The main suspect in the 2007 disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been found not guilty of unrelated sex crime charges – meaning he could be released from prison as early as next year.
Christian Brueckner, 47, was publicly identified by German authorities in June 2020 as the prime suspect in Madeleine’s case, though no formal charges have been brought against him.
He had been accused of three rapes and two cases of child sexual abuse between 2000 and 2017, all of which occurred in Portugal, near the Praia da Luz resort where Madeleine went missing during a family vacation.
Brueckner’s main lawyer Friedrich Fuelscher suggested in his closing remarks yesterday that he should be cleared due to a lack of evidence and the convicted rapist was only on trial because of his connection with McCann’s internationally recognised case.
The court agreed with Fuelscher’s argument, and found his client not guilty on all charges.
Brueckner is already serving a seven-year jail term in Germany for rape.
More to follow…
