Judge makes major decision in trial involving Madeleine McCann suspect

Christian Brueckner's 5 chilling words that made him prime Madeleine McCann suspect

Christian Brueckner's shocking five words to his former friend led to him being named prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case, it was previously claimed.

The convicted German sex offender was first identified as a suspect after it emerged he had reportedly been driving around the Praia da Luz resort at the time the British three-year-old went missing fifteen years earlier.

A friend is believed to have reported him to police, after he said the chilling words: "Yes, she did not scream," during a conversation referencing missing Maddie.

Last year, German police began the first physical search for her in nine years after prosecutors received "credible" evidence to lead them to a site near a dam in Portugal.

Christian Brueckner's 5 chilling words that made him prime Madeleine McCann suspect

Brueckner's lawyer concedes the defendant is 'not healthy'

Brueckner's lawyer had admitted his client is "not healthy".

After the hearing, Mr Fulscher was asked about Brueckner’s frail appearance in court.

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He replied: “He’s been for two years in solitary confinement, so of course he is not healthy.”

The defendant is alleged to have committed sex crimes (The Daily Mirror)

Case is adjourned as lay judge must be replaced

Brueckner has returned to court and hearing has resumed.

Judge Christina Engelmann has ruled the lay judge cannot sit on the case because of her social media posts.

The judge has now adjourned the case until next Friday so that a replacement lay judge can be found.

Uta Engemann (centre) has adjourned the case for one week (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Pictured: Christian Brueckner is seen entering the courtroom

Christian Brueckner stepped into the courtroom moments ago - the first time he has been seen in public since being linked to the Maddie case in 2020.

The 46-year-old man denies any involvement in her disappearance and has never been charged with anything in connection to it.

But he stands trial today accused of sex offences, including three against children.

Brueckner is pictured in court as the trial commences (Phil Harris / Daily Mirror)

Courtroom packed with members of the press and members of the public

Approximately 100 journalists are present, and the public gallery is packed too.

The long-awaited case has sparked huge interest from members of the public among Germany.

(Julian Stratenschulte/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

Christian Brueckner could walk free next year if cleared

Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner could walk free next year if cleared of fresh sex attack charges.

His lawyer Friedrich Fulscher told German newspaper Bild of “a witch hunt” against his client and insisted: “I am convinced that there can only be an acquittal.”

He then said he had assembled a crack team to defend Brueckner including Atilla Aykac, who is famed in Germany for his courtroom grillings and legal ace Dennis Bock.

And if a judge agrees with Mr Fulscher's argument, the defendant could be cleared andwalk out of jail as early as next year.

Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner could walk out of jail as early as next year if cleared

Brueckner's lawyer says lay judge is unsuitable to carry out her role

Brueckner is staring straight ahead as his lawyer, Friedrich Fulscher, addresses the court.

Fulscher is attempting to discredit one of the lay judges by highlighting social media posts in which they called for the assassination of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsanaro.

He said the posts made her unsuitable to carry out her role as a lay judge.

Proceedings have now been adjourned for 40 minutes. Brueckner has been placed back into handcuffs and led out of court back to the cells.

What exact charges does Brueckner face?

The defendant is accused of five crimes, said to have happened between 2000 and 2017 in Portugal. These are;

• The rape of an unidentified woman aged between 70 and 80 in her holiday home in Portugal at some point between 2000 and 2006

• The rape of a girl believed to have been at least 14 years old at his home in Praia da Luz at some point between 2000 and 2006

• The rape of a young woman after entering her apartment in 2004

• The sexual abuse of a child on a beach in 2007

• The sexual abuse of a child in a playground in 2017

None of the alleged victims can be identified for legal reasons.

Christian Brueckner is escorted into the courtroom

Brueckner has just been brought into court. He is wearing a grey linen jacket, purple shirt, black trousers and brown shoes.

He appears pale and frailer than in previous photos.

He was led by a lone security guard to his seat alongside his legal team in the well of the court.

Brueckner has not glanced over at the estimated 100 journalists in the public gallery.

Delay in proceedings in Braunschweig Regional Court

The proceedings were due to begin at 9am local time but have been delayed due to the number of journalists wanting to get into the courtroom amid tight security.

Brueckner’s lawyers and a team of three prosecutors are sitting facing each other at separate desks inside the modern, wood-panelled court.

There is still no sign of Brueckner or the judge, Dr Christina Engelmann.

Several police vans were seen outside the court upon our arrival today (Phil Harris / Daily Mirror)

Police's vow to family of girl, 11, Brueckner allegedly attacked in Portugal

Police told the family of a girl allegedly attacked by Brueckner: “We will get justice for you.”

Brueckner is accused of indecently exposing himself to the terrified 11-year-old in an Algarve playground in 2017. Last October, he was charged with that and a string of other sex offences alleged to have taken place in Portugal. But the girl’s family were left heartbroken when the charges were dropped following a court ruling over jurisdiction.

