Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner seen for first time since bombshell Sun doc as clock ticks on jail release
MADELEINE McCann prime suspect Christian Brueckner was seen for the first time today since bombshell evidence revelations by The Sun against him.
The paedophile appeared in court over verbal assaults on prison guards after we revealed his obsession with snatching children and potential ties to the McCann case.
A Sun investigation was broadcast on Channel 4 earlier this month that revealed bombshell evidence found at the suspects’ lair.
The disturbing evidence demonstrated Brueckner’s obsession with young kids.
Children’s clothes and toys were found, as well as masks, chemicals and guns.
Much of the evidence was discovered by chance at a disused factory Brueckner bought for £20,000 in 2008 – one year after Madeleine vanished.
Prosecutors wanted to delay the rapist walking free from prison in September this year – and buy more time as they consider charges over missing Maddie.
Brueckner was today convicted of verbal abuse of prison guards – and sentenced to one month on probation, meaning prosecutors’ bid to extend his time behind bars has failed.
German officials are still privately hoping British cops would reopen their live investigation into Brueckner before he is released, in just 18 weeks.
Lehrte court today heard the brute dismissively referred to one female prison worker as “a joke”.
But his lawyer – who previously complained his client was being denied cheese behind bars – told the court any such remarks were in response to Brueckner’s feeling he was being tortured.
Sources said Brueckner would today be accused of calling another guard a ‘son-of-a-bitch’ and writing to one describing the screw as a ‘torturer’.
Prosecutors in Hildesheim say Brueckner committed the offences at Sehnde Prison, near Hannover.
He is also accused of similar crimes at another jail in northern Germany, where he began his rape sentence.
TIMELINE OF EVENTS
Here's a timeline of the case which has gripped the world.
May 3, 2007
Madeleine McCann disappears from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, sparking a massive police search and becoming one of the most famous missing persons cases in history.
January 15, 2016
Neighbour reports a possible ‘grave’ at Brueckner’s abandoned factory in East Germany.
Cops find disturbing images on USB sticks and launch a full-scale search.
February 16, 2016
Christian Brueckner is convicted for abusing a girl of five in a park after images found on his laptop.
He was sentenced to 15-months behind bars but was already on the run by then.
May 3, 2017
Around this time, Helge B calls an information hotline after watching a ten-year anniversary special on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
He reports an alleged confession by Christian Brueckner.
September 27, 2018
On-the-run Christian Brueckner is arrested over outstanding drugs claims in Italy.
He is extradited to Germany the following year.
December 16, 2019
Christian Brueckner was convicted, in Germany, for the 2005 rape of an American woman in Praia da Luz, Portugal, after his DNA was matched to a hair found on her bed.
He was sentenced to seven years behind bars.
June 4, 2020
German prosecutors reveal to the world they have a suspect in custody under investigation for the abduction of Madeleine McCann.
For the first time they claim Madeleine is dead.
German media later name him as Christian B (Christian Brueckner).
June 23, 2023
In his first interview, witness Helge B alleges to German newspaper Bild that Christian Brueckner all-but-confessed the Madeleine abduction to him, by allegedly saying “she didn’t scream” as they talked about the case, at a music festival, in Spain.
February 16, 2024
Brueckner goes on trial accused of none-McCann allegations of rape and sex assault, in Braunschweig, Germany.
Prosecutors hope for a conviction to keep him behind bars permanently and lead to McCann charges.
October 8, 2024
Brueckner was acquitted of all claims.
Prosecutors launch an appeal, however. Decision pending.
September 17, 2025
Date on which Christian Brueckner will be released from custody without action being taken.
Prosecutors require an arrest warrant for a retrial over claims from last year – or over the McCann case
Our findings revealed the existence of a 80gb hard drive and laptop containing images from Portugal, believed to be closely linked to cops’ belief that Maddie is in fact dead.
Pictures and documents also place Breuckner at key Maddie search location of the Arades Dam, in Portugal and an alleged confession site in Spain.
While a document sites the suspect at the location where he allegedly said “she did not scream” as he discussed the British toddler with an associate.
Sickening child abduction stories were also uncovered where Brueckner uses kidnap chemical ether to take a mum and tot outside a preschool.
In another with chilling similarities to Maddie Breuckner wrote: “A very small girl enters the room. She’s definitely not older than five.
“Blonde, long hair tied in pigtails bounces cheekily back and forth as she comes towards me.
“This is maid Annelie, she is four years old. I feel like I’m in paradise right now.”
Online messages we uncovered from Brueckner show him bragging to another sicko that he really wanted to “capture something small and use it for days”.
He even threatened it wouldn’t matter “if the evidence is destroyed afterwards” and gleefully added: “I’ll make a lot of films… hehe.”