Madeleine McCann suspect in plastic surgery bid to hide identity after 'fleeing Europe'
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The prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case is planning to flee Europe and undergo plastic surgery to change his appearance upon his release from prison, his lawyer has revealed.
Convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner, who is currently imprisoned in Germany, has discussed plans to relocate to a country without extradition treaties with Europe or Britain, according to his defence attorney Philipp Marquort.
"If I were him, I would leave Europe and look for a state which doesn't extradite to Europe or Great Britain, maybe like Suriname," Marquort told the Mirror.
The convicted rapist has expressed concerns about his public notoriety and is considering altering his appearance to avoid recognition.
Madeleine McCann vanished from a family holiday in Portugal in 2007
PA
Brueckner is set to be released from Sehnde Prison, near Hanover, this September after serving a seven-year sentence for raping a pensioner in Praia da Luz, Portugal.
The German prisoner could be granted day release within weeks, with such privileges typically beginning eight months before the end of sentence.
Day release activities would include visits to cafes, shops and estate agents to arrange accommodation, his lawyer explained.
Brueckner, who previously spent over two years in solitary confinement before moving to a normal prison wing, must pay an outstanding fine of approximately £1,400 before release or face detention until January 2026.
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Christian Brueckner is suspected of abducting the missing British toddler Madeleine McCannGETTY
Marquort also revealed he has advised his client to undergo facial surgery to ensure anonymity.
"I would get a face operation if I were him. I mentioned to him it would be nice for him to change his face or how he looks so that nobody can recognise him anymore," the lawyer said.
But cash struggles currently limit Brueckner's options for such procedures.
'If I were him, I would leave Europe and look for a state which doesn't extradite to Europe or Great Britain, maybe like Suriname,' Marquort told the Mirror
REUTERS
"Right now he doesn't have any money to do that. Right now he's just the guy who tries to get a fake moustache or sunglasses or a hat," Marquort explained.
Upon release, Brueckner will receive a German taxpayer-funded discharge grant of around £2,000 to help him readjust to life outside prison.
And German prosecutor Hans-Christian Wolters has admitted "there is currently no prospect of an indictment in the Maddie case."
Brueckner is currently holed up at Sehnde Prison
SEHNDE JUSTIZVOLLZUGSANSTALT
In response, Brueckner is now considering legal action against the German state over his public identification as a suspect.
His lawyer revealed Brueckner could pursue the case in Germany or the United States, potentially seeking substantial damages.
"I think he could get a seven-figure sum, maybe an eight-figure sum, but it'll take a long time and the state will try not to pay," Marquort said.
Brueckner remains convinced authorities planted surveillance equipment in his cell, claiming he discovered a microphone there late last year.
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