01 March 2024 , 14:55
890
0
Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner burgled rooms at Algarve hotels where he worked as a waiter, a former pal has claimed.
Prosecutors believe the paedophile broke in and snatched the British youngster from her parents’ holiday resort apartment in May 2007. Brueckner, 47, has not been charged with Madeleine’s disappearance but is on trial accused of unconnected sex crimes.
He is alleged to have raped three women and indecently exposed himself to children in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. One of the crimes took place just weeks before Madeleine vanished from the Ocean Club complex in Praia da Luz, it is claimed.
Brueckner’s pal Manfred Seyferth told a judge he saw vile videotapes of Brueckner raping an elderly woman and a schoolgirl. He said the pervert filmed himself “dancing around” the terrified youngster before forcing her to carry out a sex act.
Brueckner tied the teenager to a post in his Praia da Luz farmhouse before recording the sickening attack, it is claimed. Seyferth, who spent time with the drifter in the Algarve in the early 2000s, said he was “big-headed” and “arrogant”. The 68-year-old was the first witness to give evidence yesterday in Brueckner’s trial in Braunschweig, Germany.
Teen 'kept as slave, starved and beaten' sues adoptive parents and authorities
Brueckner burgled rooms at Algarve hotels while working as a waiter, according to a former palBrueckner, wearing a grey blazer and cream trousers, entered courtroom 141 shortly after 9am. He shook hands with his lawyer Friedrich Fuelscher before sitting down alongside the rest of his legal team. Seyferth came into court 15 minutes later and sat at the witness stand in the well of the court.
Judge Uta Engemann then began questioning him about his time in Portugal and dealings with Brueckner. He described the German as “slimy” and told he spoke about carrying out hotel “burglaries” in Portugal. 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?” He replied: “No, I did not concern myself with it.” British ex-pat Ken Ralphs claimed earlier this week that Brueckner worked in the bar at the Ocean Club. Seyferth, from Ludenscheid, Germany, told Braunschweig Regional Court he saw videos of Brueckner abusing a pensioner and a young girl.
Witness Manfred SeyferthHe said he found cassettes with his friend Helge Busching in Brueckner's “chaotic” farmhouse in Praia da Luz. The pair had gone to the property, on the outskirts of the resort, to steal diesel while Brueckner was in jail. 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 as he hit her with a ruler, telling the court: “It was clearly him.” Seyferth said the second alleged victim was a German girl aged around 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. Images from inside the farmhouse, including the pole he allegedly tied the teenager to, were shown in court. Under cross examination he admitted talking to co-witness Busching - who will give evidence later in the trial - by phone on Thursday.
Madeleine McCann (PA)The German was charged with the offences in October 2022 but the case was delayed following a legal row over jurisdiction. Madeleine disappeared from her parents’ holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in May 2007. Kate and Gerry McCann, from Rothley, Leics, 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 was named as a suspect in 2020 but denies any involvement in the crime. The German, who will not give evidence in court, is serving a seven-year prison term for rape and drug trafficking.
His trial resumes in a fortnight.