Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing
A new investigative documentary claims it provides shocking evidence that Madeleine McCann is dead.
The groundbreaking documentary, which is set to air on British television tonight, involves an investigation into convicted sex offender Christian Brueckner following a police raid of his alleged hideaway in Germany's Neuwegersleben, a small settlement close to major cities such as Wolfsburg and Hannover.
Brueckner has long been a police suspect in the 18-year-old case, which saw Maddie go missing while on holiday with her parents in Portugal back in April 2007.
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Nearly 20 years on and police may finally have the evidence they need to convict Brueckner, who is currently set to be released from prison early.
The raid of his abandoned lair resulted in some terrifying findings, including around 75 children's swimsuits, toys, bikes and a hard drive of pictures which The Sun suggest could prove that Maddie is deceased.
Police reportedly believe that they are finally able to prove that Brueckner attended a festival, where it is alleged that he told a friend that Maddie 'didn't scream' in what is the closest we have come to a confession in what is perhaps the most followed missing persons case in history.
For those of you true crime fans who want to sit down and take in this evidence, having already watched the Netflix documentary on the three-year-old's chilling disappearance, then you can do so at 9pm tonight (7 May).
The Sun's investigation and the search conducted by police in Germany will be broadcast on British TV at 9pm tonight on Channel 4.
Madeleine McCann: The Unseen Evidence 'uncovers further evidence that could point towards the prime suspect's involvement in this unsolved crime.'
Much of the newly uncovered evidence was found by chance at a disused factory Brueckner reportedly bought for £20,000 in 2008, a year after Madeleine first vanished.
It is suggested that local cops discovered Brueckner's dead dog, with six USB sticks and two memory cards containing 'highly disturbing material' found underneath.
Police also found some horrifying stories allegedly written by Brueckner which describe him drugging a mum and her daughter outside a pre-school, as well as him abusing a blonde girl aged just four.
While Brueckner was acquitted of other sexual abuse crimes last year, the German could well find himself stuck behind bars for a while longer, if this documentary does indeed provide police with the evidence they finally need to convict the prime suspect.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.
Topics: Madeleine McCann, True Crime, UK News, World News
James Moorhouse