Madeleine McCann's parents dealt huge blow as prosecutor makes candid admission on prime suspect

'It is all very odd' Stephen Dixon shares issue with latest Madeleine McCann update

GB News
Holly Bishop

By Holly Bishop


Published: 17/01/2025

- 07:30

Updated: 17/01/2025

- 10:58

Christian Brueckner was found not guilty of unrelated sex crime charges

The man suspected of kidnapping Madeleine McCann will not face any charges in the foreseeable future, with the German man set to be freed from an unrelated jail sentence in just months.

Christian Brueckner, 47, was publicly identified by German authorities in June 2020 as the prime suspect in Maddie'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 on a family vacation.

Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters told Sky News: “There is currently no prospect of an indictment in the Maddie case.

Madeleine McCann and Christian BruecknerMadeleine McCann and Christian BruecknerPA

“As things stand, the accused Christian B's imprisonment will end in early September.”

His lawyer, Friedrich Fuelscher, suggested in his closing remarks 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.

He showed no emotion as the verdict was delivered.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

Christian BruecknerDefendant Christian Brueckner is the prime suspect in the long-unsolved case of Madeleine McCann's disappearanceGETTY

The 47-year-old has denied any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance.

Madeleine, from Rothley, Leicestershire, was on holiday with her family at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz, Portugal when she went missing on May 3, 2007.

Philipp Marquort, one of the 47-year-old's defence lawyers, welcomed the prosecutor's verdict

He said: "This confirms the suspicions that we have repeatedly expressed, namely that there is no reliable evidence against our client.

\u200bDefendant Christian Brueckner

The 47-year-old has denied any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance

GETTY
Madeleine McCannMadeleine McCann disappeared during a family holiday in 2007PA

"We regret that we have not yet been granted access to the investigation files. We have not yet been able to effectively counter the public prejudice arising from statements made by the prosecutor's office."

Brueckner is currently serving a seven-year jail term in Germany for rape.

The trial began last February and during the summer the court lifted an arrest warrant in connection with the case.

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