Madeleine McCann latest: First day of new search for Madeleine McCann as police scour Portuguese scrubland
Almost 20 years since Madeleine McCann went missing, police have begun a new search of more than 20 plots of land in Portugal. The authorities are looking for her body or an indication she may have once been there. Scroll down through this page to catch up on what happened today.
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Scottish Sun
29 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Madeleine McCann prime suspect Christian Brueckner gloats cops ‘will NEVER pin case on me without a body' in sick letter
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MADELEINE McCann prime suspect Christian Brueckner has gloated that police will never pin the case on him without a body. In a sickening letter, the German sex fiend, 48, also goaded 'the dropping of the investigation will hit the world like a bomb'. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 Prime suspect Christian Brueckner goaded cops in a sick letter bragging that they will not find a body Credit: Darren Fletcher 9 British toddler Madeleine McCann disappeared from Praia da Luz in Portugal back in 2007 Credit: AFP 9 Bruckner taunted cops in a letter to claim they cannot find evidence against him 9 Police officers packed up a tent as they ended day one of their search for evidence connected to Madeleine McCann's disappearance Credit: PA The German paedophile bragged in a letter police do not have the evidence to back their accusations against him in the investigation into the toddler's disappearance. And Brueckner, 48, in jail in his homeland for rape, taunted cops, saying: 'Is there a body? No, no no.' The vile letter emerged as officers desperate to find a forensic link to him flew back to Germany after a fresh, three-day search in Portugal. They had combed scrubland close to where Madeleine vanished aged three from a holiday villa in Praia da Luz in 2007. German prosecutors are convinced of the predator's guilt — but he has never been charged and denies any involvement. Last month, a Sun investigation aired on Channel 4 revealed new bombshell evidence found at Brueckner's lair — including a kids' bike and a balaclava mask, as well as toys, guns and memory cards containing child kidnap stories. We revealed that he wrote horrifying fantasies about abducting and abusing a blonde toddler — and how this would leave him 'in paradise'. He also boasted in online forums about his desire to 'capture something small and use it for days'. But, in the verified letter seen by The Sun, Brueckner insists there is no evidence against him. He wrote: 'It is the important questions, the decisive questions that can never be answered. Madeleine McCann cops call off search as trawl of Brueckner's 'rat run' turns up nothing 'Was I or my vehicle clearly seen near the crime scene on the night of the crime? "Is there DNA evidence of me at the crime scene? Are there DNA traces of the injured party in my vehicle? 'Are there other traces/DNA carriers of the injured party in my possession? Photos? 'And, not to forget, is there a body/corpse? All no, no no.' He adds: 'You don't have to be a realist like me to predict that the accusations made against me will not hold up and that the investigation will be dropped.' Brueckner — named as a Madeleine suspect for five years — has also revealed in creepy letters a knowledge of how the German legal system works in his favour. He wrote: 'You know, of course, that in Germany you don't have to prove your innocence as a suspect, but that the public prosecutor's office has to prove that you are clearly guilty. 'Even the slightest doubt leads to an acquittal, if there is a court hearing at all.' 9 Portuguese police are searching various sites in and around the resort of Praia da Luz Credit: Dan Charity 9 The locations are around where Brueckner stayed in his car or in camping grounds Credit: Dan Charity Brueckner even claims the case against him is built on 'purchased witnesses' and reveals his awareness of his global notoriety. He added: 'Now, my path is paved with misjudgements, so to speak, but from now on the whole world is watching. 'Not even the Braunschweig regional court will now dare to make an obvious misjudgement. 