Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
The search for Madeleine McCann was reignited last week in Portugal as German police reacted to the shocking findings found at her prime suspect's lair.
Madeleine was just three years old when she disappeared from an apartment complex in Praia da Luz, Portugal back in 2007. Nearly 20 years on, her whereabouts remain a mystery, as the most recent search to find her produced very little in terms of evidence.
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The search took place close to the holiday resort where Madeleine was staying, which is also nearby the former lodgings of Christian Brueckner, who is considered the prime suspect in her disappearance, with local media reporting that some material had been collected and sent off for analysis.
Brueckner is currently serving a seven year sentence for the rape of an elderly woman and is set to be released in a matter of months.
Despite being named a prime suspect in the McCann case in 2020, he has never been formally charged for anything relating to Madeleine's disappearance, and he has denied any involvement.
A recent documentary from a joint investigation from Channel 4 and The Sun, Madeleine McCann: The Unseen Evidence, detailed some of shocking things that were discovered at a property owned by the German national, which was conducted back in 2016.
Disturbing 'kidnapping stories'
One of the things discovered by investigators were handwritten notes which included what appeared to be fantasies about kidnapping women and children.
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Some of the stories were far too graphic to be read out in the documentary, as one story told a story of him allegedly kidnapping a mother and daughter.
He wrote: "As she came to the car, holding her daughter's hand and opened the rear door, I was already behind them both with a cloth soaked in ether in my hands.
"I forced it into the woman's face. At first, she resisted violently, but I held her firmly. The little girl sat in the car and watched me with big, frightened eyes.
"When this was all done and the two bodies were hidden in the darkness, I picked up my delivery truck, loaded up my prey and drove away."
Hard drive and a document
According to The Sun, a hard drive was discovered that allegedly contained images and a laptop key, as well as supposedly proving that he was at the heart of the search location around the time of Madeleine’s disappearance 18 years ago.
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Another document also reportedly places him at a festival in 2008, where a former friend alleges he told them that she 'did not scream' - although this claim is still under dispute.
Images of children and swimming costumes
The documentary also alleged that images of children were discovered at the factory. Children's toys, bikes and 75 swimming costumes were also reportedly found.
A newly uncovered letter allegedly from Brueckner is also said to mock German police's attempts to link him to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
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According to Bild, the handwritten note allegedly says: "Are there any traces of her in my vehicle? Any other traces of her in my possession? Photos? Is there a body? No, no, no."
When approached about the documentary, German police told LADbible at the time: "I can't comment on the documentary because I haven't seen it. In my opinion, the article in The Sun doesn't contain any real news and also contains few direct references to Madeleine McCann.
"I assume the article was published only because of the anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance and not because of the timeliness of the alleged evidence."
LADbible has contacted Brueckner's legal team for comment.
Topics: Madeleine McCann, True Crime
James Moorhouse