Sky - Life Of Crime

The Soft Side of Goncalo Amaral?

Martin Brunt
January 13, 2010 8:15 AM

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There's a grim mural above the bench which shows a child about to be butchered in the biblical Judgement of Solomon.

Apart from that it's a dull court that offered little relief for those who had to sit there for nearly 10 hours of the opening day of the Amaral v McCann case.

The surly ex-cop Goncalo Amaral treats me and most of the British media like something he's trodden in, but he's a cool operator.

When his mobile went off halfway through the hearing he very slowly reached for his coat and fumbled for the phone until he eventually found it and switched it off.

At least it woke him up. as he had clearly been in danger of dropping off.

I thought his ringtone was a bit of local Fado music, but my Portuguese fixer assures me it was a song that is common enough here.

And it was in English...maybe old grumpy is warming to us after all.