'Even if an attempt is currently being made to create a shocking overall picture of me through purchased witnesses, it is the important questions, the decisive questions that can never be answered with 'yes'.' The latest hunt for DNA or forensic links on the case appeared to have ended without success on Thursday. Police were seen taking fibres by hand while a hole was dug at the site of an apparent tent from around the time of Madeleine's disappearance. However, it was unclear whether the search had found anything was found with enough potential value to the case it merited being sent back to Germany for testing. Brueckner had already moved out of his cottage in Praia da Luz when three-year-old Madeleine, from Rothley, Leics, arrived in the resort with parents Gerry and Kate and her two-year-old twin siblings. Those who want to understand how brutal the German justice system is in its attempts to hammer through its own law, even if nothing is true. Christian Brueckner He was living in his car, or wild camping in areas including this week's search site. In another letter seen by The Sun, Brueckner described how he used his drifter lifestyle to avoid detection. He wrote: 'Do you know that I was a drug dealer at that time in 2007? Investigators know this. 'I bought marijuana in Spain and sold it on beaches in the Algarve. 'I was never caught by the police because I followed a few principles. 'If possible, only drive during the day so that my battered hippie bus doesn't attract so much attention, only drive the necessary and most importantly, never provoke the police.' 9 Brueckner has been named as a Madeleine suspect for five years 9 Forensic cops comb scrubland close to where Madeleine vanished aged three from a holiday Credit: Dan Charity He added: 'Together with my dog and a lover at the time I enjoyed the 'temporary hippie life'.' The seeming failure of long-shot searches this week to find any traces of Madeleine is the latest in a string of blows for the case. German authorities, who maintain Madeleine is dead, are racing to find a way to keep dangerous Brueckner behind bars after he was cleared of further rape allegations last year. He told this week he plans to 'hide' when he is released — as soon as September 17 — taking hopes for the Madeleine case with him. The pervert was jailed in 2019 for the 2005 rape of an American pensioner just streets from the Ocean Club, where the McCanns stayed in Praia da Luz. In his letters, he whinges he has been framed so he can be scapegoated over the Madeleine case. Brueckner wrote: 'Right from the start they plotted a miscarriage of justice to make me vanish into thin air. And now half the world knows why.' And he adds: 'I am not exaggerating when I say that 80 per cent of what I have heard from the reports is not true. 'A large proportion of these lies are clearly being spread by the investigating authorities. "My words are directed at those who are taking this seriously and are not laughing about it. 'Those who want to understand how brutal the German justice system is in its attempts to hammer through its own law, even if nothing is true.' The Sun investigation aired on Channel 4 revealed the existence of computer hard drives which were vital in to persuading investigators of Madeleine's death. Our findings placed Brueckner at key Madeleine search point — the Arades Dam, in Portugal. And a document puts him at the location where he allegedly said 'she did not scream' as he discussed her with an associate. In the online message where he brags to another sicko that he really wanted to 'capture something small', he adds it would not matter 'if the evidence is destroyed afterwards'. German investigators last night remained hopeful British police might rejoin the investigation as an active inquiry.
The Sun
35 minutes ago
- The Sun
My girlfriend dumped me after she had several affairs – and is lying to friends and family that I'm the cheater
DEAR DEIDRE: MY lazy girlfriend spent all day on TikTok and social media, while I worked, cleaned the house and looked after the kids. Now I've learned she was constantly setting up new hook-ups and conducting several affairs. I'm not even sure if both my children are actually mine, or if I've been bringing up one of her lovers' kids. Talk about disrespect. Now she has thrown me out and told everyone I'm the one who has been cheating on her, so they think I'm the bad guy. I don't know what to do. I'm 42 and she's 40. We've been together for 12 years and have two children, aged ten and eight. If I'm honest, she treated me badly from the start. She often lied about where she was going, met up with exes who she pretended were just friends and secretly messaged other men. But she was always ready with a good excuse and she used her charms to reel me back in. We only had sex when she wanted it, the way she wanted it. She'd use it to control me. A couple of years after we had our first baby, a man turned up saying the boy was his. I was gutted as, by then, I loved the child. She denied it, of course. After that, we had patches where things were OK, but then she'd start being secretive again. If I said anything it would end up in a huge, nasty row. Dear Deidre After Dark- Understanding open relationships Last week, out of the blue, she told me to pack my stuff and leave. She accused me of having an affair — which is ridiculous, as there is no time, with a full-time job, housework and all the