Madeleine McCann disappearance prime suspect’s rape charges thrown out by German court
A suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance has seen his rape charges thrown out by a German court.
Sexual offence charges as well as the aforementioned rape charge against convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner have been ruled out as a possibility.
Brueckner, who had been formally identified as a suspect in the case of McCann’s disappearance, has since been told he can no longer face a possible rape trial as the court deemed itself to not have jurisdiction over the case.
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Legal authorities have since been told at Braunschweig court that they do not have the official power further their investigations.
(Image: PA)
Those investigations into the disappearance of Madeleine, who went missing in Portugal back in 2007, have since been prevented according to lawyer Friedrich Fuelscher.
German prosecutors had last year charged Brueckner with three offences of aggravated rape and two offences of sexual abuse of children in Portugal, Evening Standard reported.
Those charges for crimes in Portugal came between the dates of December 28, 2000 and June 11, 2017.
Although charges did not directly link Brueckner to the McCann case, the court has since ruled the man cannot be considered a suspect in the investigation.
(Image: PA)
Despite Brueckner being formally identified as a suspect, he will no longer be part of proceedings after he denied involvement in the disappearance.
German police had previously announced their belief that missing Madeleine McCann was assumed dead, although they said back in June 2020 that Brueckner was responsible for it.
The arrest warrant has since been lifted after Brueckner proved he did have a residency following the previous address in the neighbouring state of Saxony-Anhalt.
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