Madeleine McCann’s parents are STILL having to pay legal fees to fight Portuguese detective
EXCLUSIVE: Madeleine McCann’s parents are STILL having to pay legal fees to fight Portuguese detective’s sickening claim that they were responsible for their daughter’s death
- Documents reveal the McCann’s face ongoing expenses as part of libel action
- Portuguese detective Goncalo Amaral claimed they accidentally killed Maddie
- The couple won an initial libel claim challenging his outrageous claim
- But Amaral overturned the decision and it was also upheld by another court
Kate and Gerry McCann are still facing legal costs to fight sickening claims by a Portuguese detective that they were responsible for their daughter Maddie’s death, MailOnline has learned.
New documents reveal they face ongoing expenses as part of their long running libel action against the police officer who investigated the disappearance of Maddie, 14 years ago this month.
In a 2008 book Portuguese detective Goncalo Amaral claimed Kate and Gerry accidentally killed Maddie and covered it up by pretending she had been abducted.
The couple won an initial libel claim challenging his outrageous claim, but the policeman overturned the decision and it was also upheld by another court.
Kate and Gerry McCann are still facing legal costs to fight sickening claims by a Portuguese detective that they were responsible for their daughter Maddie’s death, MailOnline has learned
Two years ago court files showed the couple had had to fork out £29,500 on legal fees for Amaral. Since then they have had to pay out a further £4,229 in legal costs making a total of nearly £34,000.
The European Court of Human Rights is due to rule on a further legal appeal shortly and if the McCanns lose the right to appeal they will have to pay still further court costs to Amaral.
The latest payout is detailed in accounts for the company, Madeleine’s Fund: Leaving No Stone Unturned Limited, which is funding the search for the couple’s daughter aged three who disappeared on May 3, 2007.
Paperwork says: ‘Legal costs of £4,229 were reimbursed to the directors, Gerald and Kate McCann in relation to ongoing libel action in Portugal.’
The family’s lawyer in Portugal Isabel Duarte said she did not wish to comment on the costs.
Referring to the legal case earlier this year a close friend of the couple said: ‘It drags on and on. They go one step forward then two two back. It’s caused them so much anguish over the years and they just want to draw a line under it.
In a 2008 book Portuguese detective Goncalo Amaral (left) claimed Kate and Gerry accidentally killed Maddie (right) and covered it up by pretending she had been abducted
‘It’s never been about seeking damages but simply trying to stop false and malicious accusations being spouted. They still have no idea if their appeal in their fight for justice will be granted, or not.’
Accounts show Madeleine’s Fund had reserves of £773,629 in the year to the end of March 2020 down from £844,573 the year before.
Sales of Kate McCann’s book ‘Madeleine: Our Daughter’s disappearance and the continuing search for her’ helped boost the fund by £6,543 during the year, the accounts said.
Three-year-old Maddie went missing from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal in May 2007.
Heart doctor Gerry and medical worker Kate have fought tirelessly to find their daughter.
