Accused individual in the Maddie investigation granted freedom from detention
In a recent development, Christian Brückner, a 48-year-old German man, who was previously convicted for aggravated sexual assault, has been released from custody in the Lower Saxony town of Sehnde. The release was announced by a police spokesperson.
Brückner is the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, a three-year-old British girl who vanished from an apartment complex in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3, 2007. The Madeleine McCann case has been under investigation by German authorities in Portugal for several years.
Brückner was sentenced to prison by the Braunschweig Regional Court in 2019 for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in Portugal. He served a seven-year sentence and has not been charged in the McCann case due to a lack of convincing evidence. German investigators have, however, suspected Brückner of murder in the McCann case.
Despite being the prime suspect since 2020, Brückner denies any involvement in the case. His lawyer has spoken of a "massive prejudgment campaign" regarding the suspicions.
Brückner's history of convictions for sexual offenses dates back to when he was sentenced for aggravated sexual assault in Germany. The primary charge for which he was sentenced was aggravated sexual assault.
The Braunschweig public prosecutor's office announced in June 2020 that they assume Madeleine McCann is dead and have a suspect. The suspect's last residence was in Braunschweig, which is why the German investigators are responsible for the case.
The investigation into the Madeleine McCann case is being carried out by German authorities in Portugal. The information provided in this article was obtained from Deutsche Presse-Agentur. It is important to note that the presumption of innocence applies in the Madeleine McCann case, as there is no indictment.
