Acquittal in Christian Brückner Case Raises Questions in McCann Disappearance

A German court in Braunschweig has acquitted Christian Brückner, the main suspect in the disappearance of three-year-old British girl Madeleine McCann, on multiple charges of rape and sexual abuse unrelated to the McCann case. The 47-year-old was accused of committing five offenses in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. However, the court found the evidence insufficient to convict him. Prosecutors had sought an additional 15-year imprisonment for Brückner, who is currently serving a seven-year sentence in Germany for a separate rape conviction.

The presiding judge, Uta Engemann, highlighted the lack of credible witnesses as a primary reason for the acquittal, stating, “Even a Christian Brückner has the right to have a constitutional (fair) trial.” The decision has sparked widespread public interest, largely due to Brückner’s association with the high-profile McCann case. Madeleine McCann vanished in 2007 while on holiday with her family in Praia da Luz, Portugal, and has never been found.

The district prosecutor, Christian Wolters, expressed disagreement with the court’s ruling, indicating plans to appeal the verdict to the Federal Court of Justice. Until the appeal is decided, the acquittal remains unbinding. Prosecutors aim to keep Brückner in preventive detention following the expiration of his current sentence in September.

Brückner, who has denied involvement in McCann’s disappearance, did not testify during the trial. His lawyer, Friedrich Fülscher, maintained that Brückner was only targeted due to his public association with the McCann case. He criticized the media’s role in shaping public perceptions and influencing witness credibility, noting that two rape victims had never been identified, and testimonies were deemed unreliable.

German prosecutors had identified Brückner as a suspect in the McCann investigation in 2020, citing records of his presence near the McCann holiday apartment on the night of her disappearance. However, despite extensive investigations by authorities in Germany, the UK, and Portugal, no substantial evidence has been uncovered to prosecute him in the McCann case.

The Braunschweig court’s decision may have implications for the investigation into Madeleine McCann’s disappearance, especially concerning the credibility of witnesses common to both cases. Nonetheless, the district prosecutor assured that the acquittal would not affect the ongoing inquiry into the McCann case.