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Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Madeleine McCann suspect makes sick taunt in letter about police investigation as German paedophile's prison release date draws closer
Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner has disturbingly taunted police in a new sickening letter about the toddler's disappearance as his prison release date looms closer. In a newly unearthed letter, the German paedophile, 48, boasted that police don't have evidence to pin allegations against him in relation to the toddler's case, gloating how the dropping of the probe 'will hit the world like a bomb'. In the spine-chilling correspondence from prison in his native Germany, where he is currently behind bars for rape, he wrote: 'Is there a body? No, no no.' The abominable letter has been unearthed as German police returned from a desperate three-day search scrubland in Praia da Luz, Portugal, near to the villa where the three-year-old was staying before she vanished in 2007. But the recent search for fresh forensic evidence linking the sexual predator to the toddler's disappearance was branded 'a waste of time' by the head of the German force. Rainer Grimm, boss of the BKA, Germany's equivalent of the FBI, told a friend who wished him luck: 'Thanks, we need it.' His apparent lack of confidence in the operation to his pal echoed what many have seen as the 'last throw of the dice' for investigators looking to solve the 18-year riddle. And now, in a newly emerged letter, Brueckner insists there is no evidence against him to tie him to the investigation as his scheduled September release date draws closer. In a letter seen by The Sun, he claimed the 'important' and 'decisive' questions about his involvement in Madeleine's disappearance have been left unanswered. He questioned if his vehicle was 'clearly' spotted on the night of the crime near where toddler vanished, and if his DNA or 'an injured person' had been found. He added: '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.' The sex offender continued by stating one did not have to be a 'realist' to forsee the accusations he is currently facing as well as the investigation 'will be dropped'. Further divulging his knowledge of Germany's legal system, the paedophile, who has been named as a suspect in the case for five years, pointed out the prosecution would have to prove his guilt, rather than he prove his innocence. 'Even the slightest doubt leads to an acquittal, if there is a court hearing at all,' he chillingly wrote Brueckner also went on to allege the allegations against him have been built on 'purchased witnesses', as he noted his international infamy. It comes after the latest search for clues relating to the disappearance of the three-year-old drew to a close on Thursday. German police are adamant convicted rapist and paedophile Christian Brueckner took part in the disappearance of the young Brit, though he has consistently denied this. In three months, he could walk out of jail and that is why detectives are desperately looking for something concrete to link him to her disappearance to go with the circumstantial evidence they have. It comes after disturbing clues were discovered at the sex offender's abandoned lair in Germany as the probe into Madeleine's disappearance intensified in May, with prosecutors sure the youngster is dead. A bombshell cache of horrifying documents, pictures, children's swimming costumes and toys was reportedly uncovered at a former box-making factory he bought in 2008, a year after the British girl was last seen. Among the disturbing finds was a hard drive of images that police are said to have kept secret - but are reportedly thought to uphold investigators' long-held belief that Madeleine was killed. Police reportedly later found an insurance document that is said corroborate an informant's account that he allegedly confessed to her murder in Spain in 2008. The materials found by police, revealed in a Sun investigation broadcast on Channel 4, shed new light on Brueckner's disturbing obsession with children and his potential involvement in the case. The storage devices are alleged to have contained thousands of files, including images of child abuse, stories detailing fantasies of abducting young girls, and records of Skype chats with other paedophiles. Currently, Brueckner nears the end of a seven-year sentence for raping an elderly American woman in Praia da Luz in 2005 police need to move fast. His earliest possible release date is September 17 however that is unlikely as he will have to pay 1500 Euro in outstanding fines from a series of motor offences to do so. He has already admitted he will 'probably leave the country' which means police will have a nightmare to bring him back if charged. Last October he was cleared of a series of unrelated sex attacks that took place in the Algarve between 2000 and 2017. Two years ago police also searched a dam close by for evidence but after a week-long operation nothing was found. Brueckner continues to deny any involvement with Madeleine's disappearance.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Four words a top detective said before 'last-ditch' Madeleine McCann search
Rainer Grimm, boss of the BKA, Germany 's equivalent of the FBI, is in Portugal overseeing the search which ended yesterday. Before the searches began he expressed a lack of confidence in the operation to his friend The head of the German force leading the fresh searches for Madeleine McCann confided in a friend before this week's search and shared a candid four word statement. This week German and Portuguese police descended on several properties in an area of southern Portugal close to Praia da Luz - where Madeleine went missing in 2007. The last time authorities conducted a search related to Madeleine's disappearance around this area was in 2023. German cops spent a week looking through the Barragem do Arade reservoir, around 30 miles from where Madeleine was last seen, after they got a tip-off. After three days searching the area this week detectives were pictured packing up their equipment, which included a digger and ground-penetrating radars, after three days searching the area in the estimated £300,000 operation. Investigators were pictured at several homes linked to prime suspect and convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner - who used to live in the area during the time the toddler vanished, while on holiday. A group of German and Portuguese officers stood around for a debrief as the search officially stopped - which ended in a round of applause and the teams shaking hands. The officers involved also hugged each other after the three day operation. Search teams discovered animal bones and pieces of adult clothing at these sites, according to Portuguese TV reports. Police however have not shared an official statement on what could have been discovered. The operation kicked off on Tuesday, June 3, with teams scouring through more than 20 plots of land east of Praia da Luz. This included places between the Ocean Club holiday resort where Madeleine vanished and the cottage where German authorities' prime suspect Christian Breuckner lived. Rainer Grimm, boss of the BKA, Germany 's equivalent of the FBI, is in Portugal overseeing the search which ended yesterday. His apparent lack of confidence in the operation to his pal echoed what many have seen as the 'last throw of the dice' for investigators. A friend of Mr Grimm wished him luck he responded: "Thanks, we need it," reports MailOnline. Convicted paedophile Brueckner, who is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence in Germany for the 2005 rape of an elderly woman at her Praia da Luz home, has denied any involvement in the disappearance of Madeleine. He is due to release in September and has previously made it clear that he plans to flee Germany when he is out of prison. Authorities fear that he could disappear when he walks free if they can't tie him to the toddler's disappearance before then. The last time authorities conducted a search related to Madeleine's disappearance around this area was in 2023. German cops spent a week looking through the Barragem do Arade reservoir, around 30 miles from where Madeleine was last seen, after they got a tip-off.
