much people, so much work, so much money and not enough evidence of anything.

Rosie, why only two cases? There weren't any others in Algarve where he was working -- at least that we know of. Although even if it was just one, it would have been one too much. And yes, that is the point that in my opinion will come out clearly out of all this: he is incompetent, unable of investigating with impartiality or objectivity so he relys on the 'statiscs' that say that most child abuse comes from the closest family.

And he probably is an avid criminal fiction reader to come up with such unbelievable explanations. By the way, this man could well be one of the film writers for the 'Tales of the unexpected' series. Hitchcock wouldn't do better. Have you watched it?

Uncannily, you have repeated much of what I predicted in this forum a week ago, to me it was clear what this man was doing.
I think I said in another reply to you on another thread that I was pessimistic about his trial by jury and for much the same reasons as you have stated.
However, I do take a little heart from your explanation about the prosecutor and the evidence in the Madeleine case. It does all seem such a mess, so much time money and manpower and nothing at the end of it all and poor Madeleine the victim is still missing and her parents still trying desperately to find their daughter, often against such terrible odds and adversity.

I am hoping that the people of Portugal can see for themselves what has happened here, although they may not be very vocal about it, they may just see that something is very wrong and who knows, perhaps the jury for Amaral's trial will be taken unknowingly from these people.

I would think that without a doubt this book of his will get published, I had hoped that the McCann's legal team may be able to prevent it, if it was going to be published in this country they would have almost certainly been able to prevent it, but of course Portugal has different laws. But these laws are not going to be able to prevent him from being sued for libel and I do not think that there is any doubt that this will happen now.

As you say your authorities in Portugal are not too happy about him writing and publishing this book, so any subsequent lawsuit is bound to be affected by this. It is hard for us here to accept that a serving policeman has written such a book and then allowed to publish it. Even if he is not serving now, he was when he wrote it.
If he is still governed by certain laws as you have said, why hasn't he been prevented from publishing this book?

Thinking about it, I can actually see this whole thing backfiring on him badly, the support he was hoping to drum up by means of this book, may simply not happen.

I feel the reason this book is in existence is because he is using it like some kind of stay out of jail card and this is why he was hoping to secure a conviction in the Madeleine case by any means possible, as it would look good on him when he went to court to face trial over the alleged torture of Leonor Cipriano.

Hi Rosie, Dianeh, and all, great reading, :D

Rosie, good to see you too, it's been too long . I agree with most of what you say but think Goncs views are more monetary related, rather than his impending trial. Unfortunately, I don't think a prison term will be implemented, even if he is found guilty.(Hi Maria, would like your thoughts on this one) More likely he will be forbidden to serve in the Portuguese Services again, which means nothing really, as he has already gone. The book will and has ( TV appearances, radio interviews prior to launch ), made him money. This I feel is the only reason, a pension fund, I know I am repetitive with this claim but it sickens me to my stomach, that a missing child would be used as such.The man deserves to rot!

Dianeh, good to see you, I also believe the Portuguese people are not stupid and will question the ridiculous behaviour of their press, the PJ and in particular the leaks and the unbelievable theories which have been"investigated". I agree the McCanns and Murat can and will hopefully sue but the political game which has been played over the past year has- as was seen on TV this week- taken a toll on all. Heartbreaking! but I hope they do.

Great news about the arguido status lift, about time too, shameful behaviour on behalf of the Portuguese PJ yet again, releasing info to a newspaper, more monetary gain for someone in the know.

The most important aspect of this entire "investigation" was finding Madeleine and they didn't come close, for people to reward a fat, greedy misogynist for a fictional take on his incompetence is beyond shameful.

Madeleine McCann deserves better, she should not be exploited in this way!.

We dont know if the PJ (or rather certain members or ex members of said) were incompetent, or not. There are other options that need to be investigated in an open, public inquiry into this investigation, before we can say for sure they were incompetent.

At the very least, a review by another force needs to occur, and after that we can judge whether or not incompetence or some other reason was the cause of this disgraceful display from the PJ.

By Fiona Govan in Lisbon
Last Updated: 9:03PM BST 23 Jul 2008

Goncalo Amaral, who led the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance until he was sacked last October, has chosen to speak out about the case within days of it being shelved and the parents cleared of any involvement.

In the book, which will appear in bookshops across Portugal on Thursday, the detective reveals details of first five months of the investigation and presents his theories on what happened to the girl who disappeared shortly before her fourth birthday from a holiday apartment in the Algarve.

The McCanns, both 40, were said to be appalled at the contents of the book after excerpts were leaked to Portuguese newspapers and preparing to sue.

Mr Amaral, 48, also criticises elements of the probe, including contamination of the crime scene at a very early stage by his own officers.

"Gerry and Kate are going to sue over this book," said a source close to the family.

The book reveals intimate details about the life of the couple in the days after their daughter's disappearance.

Clarence Mitchell, the family's spokesman, said: "People should bear in mind that Amaral is a discredited former police officer who was removed from the case for criticising Leicestershire police.

"His own Attorney General ... on Monday, made it very clear there is absolutely no proof that any criminal offence was committed by Kate or Gerry."

He accused the detective of shamelessly attempting to cash in on Madeleine's plight.

"Amaral is seeking to make money out of Madeleine's situation and is seeking publicity – it's quite disgusting," he said admitting that legal advice had been taken.

"The libel lawyers who are representing Kate and Gerry and their friends are assessing every word of this book very closely, and they will not hesitate from taking legal action against Amaral if any passage requires it."

The former chief inspector, who retired from the force earlier this month following criticism over the way he handled the case, explained his motivation to write the book.

"I feel the time has come to restore my reputation after it was publicly sullied and I had no recourse within the institution that is the Policia Judiciaria," he wrote in an author's statement released with the book.

"I also want to contribute to finding out the truth and seek justice for Madeleine," he added.

Writing a pack of lies and innuendo, that includes slagging off his fellow officers, the British police and Forensic evidence, as well as his continual accusations against the McCanns, is going to restore his reputation

If it werent so serious it would be funny.

Oh and of course restoring his sullied reputation was his reason for writing the book. I suppose he is then going to donate the proceeds of the book to the Portuguese Missing Children's Organisation (dont know its proper name), or to some other charity for children. Or just pocket the money. Well, he is going to need it to pay the legal costs against his libel case. If he loses, and even if damages awarded are small by our standards, he will still have large legal costs to pay. :duh: