Former associate of Madeleine McCann prime suspect ‘100% sure’ he took her

Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault which some readers may find distressing.

An ex-associate of the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has explained why he believes he is responsible for her kidnapping.

Earlier today, it was reported that Christian Brueckner has 'refused' to be interviewed by the Metropolitan Police, prior to his scheduled release from prison on Wednesday 17 September.

The German national is coming to the end of his seven-year sentence for the rape of an elderly woman back in 2005.

Brueckner was never charged with any crimes in relation to the missing Brit, even denying any involvement in the case altogether. Authorities were eager to speak to the convict to help them 'understand what happened' to the British toddler, with the almost two-decade-old case still remaining a mystery, as McCann vanished from the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in May 2007 while on holiday with her family.

But now, a former associate of Brueckner, Helge Busching, told ITV that he's sure of his former associate's involvement in the missing person case.

Speaking in his first TV interview, he explained that they were not friends, though they did conduct some 'business' together, involving a number of crimes such as drug dealing.

"I want Christian to go behind bars for this, for the case of Madeleine McCann," he said to the news publication.

Brueckner is set to walk free later this week (Carabinieri Milano via Getty Images)

He warned: "This was him, I am 100% sure. He can say 'I am innocent'. I know what he was doing, I saw it with my proper eyes. I know he's a dangerous man."

Just one year after McCann's disappearance, Busching claimed he spoke with Brueckner about the case at a Spanish festival, recalling: “I told him I don’t understand how somebody can rob little children from a hotel.”

But he shockingly replied: “She was not screaming.”

Following this admission, Brueckner was said to leave abruptly.

Despite reaching out to Scotland Yard that year, it was lost and it wasn't until 2017 when he called a hotline, was his testimony taken by officials.

Busching contributed to Brueckner's rape trail in 2019 after he was convicted of attacking an American woman in Praia de Luz back in 2005. He even recalls being told of some disturbing videos by Brueckner, including ones of him violently raping two women, and another allegedly of a young German girl in her teens.

Madeleine McCann has been missing for 18 years (PA)

Busching said the home was just a mile from Ocean Club resort, where the McCanns stayed in 2007.

“Christian knows the Ocean Club very well. He was working there in the Ocean Club as a pool boy. And I think Christian, I think, was thinking, okay, go in one apartment and take some stuff from this apartment. (But) this time, he don't take baggage, luggage, he takes her,” he added.

Busching went on: “A big criminal man. To let him go as a free man. I don’t understand this... Now I know there will come out a really dangerous man.”

"I don't have any more confidence in the German justice,

"The best way is the English police will take the case of Madeleine McCann and Christian Brueckner," he claimed.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivors Trust for free on 08088 010 818, available 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm on Fridays, 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm-8pm on Sundays.