- Christian Brueckner could soon be freed from prison
- A judge overturned his mandatory prison order
- He was named the prime suspect in Madeleine McCann’s disappearance
An order keeping prime Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner behind bars has been dramatically overturned – dealing investigators a crucial blow.
Convicted paedophile and rapist Brueckner, 47, was served the court document last year as he was due to be released from jail and it was used to detain him in custody while he went on trial for unrelated sex crimes.
In June 2020 he was named as prime suspect for the 2007 ‘abduction and murder’ of Madeleine McCann by German police but since then he has not been charged with any crime in relation to the case.
He was due to have been released from prison early last year after being convicted of raping an elderly American woman in Praia ds Luz, Portugal, the same area Madeleine vanished from when she was three years old.
The paperwork – described in Germany as a warrant – was issued to keep in him in jail so he could face three rape charges and two child sex abuse ones, said to have been committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2017 and his trial for these started in February.
Convicted paedophile and rapist Christian Brueckner, 47, (pictured) was served the court document last year as he was due to be released from jail
Brueckner is the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann
The trial in Braunschweig, near Hannover, Germany, has heard from several witnesses including two men who claim Brueckner was involved in Madeleine’s disappearance and a Scotland Yard officer investigating the case.
Judge Ute Engemann’s decision following a request from Brueckner’s legal team was announced in a brief press release from the court which said ‘the Chamber revoked the arrest warrant at the request of the defence’.
There was no immediate comment from the prosecutors in the sex cases and from Hans Christian Wolters who is a spokesperson for the German McCann investigation but it is understood they can appeal.
Brueckner last appeared in court in Braunschweig, Germany on Friday in a wheelchair after injuring his ankle and the application to have the warrant was made by his legal team was made last month.
Speaking to MailOnline Brueckner’s lawyer Philipp Marquort said:’This is great news for us and it’s the end of the case – 99% certain.
There was no immediate comment from the prosecutors in the sex cases and from Hans Christian Wolters who is a spokesperson for the German McCann investigation
The trial in Braunschweig, near Hannover, Germany, has heard from several witnesses including two men who claim Brueckner was involved in Madeleine’s disappearance
He was due to have been released from prison early last year after being convicted of raping an elderly American woman in Praia ds Luz, Portugal
‘You just have to see the quality of the evidence presented so far to see there is no case to answer.
‘His legal team is delighted with the news and I will be calling Herr Brueckner now to tell him. His main lawyer (Friedrich) Fulscher is on holiday.
‘It means that the prison where he is serving his sentence has to start preparing him for his release, technically that should be next spring or summer but there is a good possibility it could happen later this year.’
The news was announced in a press release from the court and full details are expected to be announced at the next hearing on Friday.
In a text message to MailOnline Mr Fulscher said:’I am the best,’ adding a sunglasses emoji.
It remains unclear exactly what will happen in this saga next following today’s dramatic twist – but it’s possible Bruckner could be released imminently.
And certainly his legal team are expected to begin pushing for this to happen immediately.
In the event that he was freed it would potentially be much harder for authorities in Portugal, Germany or the UK to pursue him over the Madeleine case as he could drift back into the nomadic lifestyle he lived when previously freed – while still having access to legal resources to put obstacles in the way of anyone trying to investigate him.