Madeleine McCann Suspect Released From German Prison
Braunschweig, germany – Christian Brückner, the primary suspect in the 2007 disappearance of Madeleine McCann, has been released from prison in Germany after serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence for the 2005 rape of a woman in Portugal. His release, which occurred today, has renewed scrutiny of the ongoing inquiry into McCann’s disappearance.
Brückner, 46, was identified as a suspect in the McCann case in 2020, but has consistently denied any involvement. He was cleared in October 2024 by a court in Braunschweig of several unrelated sexual offences alleged to have occurred between 2000 and 2017, a verdict currently under appeal by the public prosecutor’s office.
Despite his release, brückner remains subject to ongoing legal proceedings. He is scheduled to appear in court in Oldenburg in October for an incident involving alleged insults directed at a prison staff member, with another hearing listed for October 27 regarding a similar accusation.
Prior to his release, Brückner declined a request from British authorities, submitted via an “international letter of request,” for an interview. Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell of London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed the refusal, stating the Met would “still continue to pursue any viable lines of inquiry.”
Brückner’s continued detention beyond his sentence completion was initially expected due to outstanding fines of €1,447 (£1,253) related to a separate offense. However, a former police officer who worked on the Brückner investigation paid the fine, citing sympathy for the suspect, a decision she has since expressed regret over.
Madeleine McCann disappeared from her bed in a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3, 2007, while her parents were dining with friends nearby. The case garnered international attention and remains one of the most high-profile missing-person investigations in history. While Portuguese authorities initially investigated, the case was later handed over to the Metropolitan Police in 2011, who continue to review new leads and details.
