# Parents of Missing Madeline McCann Fight Claims They Faked Her Disappearance

- Link: https://stayathomemum.com.au/family/kids/parents-of-missing-madeline-mccann-fight-claims-they-faked-her-disappearance/
- Published: 2017-02-21T11:25:52+11:00
- Author: Clare Whitfield

## _The parents of missing British girl, Madeline McCann, have launched a legal battle�over�claims made by a former Portuguese detective that they faked their daughter’s disappearance._

Kate and Gerry McCann want to�overturn a court ruling that failed to clear them 
of involvement in their three-year-old daughter’s disappearance.

They lost their appeal in the Portuguese Supreme Court earlier this month over a
controversial book titled,�_The Truth of the Lie,�_written by Detective Goncalo 
Amaral, a former detective who was the lead investigator on the case.

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In the book, Amaral posed�a theory that�the girl had died while on holiday with 
her family in Praia da Luz in 2007 and her disappearance was a ‘cover-up.’

The book_�_was published days after Portuguese police announced that the parents
were no longer suspects in their daughter’s disappearance.

The couple have won a libel case against Detective Amaral in�2015, who was ordered
to pay�$585,000 in damages.

However, the ruling was revoked last year�and the Supreme Court then ruled the couple
were not “formally in the clear”.

The couple then lodged a formal complaint against the Supreme Court ruling, saying
it was “extremely disappointing”.

There are reports�that the couple will consider taking their case to the European
Court of Human Rights.

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In a statement, the couple said:

> “It is eight years since we brought the action, and in that time the landscape
> has changed dramatically, namely there is now a joint Metropolitan Police and 
> Policia Judiciaria investigation which is what we have always wanted.
> “The police in both countries continue to work on the basis that there is no evidence
> Madeleine has come to physical harm.
> “We will of course be discussing the implications of the Supreme Court ruling 
> with our lawyers in due course.”

Sources:�[9news.com.au](http://www.9news.com.au/world/2017/02/20/15/53/madeleine-mccanns-parents-to-fight-claims-they-faked-daughters-disappearance)
�and�[Au.news.yahoo.com](https://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/34455485/maddie-mccanns-parents-likely-heading-back-to-court-after-losing-appeal-over-book-alleging-cover-up/#page1)

![author avatar](https://i0.wp.com/stayathomemum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/
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 Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

 Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical
home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney,
she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school 
age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience
in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

 [See Full Bio](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/) [  ](https://stayathomemum.com.au/author/clare_whitfield/)