A former police officer who was once deeply involved in the Madeleine McCann investigation has made shocking new claims about Kate McCann’s reaction when her daughter vanished — describing it as “not normal”.

Goncalo Amaral, a Portuguese ex-cop who led the original probe before being dismissed in 2007 for criticizing British police efforts, has once again stirred controversy.

In a new documentary titled Targeting Kate in Prime Suspect: The Madeleine McCann Case, Amaral insists that Kate McCann should have appeared more emotional on the day Maddie disappeared. He even accused the McCanns of a cover-up.

Amaral argued that instead of rushing back to her dinner with friends at the tapas bar, Kate should have screamed from the balcony or called for help immediately after discovering Maddie was missing. “She walked 100 or 200 meters back to the restaurant — that’s not normal,” he stressed.

At the time, the McCanns had left then-3-year-old Maddie sleeping with her twin siblings, Sean and Amelie, in their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while they dined nearby. Tragically, Maddie vanished during that period

Amaral also lashed out at German investigators who strongly suspect convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner. He slammed them as being “all talk, no action,” claiming they have failed to present concrete evidence

“They need to prove that someone entered the apartment. Just finding someone who fits a profile isn’t enough. This suspect is almost the perfect suspect,” Amaral said.

The former cop previously faced a bitter legal fight with the McCanns after releasing his 2008 book The Truth of the Lie, where he controversially alleged that Maddie died accidentally and her parents covered it up. Amaral even suggested British intelligence (MI5) helped conceal the truth.

Kate’s husband, Gerry McCann, has said Amaral’s statements have deeply hindered their ongoing search for Maddie. “It has totally inhibited what we do,” he previously commented.

Meanwhile, Brueckner’s lawyer, Friedrich Fulscher, maintains his client’s innocence despite his presence near the McCanns’ resort on the night Maddie vanished.

“My client hasn’t been charged with anything. He’s only under investigation. There is no concrete evidence,” Fulscher stated, adding a jab at German authorities’ confidence in their investigation.