Madeleine McCann suspect 'snatched child from beach' days before, charges show

18 January 2024 , 19:29

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Christian Brueckner (Image: REX/Shutterstock)

A suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann allegedly abducted another child only days before the Brit youngster vanished, new charges reveal.

The suspect, who has been identified by media as Christian Brueckner, is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence in Germany for a rape he committed in Portugal in 2005. The 47-year-old will stand trial in Germany next month for five separate attacks that took place across Europe between 2000 and 2017.

Today, court documents revealed allegations that in April 2007 he snatched the child from a beach before forcing her to perform sex acts on him. Madeleine disappeared from her bed in a southern Portuguese resort the following month.

British, Portuguese and German police are still piecing together what happened on the night of May 3 2007. Madeleine was in the same room as her brother and sister, who were two at the time, while her parents had dinner with friends at a nearby restaurant.

For the past five years, German authorities have been investigating Brueckner in connection with Madeleine's disappearance, but he is yet to be charged. He spent many years in Portugal, including in the resort of Praia da Luz around the time of Madeleine’s disappearance there in 2007. He has denied any involvement in her disappearance.

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The court docs also reveal another alleged attack that involves a 14-year-old girl who was said to be tied to a post in his rented home in Portugal. Christian B is accused of beating her with a whip and forcing her to perform sexual acts on him - allegedly recording the sickening assault on his video camera.

Parents Gerry and Kate McCann holding an image of what Madeleine might look like as an older girl (PA)

The case of Madeleine McCann stirred worldwide interest for several years, with reports of sightings of her stretching as far away as Australia, along with a slew of books and television documentaries about the case. In May last year, Portuguese police resumed the search.

Investigators spent three days searching around a dam some 30 miles from where she was last seen. In a brief statement, prosecutors said that “some objects were secured,” without giving further details.

Rachel Hagan