childcare. She has told her friends and family the same story, so they hate me. She said she'd just started seeing someone else. I think she has actually been seeing him for months. I feel like I've been used, chewed up and spat out. But if I tell people the truth they won't believe me. Please help. DEIDRE SAYS: You've been in an abusive relationship with a woman who sounds like a narcissist. She gaslit you – and everyone else – and now it sounds like she's moved on to her next prey. This is not your fault. You're a good man who has tried to do your best for your family. You need support for your emotional health, advice to make sure you continue to have a relationship with your children and that you get what you're legally entitled to. Don't worry about what others think. I'm sure they're aware of what she's really like. My support pack, Abusive Partner, will show you where to get help. For advice on your rights, contact Both Parents Matter ( 0300 0300 363). Thank you for advice when my guy faced a trial DEAR DEIDRE: WHEN my partner faced imprisonment, leaving me and our three children to manage alone, I was petrified. He was charged with assault and due to stand trial. I believed he was innocent, but we were warned he could face several years in prison. I'm in my mid-40s and we have been together since we were teenagers. The long lead-up to the trial was making me so anxious, and I didn't know how I'd be able to cope if he was sent down. But I couldn't tell him how worried I was as I didn't want to upset him more. I knew I needed to stay strong for our kids and stop feeling so depressed and weepy, so I wrote to you for advice. You were so understanding, telling me I needed support and shouldn't keep my feelings inside. You recommended I contact a charity called Prisoners' Families ( 0808 808 2003) who could guide me through what to expect, and be there for me. I appreciated that you didn't patronise me, acknowledging that simply saying 'don't worry' wasn't going to help. You sent me your support pack on Coping With Stress, which showed me ways to relax. Although I am still very anxious, I now feel better able to cope. Thank you Deidre. DEIDRE SAYS: I'm glad that my advice helped – but you're stronger than you think. Remember, there is support out there if your partner does go to prison. HURT BY HIS SEX TALK WITH EX, BUT I WANT TO REUNITE DEAR DEIDRE: I BROKE up with my boyfriend because he told his ex intimate details about our relationship, but now I'm wondering if I made a big mistake. I'm not sure if I can trust him, but I miss and love him. We're both in our late 20s and were together for 11 months. As our relationship developed, he sent out strong signals that he was thinking about marriage and was going to propose. But then I found out he was still good friends with his ex. She has a new partner, so I wasn't jealous, but I did feel uncomfortable. One day, a message from her flashed up on his WhatsApp. It asked if he'd had any more luck getting me into bed. I was horrified and humiliated, and had a massive row with my boyfriend, which led to us breaking up. We got back together, but after that I found it hard to trust him. He admitted he didn't want to give up his friendship with his ex. He also said that he wasn't ready to get married, and didn't know if he ever would be. I decided to end the relationship again. Now I'm not sure I did the right thing. I can't stop thinking about him. DEIDRE SAYS: It sounds like your ex boyfriend wasn't as happy about waiting for sex as he'd first appeared. It was wrong of him to share intimate details with his ex, but perhaps he needed to talk to someone he trusted. In a way, it's good he's been honest now and made it clear he isn't ready for marriage. It also sounds like he's not completely over his ex. If marriage is what you want, then perhaps it's better for you to find someone who shares your values and is ready for that commitment. If you get back together, the same issues will inevitably crop up again. It would be helpful for you to talk this through with a counsellor. TEENAGE TROUBLES DEAR DEIDRE: ONE of my mates believes I'm her best friend, but I find her spoiled and annoying. Three of us hang out together, but it's the other girl who's really my best pal, and she just gets in the way. We're all 16 and at school together. Last weekend, she got upset because she didn't want to go to a particular shop, so my best friend and I just went together. She says we should have included her and gone somewhere else. It's causing stress. What should I do? DEIDRE SAYS: Friendship groups can be tricky, as someone is always going to feel excluded. She sounds insecure. Maybe she's aware you prefer your other friend. Try to explain, kindly. But if things don't get better, you might need to distance yourself from her. My support pack, Rows With Friends, should help.
