Christian Brüeckner was driven out of German prison after being released from a seven-year sentence for rape committed two years before the Madeleine McCann vanished in 2007
The prime suspect in Madeleine McCann’s disappearance celebrated his freedom from jail with a McDonald’s – as his victim’s family warned he was “still a danger”.
Christian Brüeckner was driven out of Sehnde prison in Germany in the back of a black Audi with his lawyer after being released from a seven-year sentence for a rape committed two years before the then-three-year-old British girl vanished from Portugal in 2007.
Sporting an electronic tag on his ankle, he headed straight to a branch of the American food chain, where he was spotted tucking into a cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, a hot drink and smoking a cigarette.
Law chiefs said the 48-year-old German, who was living in Portugal when Madeleine disappeared, remains their “only suspect” in the case, though he has not been charged with any crime relating to it.
German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said Brüeckner must wear a tag for the next five years, contact a probation officer once a month, and “notify the court in advance of any change of residence or place of stay and obtain its approval.”
“If he violates these conditions he faces a fine or imprisonment of up to three years,” he added.
He has said Brüeckner – whose passport has been cancelled – remained “dangerous” and was considered likely to reoffend.
“He is our only suspect – there is no-one else,” he said.
“We have evidence which speaks for itself and which points to him being responsible for the disappearance and death of Madeleine McCann.
“We have evidence against him but it’s just not strong enough to bring a case and so that’s why we haven’t charged him yet – we hope we can at some stage.”
He told the BBC he had not found “anything in the last five years that exonerates” him.
“We found evidence that strengthens our case. But in our view it’s not strong enough to make a guilty verdict likely, and that’s why so far we couldn’t charge him or apply for an arrest warrant,” he said.
“You have to expect him to commit further crimes.”
Wolters said Brüeckner’s release had “no direct impact” on his investigation, which will continue.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said that while Brüeckner remained a suspect for UK officers too, the force was now “taking stock” of the case.
While Wolters has said he believes Brüeckner murdered Madeleine, British police continue to treat it as a missing person inquiry. She would now be 22.
Mr Rowley said Brüeckner “remains a suspect for us”, adding: “We are taking stock of where we are and the German investigation and the Portuguese investigation.”
Madeleine vanished from her family’s rented holiday apartment in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz while her doctor parents Kate and Gerry were dining with pals in a nearby tapas bar.
German prosecutors named him their prime suspect after he had been jailed for the earlier rape of a 72-year-old American tourist in the same resort.
Her nephew said: “It feels to us that he is still a danger to the public and should be closely monitored especially if he is connected to the Madeleine McCann case.”
Brüeckner has always denied any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.
His lawyer Friedrich Fuelscher said attempts to link his client to the case were ‘without substance’ and he had not ‘seen anything yet that makes me doubt” his ‘innocence’.
He said the comments by the public prosecutor’s office “will have an impact on his future life”.
Brüeckner might struggle to find a job or flat and to reintegrate into society because “people will not want to have any kind of contact with a suspected child murderer”, he added.
Another lawyer said the restrictions placed upon Brüeckner following his release were “an attempt by prosecutors to keep him in a kind of investigative detention where they have access to him at all times”.
Brüeckner told TV investigator Mark Williams-Thomas he was 27 miles away with a 17-year-old girlfriend the night Madeleine vanished.
The pair were stopped and photographed at a Portuguese police checkpoint set up to find Madeleine the next morning, he said.
The girlfriend, who has since split from Brûeckner, backed up his account and said he appeared to have no knowledge of a missing youngster when their campervan was searched at the checkpoint.
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