Suspect in UK girl Madeleine McCann's disappearance on trial in Germany, faces five rape charges
Madeleine
The main suspect behind the mysterious disappearance of Madeleine McCann appeared in a Germany court over unrelated sexual assault and rape charges. The appearance of the 47-year-old accused, Christian Brückner, made headlines in global media and generated massive interest in the public. However, the hearing was soon adjourned as one of Brückner’s lawyers raised objections against one of the lay judges for being ‘biased’ and ‘unsuitable’ to act as a judge in such cases.
The case was built upon the fact that the judge had posted several angry tweets in 2019 calling for the murder of the former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. The hearing will now resume next Friday with a new lay judge.
Cases against Christian Brückner
Christian Brueckner is reportedly facing five sexual assault charges that allegedly took place in Portugal between 2000 and 2017, which include the rape and sexual abuse of children.
He has never been formally charged over the disappearance of Madeleine McCann but was identified as prime suspect by German authorities in 2020.
He faces one charge of raping a young woman after entering her apartment in 2004. He faces another charge of sexually abusing a child in 2007 and a third of sexually abusing a child in 2017.
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Also, he has been accused of raping a 14-year-old girl at his home between 2000 and 2006, as well as raping an unidentified woman in her holiday home.
The Madeleine McCann case
Madeleine was on holiday with her family at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz in the Algarve area when she went missing from her bedroom on 3 May 2007.
The whereabouts of the girl remain unknown but German authorities believe she is already dead.
40 witnesses called to the court
Around 40 witnesses have been called to the court in Braunschweig, northern Germany, to give statements to the judge. The witnesses are believed to have seen Brückner raping at least two women, including a woman in her sixties and a young girl.
The trial is expected to continue for 29 days and will most likely end in June.
(With inputs from agencies)