The Sun
35 minutes ago
- The Sun
Madeleine McCann prime suspect Christian Brueckner gloats cops ‘will NEVER pin case on me without a body' in sick letter
MADELEINE McCann prime suspect Christian Brueckner has gloated that police will never pin the case on him without a body. In a sickening letter, the German sex fiend, 48, also goaded 'the dropping of the investigation will hit the world like a bomb'. 9 9 9 9 The German paedophile bragged in a letter police do not have the evidence to back their accusations against him in the investigation into the toddler's disappearance. And Brueckner, 48, in jail in his homeland for rape, taunted cops, saying: 'Is there a body? No, no no.' The vile letter emerged as officers desperate to find a forensic link to him flew back to Germany after a fresh, three-day search in Portugal. They had combed scrubland close to where Madeleine vanished aged three from a holiday villa in Praia da Luz in 2007. German prosecutors are convinced of the predator's guilt — but he has never been charged and denies any involvement. Last month, a Sun investigation aired on Channel 4 revealed new bombshell evidence found at Brueckner's lair — including a kids' bike and a balaclava mask, as well as toys, guns and memory cards containing child kidnap stories. We revealed that he wrote horrifying fantasies about abducting and abusing a blonde toddler — and how this would leave him 'in paradise'. He also boasted in online forums about his desire to 'capture something small and use it for days'. But, in the verified letter seen by The Sun, Brueckner insists there is no evidence against him. He wrote: 'It is the important questions, the decisive questions that can never be answered. Madeleine McCann cops call off search as trawl of Brueckner's 'rat run' turns up nothing 'Was I or my vehicle clearly seen near the crime scene on the night of the crime? "Is there DNA evidence of me at the crime scene? Are there DNA traces of the injured party in my vehicle? 'Are there other traces/DNA carriers of the injured party in my possession? Photos? 'And, not to forget, is there a body/corpse? All no, no no.' He adds: 'You don't have to be a realist like me to predict that the accusations made against me will not hold up and that the investigation will be dropped.' Brueckner — named as a Madeleine suspect for five years — has also revealed in creepy letters a knowledge of how the German legal system works in his favour. He wrote: 'You know, of course, that in Germany you don't have to prove your innocence as a suspect, but that the public prosecutor's office has to prove that you are clearly guilty. 'Even the slightest doubt leads to an acquittal, if there is a court hearing at all.' 9 9 Brueckner even claims the case against him is built on 'purchased witnesses' and reveals his awareness of his global notoriety. He added: 'Now, my path is paved with misjudgements, so to speak, but from now on the whole world is watching. 'Not even the Braunschweig regional court will now dare to make an obvious misjudgement. 'Even if an attempt is currently being made to create a shocking overall picture of me through purchased witnesses, it is the important questions, the decisive questions that can never be answered with 'yes'.' The latest hunt for DNA or forensic links on the case appeared to have ended without success on Thursday. Police were seen taking fibres by hand while a hole was dug at the site of an apparent tent from around the time of Madeleine's disappearance. However, it was unclear whether the search had found anything was found with enough potential value to the case it merited being sent back to Germany for testing. Brueckner had already moved out of his cottage in Praia da Luz when three-year-old Madeleine, from Rothley, Leics, arrived in the resort with parents Gerry and Kate and her two-year-old twin siblings. Those who want to understand how brutal the German justice system is in its attempts to hammer through its own law, even if nothing is true. Christian Brueckner He was living in his car, or wild camping in areas including this week's search site. In another letter seen by The Sun, Brueckner described how he used his drifter lifestyle to avoid detection. He wrote: 'Do you know that I was a drug dealer at that time in 2007? Investigators know this. 'I bought marijuana in Spain and sold it on beaches in the Algarve. 'I was never caught by the police because I followed a few principles. 'If possible, only drive during the day so that my battered hippie bus doesn't attract so much attention, only drive the necessary and most importantly, never provoke the police.' 9 9 He added: 'Together with my dog and a lover at the time I enjoyed the 'temporary hippie life'.' The seeming failure of long-shot searches this week to find any traces of Madeleine is the latest in a string of blows for the case. German authorities, who maintain Madeleine is dead, are racing to find a way to keep dangerous Brueckner behind bars after he was cleared of further rape allegations last year. He told this week he plans to 'hide' when he is released — as soon as September 17 — taking hopes for the Madeleine case with him. The pervert was jailed in 2019 for the 2005 rape of an American pensioner just streets from the Ocean Club, where the McCanns stayed in Praia da Luz. In his letters, he whinges he has been framed so he can be scapegoated over the Madeleine case. Brueckner wrote: 'Right from the start they plotted a miscarriage of justice to make me vanish into thin air. And now half the world knows why.' And he adds: 'I am not exaggerating when I say that 80 per cent of what I have heard from the reports is not true. 'A large proportion of these lies are clearly being spread by the investigating authorities. "My words are directed at those who are taking this seriously and are not laughing about it. 'Those who want to understand how brutal the German justice system is in its attempts to hammer through its own law, even if nothing is true.' The Sun investigation aired on Channel 4 revealed the existence of computer hard drives which were vital in to persuading investigators of Madeleine's death. Our findings placed Brueckner at key Madeleine search point — the Arades Dam, in Portugal. And a document puts him at the location where he allegedly said 'she did not scream' as he discussed her with an associate. In the online message where he brags to another sicko that he really wanted to 'capture something small', he adds it would not matter 'if the evidence is destroyed afterwards'. German investigators last night remained hopeful British police might rejoin the investigation as an active inquiry. 9
