Suspect in Madeleine McCann case cleared of sexual offence charges

There has been speculation for years that Christian Brückner, who was arrested for the rape of an elderly woman, is behind the kidnapping of Madeleine McCann. The man has just been cleared of five separate charges of sexual offences. This means that he may soon be released.

The family of Madeleine McCann, abducted from a Portuguese resort, has been unsuccessfully trying for over 17 years to determine exactly what happened to the girl, whose image is known worldwide. Despite widespread searches and the re-initiation of the investigation, no leads have been found. All signs point to the involvement of Christian Brückner, who has been under scrutiny by those searching for "Maddie" since 2020.

The man is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for the brutal rape of an elderly woman who was holidaying in the same town where the girl was last seen. Despite the prosecution's earnest efforts to extend the sentence by an additional 15 years due to suspicions of his involvement in other sexual crimes, on 7th October this year, the German citizen was acquitted of the charges.

Christian Brückner was suspected of committing three particularly brutal rapes and sexually abusing two children between 2000 and 2017. According to the prosecution, the man appeared to be a "dangerous and psychopathic sadist". The lack of concrete evidence meant that the court's decision in Brunswick was favourable to the accused.

We as judges have taken an oath, and it serves only the truth. This means we do not have to align ourselves with the opinions of the media, defence, and prosecution. Everyone has heard of the accused in the Madeleine McCann case, and everyone knew that since 2020, the prosecution regularly mentioned Brückner's name. When someone is depicted as a sexual monster and deviant in the media, it significantly impacts a witness. When such mass suggestions by third parties are made, testimonies in court are almost worthless to the legal chamber - explained Judge Ute Engemann in her closing argument.

According to witnesses in the courtroom, the 47-year-old showed no emotion during the verdict. His prison sentence is due to end in September next year, but according to his lawyer, Brückner may be released a few months earlier.

In the case of the disappearance of the four-year-old daughter of doctors Kate and Gerry McCann, no charges have yet been filed against him. Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters, who announced an appeal against the verdict, was asked about new findings regarding Madeleine's abduction. However, he could not specify when and with what result the investigation would conclude.