It’s Lincoln green for go... into FA Cup history
MADELEINE McCann’s parents have launched a desperate new bid to overturn a Portuguese court ruling that fails to clear them over her disappearance.
Yesterday their lawyer confirmed the battle could cost them hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The move comes as the Sunday Mirror tracked down the retired cop at the centre of their misery.
We found Goncalo Amaral, who led the original investigation into the missing three-year-old, sipping beer as he contemplates cashing in on the 10th anniversary of the kidnap with a SECOND book claiming the couple faked the tot’s abduction to cover up her death.
Gerry and Kate McCann have been left reeling since Portugal’s Supreme Court overturned their 2015 libel victory over his first book, The Truth Of The Lie – then dismissed their appeal.
The couple were ruled out as suspects in 2008, but judges said the shelving of the case did not mean they were officially cleared, but that “the prosecution had not managed to obtain sufficient evidence”.
They now face legal costs and the prospect of being counter-sued by Amaral – but are hitting back with a formal complaint against the ruling, says family lawyer Isabel Duarte.
They may take it to the European Court of Human Rights.
DISGRACE
Meanwhile locals in north Lisbon who know the detective – removed from the investigation into Madeleine’s 2007 disappearance on holiday in Praia da Luz – say he is keeping mum about his next book.
One said: “We all know who he is. He likes to eat in the restaurants around here but rarely mentions the case.”
Road sweeper Enrique Gonzalez said: “His favourite place is popular with police officers. He likes to talk about the old times.”
Amaral is understood to be sharing a flat with two sisters not related to him. The women would not talk about the ex-cop.
His publishers, Guerra e Paz, have denied knowledge of a follow-up book, but Amaral has reportedly insisted it is nearly finished.
McCann spokesman Clarence Mitchell warned: “If any new book he is planning is published in the UK, Kate and Gerry’s lawyers will take immediate action.” MINNOWS Lincoln City made a mockery of their 2000-1 FA Cup odds yesterday to beat Premier League Burnley 1-0 away from home and become the first non-league team to reach the quarter finals for 104 years.
Defender Sean Raggett’s headed goal in the 89th minute sent travelling fans into raptures as well as supporters watching the triumph on a big screen back at the club’s Sincil Bank ground.
And more than 1,000 punters celebrated, cashing in on one of the greatest giantkilling acts in football history as people danced and partied in the cathedral city’s streets
The club, known as the Imps, had its 2000-1 odds of winning the trophy slashed to 150-1 after Coral reported payouts on 1,039 bets at 11-1 for Lincoln to beat the Lancashire side in 90 minutes. It included two £100 bets.
As social media went into overdrive with fans from around the world messaging their delight at the result, goal hero Raggett came down to earth in his post match interview saying: “No time for celebrations – it’s North Ferriby on Tuesday”, a reference to the club’s next match in the National League. Imps boss Danny Cowley said: “We said it would be a one-in-a-hundred chance. And it was. I’m mightily proud.”
Lincoln’s victory was last night being put down to the use of a video analysis tool called Hudl, used to record all the club’s games.
The last non-league team to reach the quarter finals, Queens Park Rangers, did so months before the outbreak of the First World War. And the side that won the cup that year was – Burnley.