The Metropolitan Police is reportedly pushing to bring the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann to stand trial in the UK. Detectives are said to be pressing for German national Christian Brueckner, 48, to be extradited to Britain, believing they can gather enough evidence for the Crown Prosecution Service to charge him with abduction and murder.
However, a Met request to try him at the Old Bailey could be blocked by Berlin, as Article 26 of the German constitution prevents the extradition of its citizens to non-EU countries. Prior to Brexit, the convicted paedophile and rapist could have been extradited without complication, but now the Met would have to rely on the reciprocal extradition agreement between Britain and Germany, which came into force in 2021.
The Met is also exploring other options, such as handing over evidence to Portuguese authorities. As an EU state, Portugal could extradite Brueckner from Germany. Brueckner was sentenced for the rape of a pensioner but released last year. While incarcerated, he was named as the prime suspect in Madeleine's disappearance, but German authorities have so far failed to charge him.
Nick Vamos, former head of extradition at the CPS, told The Telegraph: 'Germany participates in the streamlined EU-wide extradition arrangements with the UK that were agreed after Brexit. However, Germany is one of 10 EU countries that chose to impose a 'nationality bar' and refuses to extradite its own citizens. This is a constitutional bar under German law so cannot be lifted or waived however serious the offence or strong the evidence.'
This weekend marked the 19th anniversary of Madeleine McCann's disappearance from her parents' holiday apartment in Praia da Luz. In a Facebook post, her parents Kate and Gerry McCann wrote: '19 years. The search goes on… to find our Madeleine, to achieve some justice, to make the world that bit safer.'
A Met Police spokesman said: 'The Met's investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been active since 2011. A dedicated team continues to examine the events of the evening of 3 May 2007 in Praia da Luz, while supporting and updating Madeleine's family. As part of ongoing enquiries, we remain in close working discussion with policing colleagues in Germany and Portugal.'
