26 January 2025 , 09:18
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The prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann is considering leaving Europe and getting plastic surgery so nobody recognises him when he gets out of jail.
Christian Brueckner, 47, is nearing the end of a seven-year prison term in Germany for raping an American woman in the same Algarve region where three-year-old Maddie vanished two years later.
His sentence ends in September, but he could reportedly be out on day release within weeks unless a new warrant is served before then.
One of Brueckner’s lawyers, Philipp Marquort, said they have spoken about moving to a foreign country that has no extradition treaty with Germany or the UK, ‘like Suriname’.
Speaking to the Mirror, he said: ‘We talked about the possibility of changing his appearance.
‘I would get a face operation if I were him. I mentioned to him it would be nice for him to change his face or how he looks so that nobody can recognise him anymore.’
It comes after German prosecutor Hans-Christian Wolters suggested last week that ‘there is currently no prospect of an indictment in the Maddie case’.
Brueckner spent many years in Portugal – including in Praia da Luz around the time of Madeleine’s disappearance (Picture: Getty)
Investigators are considering launching an appeal against Brueckner’s acquittal on a series of rape and sex assault charges last year.
If successful, it could give them extra time to bolster the case while he remains in prison awaiting a retrial.
Mr Marquort told the Mirror he does not think they have ‘anything’, and while his client is ‘very happy’ with the candid admission he is ‘very angry’ with being named the prime suspect.
Brueckner has not been charged in the McCann case and denies any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.
Madeleine, from Rothley in Leicestershire, vanished on May 3, 2007, while on holiday with her parents in Praia da Luz, Portugal (Picture: REX/Shutterstock)
While Brueckner currently does not have the cash to bankroll his escape abroad, his lawyer suggested that may not remain the case.
He said they are considering suing the German federal state of Lower Saxony – and are optimistic that any settlement would reach into seven figures.
‘I think the highest compensation paid in Germany is around 200,000 to 300,000 Euros, but I think we could at least put one digit on there so we get into the millions,’ Mr Marquort said.