McCann libel hearing in Portugal

The mother of missing Madeleine McCann has asked to be able to give evidence against a former Portuguese police chief in their libel action against him.

Kate and Gerry McCann are suing Goncalo Amaral over claims in his book, The Truth of the Lie, which discussed their daughter's disappearance.

They have also taken legal action against the book's publisher and the makers of a documentary based on the book.

Mr McCann has already requested to give evidence - and the family's spokesman has now confirmed Mrs McCann will join him. The judge in Lisbon has yet to rule on either application.

The McCanns' pain over the disappearance of their daughter was "multiplied 100 times" by a book by a former Portuguese police chief, a court has heard.

Gerry McCann's sister Trish Cameron said he and wife Kate had been "demonised" and "vilified" by the disappearance of Madeleine and claims that they were somehow involved.

She was speaking at the trial of former police chief Goncalo Amaral whose book, The Truth Of The Lie, suggested the McCann's hid their daughter's body after she died in an accident and faked an abduction.

The father of Madeleine McCann will return to a Portuguese court today hoping to give evidence at his family's libel case against a former local police chief.

Gerry McCann wants to give evidence in the case against Goncalo Amaral, who published a book making allegations about Madeleine's disappearance in May 2007.

Gerry and his wife, Kate, say claims made by the former detective in his book, The Truth Of The Lie, damaged the search for their missing daughter.

Mr Amaral suggested the McCanns hid their daughter's body after she died in an accident and faked an abduction.

If successful in their case the McCann family stands to gain around £1million in damages.

Mr McCann was left frustrated after flying to Portugal last week, when proceedings were adjourned because one of Mr Amaral's lawyers could not be present.

The hearing for the McCann family's libel case against a former police detective has reportedly been delayed today because the son of the lawyer for Goncalo Amaral is ill.

Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt, who is at the court in Lisbon, has reported:

Read: Gerry McCann at libel trial

Gerry McCann said that he was "disappointed" after a hearing at a Lisbon court was delayed but added that he "would come back" to give evidence in the family's libel case against a former detective.

He said: "Obviously we are disappointed.

"If I get the opportunity to be heard, I will certainly come back."

Read: Gerry McCann at libel trial

Gerry McCann said that he was not expecting the hearing to be delayed at a Lisbon court. He was in hoping to give evidence in the family's libel case against a former detective. The hearing was postponed because the defence lawyer had to care for his ill son.

Mr McCann said: "The law has changed, and I think that Kate and I know better than anyone else what we have experienced, and what we have gone through, the facts of the file and the damage that has been caused to the search for Madeleine."

Read: Gerry McCann at libel trial

The mother of missing girl Madeleine McCann had suicidal thoughts after a Portuguese police chief claimed in a book that she had covered up her daughter’s death, a libel trial reportedly heard.

Kate McCann “thought about not being around anymore” after the publication of Goncalo Amaral’s book, ‘The Truth of the Lie’, according to psychologist Alan Pike, who supported the parents after their daughter disappeared in 2007.

According to AFP News Agency, Pike told the court about Kate McCann’s feelings in an on-going libel trial in Portugal:

“Kate talked about not being around anymore, and referred to killing herself as an option. I deduced it was an indication of how she felt rather than something she ever intended to do.”

The libel case against a former local police chief who initially led the inquiry into Madeleine McCann's disappearance is expected to resume today in Portugal.

Goncalo Ameral published a book making allegations about the three-year-old's disappearance, claiming her parents Kate and Gerry McCann had covered up her death during a family holiday.

Kate McCann says she is fighting for justice for her daughter Madeleine at the libel action against a former Portuguese police chief as the trial enters its second day.

Goncalo Amaral published a book claiming Madeleine is dead and that her parents covered it up.

The mother of Madeleine McCann has returned to Portugal for the start of the family's libel action against a former police chief. Goncalo Ameral was the Portuguese detective who initially led the inquiry into Madeleine's disappearance.

He published a book making allegations about the three year old's disappearance claiming the McCann's had covered up her death during a family holiday