Madeleine McCann Suspect Christian Brueckner Sparks Fury Among Neighbours in Braunschweig
Christian Brueckner, the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, is facing a furious backlash from his new neighbours in the German city of Braunschweig, including a petition to drive him out of his latest residence. The 49-year-old, who was jailed for seven years for raping a pensioner but never charged over Madeleine's case, has sparked outrage by moving back to the city where he previously owned a kiosk.
Neighbours Express Fear and Unease
One local mother-of-two, who wished to remain anonymous, signed the petition and described feeling increasingly uneasy about Brueckner's presence. She noted that while her husband finds reassurance in the constant police surveillance, it has the opposite effect on her. "When I see the surveillance every day, it reminds me who is living nearby," she said, highlighting the psychological toll on residents.
Brueckner's Troubled Movements Across Germany
Following his release from prison in September last year after serving a sentence for the 2005 rape of a 72-year-old woman in Praia da Luz—the same resort where Madeleine vanished—Brueckner drifted across northern Germany. He initially registered as homeless in Neumünster and was given an apartment, but after residents discovered his location and made threats, police moved him to Kiel. There, he spent months living in a forest tent before authorities provided a container, which he left after only a few days to return to Braunschweig. He is now understood to be living in an apartment owned by a friend in the same neighbourhood.
Intensive Police Surveillance and Costs
Braunschweig police spokesman Lars Dehnert confirmed that officers have Brueckner under constant observation, with each shift involving two officers monitoring him for eight hours at a time. "The focus of our measures is to recognise and prevent any potential risks connected to Christian Brueckner at an early stage," Dehnert said. While no noteworthy incidents have occurred so far, he admitted that dangerous events cannot be excluded. The operation has consumed over 8,000 police hours since Brueckner's release, costing hundreds of thousands of pounds and tying up experienced officers who could be working on other cases.
Brueckner's Claims and Legal Background
Brueckner, who is living on benefits and wears a monitoring tag for five years, has claimed that locals in Braunschweig want him dead. "Sometimes it feels as though people would prefer me dead. I ask myself whether that is humanity, whether those are Christian values. I cannot understand this coldness—that when someone is already on the ground, people want to kick them," he said. German prosecutors consider him the prime suspect in Madeleine's 2007 disappearance, though he has never been charged. Brueckner insists on his innocence, stating, "There will be no charges against me in the Maddie case. That is because I am innocent."
Recent Legal Developments and Expert Warnings
Last year, Brueckner was tried in Braunschweig on three further rape charges and two counts of child abuse, resulting in an acquittal. However, prosecutors have appealed the verdict, and the case is under review by Germany's Federal Court of Justice in Leipzig. During the trial, a psychological expert described Brueckner as belonging to the "absolute top league of dangerous offenders" and warned that if set free, his probability of committing another serious offence within two years could be between 30 and 50 per cent.
