Christian Brueckner is standing trial in Germany on unconnected sex crimes allegedly carried out in the Algarve, and Madeleine had previously only been mentioned briefly
Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner sat stoney-faced as he was confronted with photos and videos of the youngster in court today.
It was the first time images of missing Madeleine have been screened in Brueckner’s ongoing trial on unconnected sex crimes. The German paedophile is suspected of abducting and killing the three-year-old in Praia da Luz in May 2007. He is currently serving a seven-year prison term for raping an American pensioner in the Portuguese resort.
Brueckner is standing trial in Germany on unconnected sex crimes allegedly carried out in the Algarve. Madeleine had previously only been briefly mentioned in the trial, which has been taking place since February.
But today images and photos of the tragic tot were dramatically screened in Braunschweig court. They included the last snaps taken of Madeleine on her family’s fateful holiday to Praia da Luz.
The footage was from an episode of the German equivalent of Crimewatch, which aired in June 2020. It also included a reconstruction of the night Madeleine vanished and an interview with her parents Kate and Gerry McCann, from Rothley, Leics.
Brueckner, wearing a light blue blazer, sat with his hand covering his mouth and stared at the screen as it was played in court. His lawyer Friedrich Fuelscher had requested the episode was played to highlight inconsistencies in witness statements.
The trial judge, Ute Engemann, has previously tried to avoid any mention of Madeleine in the trial. Brueckner, 47, is accused of carrying out crimes in the Algarve between 2000 and 2017.
They include the alleged rape of Irish tour rep Hazel Behan, who was attacked in her apartment Praia da Rocha in 2004. Brueckner is also accused of raping a teenage girl in his Praia da Luz home and raping an elderly woman in her holiday apartment.
He also faces a child sex charge for allegedly exposing himself to a German girl on a beach in Salema in April 2007. His final charge relates to an alleged indecent exposure in front of an 11-year-old in 2017. Prosecutors appear no closer to proving he was behind Madeleine’s disappearance – despite claiming they have proof she is dead.
They face the nightmare scenario of seeing their prime suspect walk free if he is cleared in the latest trial. If Brueckner is found not guilty, he could be freed from prison in the early part of next year.
A not guilty verdict would increase the pressure on them to charge Brueckner over Madeleine’s disappearance. The trial is due to end in December.