ISSUES OF libel, privacy and general standards in the press are to be investigated by a parliamentary committee in the UK following a string of successful court cases in relation to coverage of the Madeleine McCann case.
The press self regulation regime in the UK is expected to be tightened while the Press Complaints Commission is set to be scrutinised after failing to launch its own inquiries into coverage about the Madeleine case.
The news comes days after former arguido Robert Murat received undisclosed awards from British Sky Broadcasting Ltd following the publication of an article and video on the Sky News website claiming that his behaviour was “reminiscent of child murderer Ian Huntley”.
UK release?
Meanwhile, Gonçalo Amaral, the author of the controversial book Maddie: The Truth about the Lie, has spoken to UK newspaper The Independent about the prospect of his book being published in the UK.
He told the newspaper that he had received “numerous messages of support and solidarity since being taken off the case, including from the UK”, messages that motivated him to tell people what he knew about the case.
Clarence Mitchell, spokesman for the McCanns, said: “Lawyers for Kate and Gerry have been aware of what Mr Amaral has been alleging for some time. What he has said and written before now is grossly defamatory of them.”
Gonçalo Amaral responded to this by stating that: “The details in the book are facts, happenings and objective data which figure in the process, not lies.”
Do you have a view on this story? Email: [email protected]