Last week, a higher court in Germany overturned that decision, however, meaning the prosecution can continue. Just weeks before the ruling, detectives had vowed to the schoolgirl’s relatives that they would get justice for her. A friend of the family, who live in Sao Bartolomeu de Messines, Portugal, told the Mirror: “They just want to see him in court.

They were very sad when it seemed he would not stand trial because of the legal arguments in Germany. German detectives came to see them in the spring with Portuguese police and said not to worry. The police said justice will be done, they were confident another court would rule in their favour. Now everyone is waiting to see him go to court.”

Madeleine McCann suspect's lawyer says there's one thing he won't do in court

The lawyer for a prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann says his client will not speak in court at an unrelated criminal trial other than to say his name.

Christian Brueckner will appear in court in Germany today charged with a string of offences against women and children in Portugal. The 45-year-old was also named as a suspect in Madeleine’s 2007 disappearance almost four years ago, but has not been charged with any offences in relation to her case.

The German is already serving a rape sentence and is accused of five more sex offences which allegedly took place between 2000 and 2017 in Portugal. Ahead of the start of the trial, his lawyer Friedrich Fulscher said his client will not do one thing, adding: “He will not speak to the hearing other than to say his name but nothing should be drawn from that. What needs to be made clear is these charges have nothing to do with Madeleine McCann and that now, almost four years since he was named, as the suspect there has been no update from the prosecutors.

“He has not been charged with anything in relation to the McCann investigation and I haven't even been given access to the files in that case and I have no idea what the evidence is against him,” he said.

• Read more about this The Mirror story.

Christian Brueckner pictured in police van arriving at court

New photos capture Christian Brueckner in a police van arriving at court this morning.

He had been transferred from a local prison for the apperance today.

Christian Brueckner is pictured arriving at court in the back of a police van (Daily Mirror)

Christian Brueckner mocked cops in first public comments ahead of trial

Brueckner taunted police in his first comments ahead of a new trial, it had been reported.

The convicted paedophile has hit out at prison guards and police in new statement before this trial, where he is accused of three rapes and two indecent assaults.

Speaking to the MailOnline about conditions in jail, he said: "I'm still not allowed to talk with anybody else than to my lawyer sand to my punishers (guards)." He also said mockingly of the charges against him: "I hope (they) will find some answers to (their) questions soon."

• Read more about this The Mirror story.

The defendant had mocked police ahead of the trial (Getty Images)

Pictures show the large media crowd gathered for the case

The case has attracted media from across the world. The Mirror is covering it alongside publications from other European countries.

Images taken moments ago show the string of reporters, photographers and TV crews gathered outside the court building.

Media gather outside the court in Germany (Phil Harris / Daily Mirror)

The Mirror is at Braunschweig Regional Court for the opening of the trial

Our reporter Martin Fricker is in court for the opening of the case.

He says: "I am now inside the court. There is a perspex screen separating the press and public area from the main courtroom. There are five photographers and two TV cameras poised waiting for Brueckner to enter the court. They will have 15 minutes to get photos and footage before having to leave. Brueckner’s five-strong legal team are already in their seats."

There is tight security both inside and outside court. Lawyers and the media have to go through an airport-style screening scanner at the building’s entrance and again at the door to court 141.

Martin Fricker is our man in court for the opening of the trial (Phil Harris / Daily Mirror)

Madeleine McCann's parents are not expected to attend the trial

Brueckner's charges are not linked to the disapperance of Madeleine McCann but he was named a suspect in 2020, some 13 years after she vanished.

Her parents Kate and Gerry McCann, from Rothley, Leicestershire, are not expected to attend the trial.

Madeleine disappeared from her parents’ holiday apartment in the resort of Praia da Luz in May 2007. Kate and Gerry McCann were dining with friends in a nearby tapas restaurant at the time.

The couple have refused to give up hope that their daughter will one day be found alive.

Brueckner, who lived in a ramshackle Praia da Luz farmhouse at the time of Madeleine’s disappearance, denies any involvement in the disapperance.

Madeleine McCann's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, have refused to give up hope that their daughter will one day be found alive (PA)

What has Brueckner’s lawyer said about the case?

Brueckner’s lawyer Mr Fulscher told German newspaper Bild he is “confident” he will be found not guilty.

He blasted the claims against the German drifter as a “witch hunt” and said he has assembled a crack legal team to defend him.

The trial is being held on 29 separate days over a four-month period, with a verdict expected at the end of June.

Brueckner arrives in court

Brueckner, 43, has arrived at court for his trial.

He was photographed behind bars in the rear of a VW Touran when he turned up shortly after 8.30am (local time).

Police issued a handout image of Brueckner when he was arrested in 2018 on suspicion of drug trafficking in Italy (ITALIAN CARABINIERI PRESS OFFICE)

Brueckner’s legal team arrives at Braunschweig Regional Court

Armed police are stationed outside the court, along with three riot vans. Brueckner’s lawyer Friedrich Fulscher and his legal team arrived shortly before 8am (local time), but found the doors to the court locked. They are currently standing on the steps surrounded by a scrum of TV crews and photographers.