At the start of the libel trial in Lisbon today, Tavares de Almeida is cross-examined by the McCanns legal team.

Sr. Almeida pulls no punches and the McCanns’ lawyer is rebuked for making a false allegation against Sr. Almeida.

Here is a blow-by-blow account of the events in the courtroom courtesy of Sky’s Jon di Paolo:

Live From Court in Lisbon: Morning Session

8:40: [Jon di Paolo] Good morning, I’m outside the Palacio da Justica in Lisbon where the McCann libel trial will take place.
9:03: Camera crews and photographers are gathering outside the court.
9:05: The police have put barriers up outside the court entrance – they’re obviously expecting large crowds.
9:52: The McCanns have arrived at court. Word so far is that Goncalo Amaral is still yet to get here.
10:20: We’re in court awaiting the arrival of the judge and legal teams. The McCanns are sitting in the front row at the centre.
10:23: We’re sitting two rows behind the McCanns. The benches at the back of the courtroom are full of journalists from the UK and Portugal.
10:25: The legal teams have arrived. Goncalo Amaral is sitting on one of the benches at the side of the court, around 15ft away from the McCanns.
10:28: On the wall above the judge’s chair is a large 3D frieze depicting the judgement of Solomon – complete with baby being held up by swordsman.
10:36: A clerk carrying a large bundle of files has just come in, but we’re still waiting for the judge.
10:39: The judge has arrived – a young woman! Proceedings should now be able to get under way.
10:41: One of the policemen set to give evidence will do so by video link tomorrow, we are told.
10:46: Mr Amaral’s lawyer addresses the court, speaking very slowly and deliberately.
10:47: He is declaring the ‘principle of contradiction’ – the legal basis for Mr Amaral’s argument to be made.
10:47: Mr Amaral’s lawyer has said that the McCanns should take the stand in order to answer questions.
10:51: The McCanns’ lawyer replies that the couple are prepared to give evidence but only after Mr Amaral has done so.
10:52: The McCanns are having proceedings translated by interpreters seated either side of them.
11:00: The McCanns’ legal team is calling a new witness, Luis Frois, on a date to be scheduled on the 14th.
11:01: The mention of ‘a date to be scheduled on the 14th’ indicates proceedings are set to last longer than the three days set for them.
11:07: Mr Amaral’s lawyers want a CD containing police case files to be submitted as evidence because it would corroborate the claims in his book.
11:11: The McCanns’ lawyer is arguing against allowing the police CD to be submitted to the court.
11:20: The first witness is being called by videoconference.
11:23: It is the attorney who was in charge of the original inquiry into Madeleine’s disappearance, Jose Magalhaes e Menezes.
11:25: His testimony is marred by a high-pitched whine of feedback from the microphone – and the fact the screen can’t be seen by the public.
11:26: The McCanns can’t see the person giving evidence. Mr Amaral can, but doesn’t seem to be looking at him.
11:26: Mr Amaral’s lawyer is cross-examining the witness.
11:37: Mr Menezes is saying that English police sniffer dogs were brought in to help in the search for Madeleine.
11:38: He says that the decision to make the McCanns ‘arguidos’ – suspects – was taken by the police and then confirmed by the public attorney.
11:39: The decision to designate Kate and Gerry as ‘arguidos’ was taken after the sniffer dogs carried out their searches.
11:40: There were several possible charges that could have been brought against the McCanns: kidnapping and selling a child were among them.
11:48: The witness was asked what the probability was of Madeleine still being alive. He replied that he thought it was 50/50.
11:55: Mr Menezes said that a claim made by the McCanns on the first day after Madeleine’s disappearance was not true.
11:56: The witness said that Kate and Gerry’s report that they had been checking on their daughter every half an hour was inaccurate.
11:57: He claimed that although the parents had been checking on Madeleine, it was not as often as every 30 minutes.
12:01: Police intercepted text messages sent by the McCanns because they were suspicious of the parents’ role in Madeleine’s disappearance.
12:02: The text messages sent by Kate and Gerry were never admitted as evidence gathered as part of the investigation.
12:08: Mr Menezes said he has not read the book written by Mr Amaral that triggered this case, Maddie: The Truth of the Lie.
12:18: A report signed by Chief Inspector Tavares De Almeida said that Madeleine died in the flat in Praia da Luz, the witness adds.
12:19: Now it is the turn of the McCanns’ legal team to cross-question the witness.
12:24: The McCanns’ lawyer makes the point that ‘evidence’ usually sightings – has suggested Madeleine is still alive.
12:25: He says that the McCanns are not responsible for generating any of this ‘evidence’ that their daughter is not dead.
12:26: Another of the McCanns’ lawyers moves to quiz the witness – literally. She gets out of her seat and walks right up to the video screen.
12:33: She says that the McCanns were always totally prepared to come back to Portugal to take part in a reconstruction of the disappearance.
12:34: The McCanns’ lawyer asks the witness whether he understands the title of Mr Amaral’s book to imply some sort of dishonesty by the McCanns.
12:38: Who suggested the checking of the McCanns’ text messages, Mr Menezes is asked. The police, he replies.
12:39: The text messages were never considered as part of the investigation because the judge did not allow it, the court hears.
12:45: The senior lawyer for the McCanns has approached them on the front bench of the public gallery for a quick huddled conversation.
12:48: Tavares de Almeida, chief inspector of police at the time of Madeleine’s disappearance, has taken the stand to give evidence.
12:48: He was involved in the case from the beginning, but taken off it in September 2007.
12:51: Mr de Almeida tells the court that he is still working as member of the Portuguese police.
12:52: He tells the court that British police took an active part in the investigation.
12:53: He said the Portuguese detectives found the co-operation given by their British counterparts useful.
12:54: The British police told the Portuguese officers what the capabilities of the sniffer dogs being used in the investigation were.
12:56: One of the dogs used to search the apartment in Praia da Luz identified blood and another identified the smell of a human body.
12:58: The dogs detected the traces inside the dining room of the holiday flat and in the car the McCanns were using.
1:02: The animals also found a scent on a piece of cloth in a flat rented by the McCanns after they left the apartment where Madeleine vanished.
1:11: A report by the British police stated that one of the sniffer dogs was in a nervous, excitable state, and wanted to get into the room.
1:34: British police would have found it very difficult to charge the McCanns.
1:35: De Almeida: we were controlled by the British police.
1:36: De Almeida: British police kept information about the McCanns to themselves.
1:39: De Almeida: Forensic lab technicians from Birmingham came to Portugal so it is strange concerns were raised about contamination.
1:53: De Almeida: British authorities other than police hindered investigation by withholding information.
1:54: De Almeida: when we asked UK for info on McCanns we got a single side of a4.
2:05: The McCanns’ lawyer is getting quite worked up in her cross examination of de Almeida.
2:09: The McCanns’ lawyer is rebuked for saying de Almeida was accused of torturing suspects – he was never charged.
2:10: The court is adjourning for lunch. Back at 3pm.

