Who is Christian Brückner? Suspect in Madeleine McCann Case Released from Prison

On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, German authorities confirmed that Christian Brückner, a convicted rapist and long-time suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, was released from prison after completing his sentence for an unrelated case.

Release from German Prison

Brückner, 48, walked free from Sehnde Prison near Hannover, Germany, after serving a seven-year sentence. He was convicted in 2019 for the rape of a 72-year-old American woman in Portugal.

Verena Brinkmann, spokesperson for the Lower Saxony justice ministry, confirmed his release. However, Brückner will remain under strict supervision. According to his lawyer Friedrich Fülscher, he must wear an electronic foot tag, regularly report to probation officers, and surrender his passport.

Connection to Madeleine McCann Case

In June 2020, German prosecutors announced that Brückner was under investigation on suspicion of murder in relation to Madeleine McCann’s disappearance. Madeleine vanished on May 3, 2007, from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, while her parents dined nearby.

Brückner, who spent years living in Portugal — including in Praia da Luz — has denied any involvement in the case. He has not been charged, but prosecutors in Germany, along with investigators in the U.K. and Portugal, still consider him the prime suspect.

Ongoing Investigations

Despite his release, the investigation into Madeleine’s case remains active. The Metropolitan Police in Britain have also kept him as a suspect, though he refused their request for an interview.

His lawyer argues there is no strong evidence against him, stating: “If there was enough evidence, charges would have been filed long ago.”

Previous Trials and Acquittals

In 2024, Brückner was tried for several sexual offenses said to have occurred in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. He was acquitted in October after the court found that the witnesses were unreliable and that some testimonies were influenced by media reports.

Legal Troubles Ahead

Brückner still faces a separate case. On October 27, 2025, he is due in court in Oldenburg, Germany, for allegedly insulting a prison employee. He was sentenced to six weeks in prison for that offense, but his defense team appealed the decision.

Madeleine McCann: Still Missing After 18 Years

Madeleine was only three years old when she disappeared in 2007 while on holiday with her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, and her younger twin siblings. The case remains one of the most high-profile missing person investigations in the world.