German Suspect in McCann Case Released; Faces New Legal Challenges

Sehnde, Germany, Sep 17 (AP): A German national, who has been under investigation in connection with British toddler Madeleine McCann's disappearance 18 years ago, was released from prison on Wednesday. This development comes after he completed serving a sentence for an unrelated case, according to police reports.

The individual, identified by media as Christian Bruckner, had been serving a seven-year sentence following his 2019 conviction for the rape of a 72-year-old American woman in Portugal.

On Wednesday morning, a convoy including a car and several police vans departed the Sehnde prison near Hannover in northern Germany. Police verified that Bruckner was released.

German prosecutors announced in June 2020 that Bruckner was a suspect in Madeleine McCann's disappearance on May 3, 2007, from an apartment complex in Praia da Luz, a resort in Portugal. Prosecutors stated they presume the young girl is deceased.

Although additional searches have been conducted in Portugal, the suspect continues to deny involvement in Madeleine's disappearance, and no charges have been filed against him in this case.

The investigation remains unaffected by his release. Moreover, Bruckner is still under suspicion in a separate probe being led by Britain's Metropolitan Police regarding McCann's disappearance. Reports indicate he refused a request from them for an interview.

Friedrich Fulscher, Bruckner's lawyer, argues that charges would have already been pursued if adequate evidence was available.

The 48-year-old spent considerable time in Portugal, including in Praia da Luz around the time of Madeleine's disappearance. Investigators from the UK, Portugal, and Germany continue to unravel the events surrounding the disappearance of 3-year-old Madeleine, who was in the same room as her 2-year-old twin siblings while their parents dined nearby.

Last year, Bruckner faced trial for several unrelated sexual offenses he allegedly committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. He was acquitted in October, with the presiding judge citing a lack of sufficient evidence, unreliable witnesses, and media influence on testimonies.

The state court in Hildesheim confirmed that legally it could not disclose conditions of Bruckner's release. However, Fulscher revealed to regional public broadcaster NDR that his client must wear an electronic monitoring device, regularly report to probation services, and surrender his passport. This information was first reported by the German weekly Der Spiegel.

Bruckner faces another legal hurdle with an upcoming court date on October 27 in Oldenburg, northwestern Germany. He is accused of insulting a prison employee, and despite a district court sentencing him to six weeks in prison, the defense has filed an appeal.

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