Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner convicted of 'insulting' jail staff
Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner has been convicted of insulting prison guards in the jail where he is serving a rape sentence. The 48-year-old paedophile was hauled before judges in Germany after branding jail staff 'a laughing stock'.
He snapped at guards in Sehnde prison during a meeting to discuss whether he could be moved from solitary confinement. Brueckner moaned he was being 'tortured' and treated 'inhumanely' during the March 2024 outburst. A female guard told the court Brueckner was 'enraged' and told her to 'shut your gob' before the meeting was halted. Under German law it is illegal to insult prison officials.
Brueckner later penned an apology letter to the guards, saying he 'woke up on the wrong side of the bed'. He is no longer being held in solitary confinement as he nears the end of a seven-year sentence for rape.
Brueckner was found guilty of insulting a prison official at Lehrte District Court. He was sentenced to probation and told to pay court costs.
If he commits another crime while on probation, he will be recalled to prison for one month. The exact length of his probation is yet to be decided.
Brueckner was brought to court in an unmarked prison van shortly after 9am. Wearing a grey jacket, t-shirt, trousers and black shoes, he appeared more relaxed than in previous court appearances. He spoke only to confirm his name and nationality - leaving all other questions to his lawyer.
Prosecutors had been hoping Brueckner would be given a new prison term for the jail outburst. The earliest date he can be released from Sehnde prison is September, but his lawyer told The Mirror a more realistic date, due to his inability to pay fines he still owes, is February next year.
Prosecutors investigating Madeleine's disappearance have been under massive pressure to charge him over the 2007 case. He was dramatically named as the prime suspect in Madeleine's disappearance in 2020.
Brueckner was living in an isolated farmhouse in Praia da Luz when she vanished from her parents' holiday apartment in May 2007. But despite the lengthy police investigation, detectives appear to be no closer to charging him with Madeleine's disappearance.
Brueckner was cleared last October of a string of sex crimes he was accused of carrying out in Portugal. Prosecutors are awaiting the outcome of an appeal against those verdicts lodged in Germany's Federal Court of Justice.
On May 3, Madeleine's family marked 18 years since the little girl disappeared, calling her a 'very beautiful and unique person' ahead of what would be her 22nd birthday. She was just three when she vanisehd while the McCann's were on holiday in Praia da Luz,.
A statement from her parents Kate and Gerry McCann and the family said: 'The years appear to be passing even more quickly and whilst we have no significant news to share, our determination to 'leave no stone unturned' is unwavering. We will do our utmost to achieve this.'
On May 12, Madeleine would be turning 22 and the family said: 'No matter how near or far she is, she continues to be right here with us, every day, but especially on her special day. We continue to 'celebrate' her as the very beautiful and unique person she is. We miss her.'
In April, ministers approved more than £100,000 in additional funding for Scotland Yard detectives investigating Madeleine's disappearance.
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