Christian Brueckner’s release could be delayed after he was charged with offences against prison staff at the German jail where he is serving time for a rape sentence
The prime suspect in Madeleine McCann’s disappearance faces up to another year behind bars after being charged with new crimes.
Christian Brueckner is due in court in Germany next week accused of offences against prison guards behind bars, The Mirror can reveal. If convicted of the charges, the convicted paedophile faces having his hopes of being released from jail in September scuppered. It would be a dramatic boost to Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry, who feared seeing the 48-year-old walk free from prison. Brueckner, who is serving a seven-year term for rape, is listed to appear before magistrates in Lehrte, Germany, next Thursday.
Sources say he is accused of aggressive behaviour and “verbal assaults” towards prison staff. Prosecutors in Hildesheim say Brueckner committed the offences at Sehnde Prison, near Hannover.
He is also accused of similar crimes at another jail in northern Germany, where he began his rape sentence. Brueckner will stand trial on those matters in Oldenburg in July, sources told the Mirror.
Prosecutors investigating Madeleine’s disappearance have been under massive pressure to charge him over the 2007 case. They previously admitted the “clock is ticking” after he was cleared of unrelated sex crimes last year.
But if Brueckner is given additional sentences for the new alleged crimes, it would give them some breathing space. Sources claim there are a string of other “minor” charges being lined up against the German to stop him being freed.
One insider told the Mirror: “He is among the most dangerous sex offenders in Europe. German detectives will not let this sick b*****d out of prison without a fight.”
Brueckner was dramatically named as prime suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance in 2020. Police found children’s clothing and snaps of youngsters the same as Madeleine hidden in a disused factory he owned.
They also discovered a sat-nav which showed he had spent time at an isolated Algarve reservoir later searched by divers. He was living in an isolated farmhouse in Praia da Luz when she vanished from her parents’ holiday apartment in May 2007.
But despite the lengthy police investigation, detectives appear to be no closer to charging him with Madeleine’s disappearance. Brueckner was cleared last October of a string of sex crimes he was accused of carrying out in Portugal.
Prosecutors are awaiting the outcome of an appeal against those verdicts lodged in Germany’s Federal Court of Justice. This evening prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters confirmed Brueckner is facing fresh charges.
“It’s true there is another case against Christian B,” he said. “It’s not pending here, but with the public prosecutor’s office in Hildesheim. Therefore I can’t tell you anything about it.”
“Our appeal process is ongoing. It’s not clear when a decision will be made,” he added. Hildesheim prosecutor’s office confirmed there is a pending court case against Brueckner.
And Lehrte District Court confirmed Brueckner is listed to appear in court on May 15.