Prime suspect in disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been charged with several sexual offences

The prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in 2007 has been charged in Germany with several sexual offences allegedly committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2017, prosecutors have said.

Investigators believe that 45-year-old Christian Brueckner killed three-year-old Madeleine after abducting her from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3, 2007.

Convicted rapist Brueckner is currently imprisoned in Germany on a seven-year sentence after being found guilty of raping a 72-year-old woman in Portugal in 2005.

He was considered to be the prime suspect in Madeleine McCann's disappearance after the discovery of phone records placed him in Praia da Luz at the time of her disappearance.

Police have said the phone records show prime suspect Brueckner took a call in the area around Praia de Luz around two hours before Madeleine disappeared.

Brueckner previously accused authorities in Germany of 'Hitler like behaviour' and argued that they were trying to frame him for other crimes.

Alamy Stock Photo

Hans Christian Wolters, the prosecutor leading the case against Brueckner, previously said he has 'everything he needs' to make a case against the suspect and had spoken about 'significant new evidence' against him coming to light.

Wolters previously said he is 'sure' that Brueckner 'killed Madeleine' and was 'adamant' that he had enough evidence to link the convicted rapist to her case.

However, he also said his investigation into the possibility that Brueckner killed Madeleine would continue as long as necessary as he is currently behind bars.

First identified as a suspect in McCann's disappearance in 2020, Brueckner has denied any involvement in her case.

He claims that on the night of her disappearance he was miles away having sex with a woman in his camper van, arguing that she can back up his alibi and saying he was pictured at a police roadblock after driving her to the airport the next day.

Alamy Stock Photo

The charges he is now facing are not related to Madeleine McCann's case and instead relate to other incidents he is alleged to have been involved in.

According to prosecutors, Brueckner is facing three charges of aggravated rape and two charges of sexual abuse of children. None of these charges are connected to McCann's disappearance.

The convicted sex offender has been charged with the alleged rape of a woman in her 70s between 2000 and 2006 and the rape of a teenaged girl in her home during the same time period.

He has also been charged with the rape of an Irish woman in Praia da Rocha in 2004, while he also faces charges of allegedly exposing himself to a 10-year-old girl in 2007 and an 11-year-old girl in 2017.