Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner 'boasted about burgling hotels'

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.

Brueckner had told friend about carrying out burglaries at hotels in Portugal

Seyferth told the court that Brueckner boasted about carrying out burglaries at hotels in the Algarve.

Asked by the judge to give more details, he replied: "Just that he did that and that he worked as a waiter in hotels."

Judge Engemann asked: "Did he say anything about his burglaries?"

Seyferth replied: "No, I did not concern myself with it."

Why was the opening of the trial adjourned?

The case was due to open two weeks ago at the same court but Judge Christina Engelmann ruled the lay judge could not sit on the case because of her previous social media posts.

In front of approximately 100 journalists from across the world, the defendant's lawyers alluded to the social media posts, believed to call for the assassination of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsanaro.

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It was the first time Brueckner, 46, has been seen in public since being linked to the Maddie case in 2020. He denies any involvement in her disappearance and has never been charged with anything in connection to it.

Brueckner is pictured entering the courtroom today (Phil Harris / Daily Mirror)

Seyferth is quizzed about 'inconsistencies'

The judge is grilling Seyferth at length about "inconsistencies" between his evidence today and statements he previously gave to police.

Seyferth today told the court that he found Brueckner "arrogant" yet in an earlier interview Seyferth said Brueckner was an "evil psychopath".

The judge quizzed the witness about "inconsistencies"

Christian Brueckner's former friend Manfred Seyferth is questioned

Judge Uta Engemann has started questioning Christian Brueckner's former friend Manfred Seyferth at length about his time in Portugal and dealings with Brueckner.

The 68-year-old bar owner, from Ludenscheid, Germany, told the court how he saw videos of Brueckner abusing a pensioner and a young girl. He said he found the video cassettes with his friend Helge Busching in Brueckner's "chaotic" farmhouse in Praia da Luz after they went there to steal diesel.

Mr Seyferth said the first alleged victim was an Italian woman in her 60s, who was naked and tied to a table. He said he recognised Brueckner's voice, telling the court: "It was clearly him."

Mr Seyferth said the second alleged victim was a teenage German girl aged roughly 16 who was tied to a post in Brueckner's farmhouse. He said Brueckner "danced" around his victim before forcing her to perform a sex act on him.

"She said it was a rape," he told the court. Seyferth said they also found a pistol in the ramshackle house.

He described Brueckner as "big headed" and "arrogant" - and said he boasted about carrying out "burglaries" in Portugal. He also said the German claimed he "worked as a waiter" in Algarve hotels.

Manfred Seyferth, a witness, was questioned in court today