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Kate McCann's son asked about her role in Madeleine case Kate McCann's son asked about claims she 'hid Madeleine'
(about 1 hour later)
Kate McCann was asked by her son about claims that she was involved in the disappearance of her daughter Madeleine, a court has heard. Kate McCann was asked by her son about claims she was involved in the disappearance of her daughter Madeleine, a court has heard.
Mrs McCann was delivering a statement in a Portuguese libel case relating to the allegations, which were made in a book by ex-police chief Goncalo Amaral. She was speaking at a Portuguese libel case relating to the claims, made in a book by ex-police chief Goncalo Amaral.
Mrs McCann told her son Sean that the former Portuguese detective had said "a lot of silly things", the court heard. The court heard her son Sean had asked about whether she "hid Madeleine", but she told him the Portuguese detective had said "a lot of silly things".
Madeleine was three when she went missing in Praia da Luz in May 2007.Madeleine was three when she went missing in Praia da Luz in May 2007.
At the time, Sean and his twin sister Amelie were aged two. At the time, her siblings - Sean and his twin sister Amelie - were aged two.
Mr Amaral - who coordinated the original investigation into Madeleine's disappearance - alleged that she had died in the family's holiday apartment in the Algarve, and that Kate and her husband Gerry had simulated her abduction and hidden her body.Mr Amaral - who coordinated the original investigation into Madeleine's disappearance - alleged that she had died in the family's holiday apartment in the Algarve, and that Kate and her husband Gerry had simulated her abduction and hidden her body.
He made the claims in a book about the case that has been a bestseller in Portugal.He made the claims in a book about the case that has been a bestseller in Portugal.
'Severe damage''Severe damage'
On Tuesday, Mrs McCann told Lisbon's Palace of Justice that Sean had brought up the allegations after he heard them on the radio on a school bus. On Tuesday, Mr and Mrs McCann both delivered personal statements at Lisbon's Palace of Justice in the libel case brought by them against Mr Amaral.
Mrs McCann told the court her son Sean had brought up the allegations after he heard them on the radio on a school bus.
"Sean asked me in October, 'Mr Amaral said you hid Madeleine'. I just said that he said a lot of silly things," she said."Sean asked me in October, 'Mr Amaral said you hid Madeleine'. I just said that he said a lot of silly things," she said.
Mrs McCann also told the court Mr Amaral's claims had done "severe damage" to efforts to find her daughter.Mrs McCann also told the court Mr Amaral's claims had done "severe damage" to efforts to find her daughter.
But she added after the hearing: "It's never too late for someone to come forward with key information. And if this action helps us to reach that step, then it's a positive thing, and that's what we're aiming for."But she added after the hearing: "It's never too late for someone to come forward with key information. And if this action helps us to reach that step, then it's a positive thing, and that's what we're aiming for."
Speaking outside the court, Mr McCann said he feared his daughter's kidnapper could strike again. Speaking outside the court, Mr McCann spoke about the couple's efforts to protect their children from press reports about the case, saying: "Obviously they are not immune to the media. They hear things, they go to school, they hear the radio.
He also said the perpetrator must have been laughing at Mr Amaral's claims. "They hear the theories and Sean has obviously asked Kate explicitly, 'Why did Mr Amaral say you hid Maddy?' - so we will have to deal with that and we are doing everything in our power."
"We hope that the current investigation being run by the Metropolitan Police does lead to a real breakthrough."
He added the couple feared their daughter's kidnapper could strike again, and said the perpetrator must have been laughing at Mr Amaral's claims.
The McCanns are suing Mr Amaral, his publisher and a company that produced a documentary based on his book for 1.2 million euros (£1m) in damages.The McCanns are suing Mr Amaral, his publisher and a company that produced a documentary based on his book for 1.2 million euros (£1m) in damages.