Madeleine McCann’s parents lose challenge over Portuguese libel case

Gerry and Kate McCann argued that a former Portuguese detective’s statements had damaged their reputation. Photograph: Shutterstock

The parents of Madeleine McCann have lost their European court of human rights challenge to the Portuguese supreme court’s decision to throw out their libel case against a former detective who implicated them in their daughter’s disappearance.

Kate and Gerry McCann sued Gonçalo Amaral, who led the botched police search for Madeleine in 2007, over statements he made in a book, documentary and newspaper interview alleging that they were involved in Madeleine’s disappearance.