In doing so the restrictions placed on him by the rule of law were summarily dismissed and a mob rule informed by propaganda instituted in its place.

The speed with which this was done after the archiving of Madeleine's case made it obvious that Mr Amaral was in breach of the code governing secrecy in Portugal and as DCI has pointed out on this thread this is exemplified by his use of illustrations taken, not from memory but from official sources.

This unprofessional conduct does indeed raise a thought.

Anyone in this country who has had access to information which is covered by the Official Secrets Act is considered to be bound by it for life and many take outdated information to their graves in respecting this.

Surely there is something amiss in the Judicial Secrecy Laws in Portugal if a public official is enabled to release information with impunity in the case of a missing child just because he has resigned his position?

Actually I was not aware that one had to sign the act for it to be binding and I would be of the opinion that sensitive material didn't become less sensitive when the handler changed jobs or retired.

However the point I was trying to make was that not only did Mr Amaral behave in a distinctly unprofessional manner ... he acted illegally by writing his book.

He was not a whistle blower against officialdom; he unleashed a maelstrom of hatred against the parents of a missing child when he appointed himself as hanging judge and fixed jury.