Afternoon Session

3:28: We’re back in court. The McCanns are here but Mr Amaral is missing.
3:29: Mr Amaral has just walked in and we are under way.
3:33: Inspector Ricardo Paiva, of the Portuguese police, has taken the stand.
3:34: Inspector Paiva says he was the family liaison officer for the case but was taken off at the McCanns’ request.
3:45: Paiva is asked whether he ever got the impression from the McCanns they thought Maddie could be dead. He says yes.
3:47: Kate whispers something in Gerry’s ear and gives him a little smile. He stays looking straight in front.
3:52: Gerry has put his arm round Kate as they listen to Paiva’s testimony.
4:03: Paiva also says the McCanns were made suspects after the British sniffer dogs were brought in.
4:04: Paiva: there was total collaboration between British and Portuguese police on the case.
4:09: Paiva: it was Scotland Yard who first thought it could be a murder case.
4:09: Paiva: Amaral’s theories are based on the facts of the investigation.
4:12: Paiva: Amaral’s thesis has prevented other theories from being investigated.
4:13: Paiva: McCanns never pointed me towards any evidence that Maddie was still alive.
4:16: Mr Amaral looks like he’s dozing off.
4:29: Paiva: we found the ‘merchandising’ operation with wristbands and so on very strange.
4:31: Paiva: if she was being held somewhere publicity would be more likely to hasten her death.
4:55: The McCanns’ lawyer is taking an aggressive tone as she cross-examines Mr Paiva.
5:08: Proceedings have ended for today.
5:11: Some confusion here – that wasn’t the end of proceedings, just a break before today’s final witness.
5:29: Ok, that’s all we have time for. Back tomorrow morning.