Brueckner has admitted plans of fleeing to a country with no extradition agreement once he is released from jail
Christian Brueckner, the convicted sex offender identified by German prosecutors as the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, has spoken publicly for the first time from prison, denying any wrongdoing once again.
In a televised interview with German broadcaster RTL, Brueckner, 48, claimed he is innocent of both the 2005 rape conviction that currently keeps him behind bars and the abduction of three-year-old Madeleine, who vanished from a holiday apartment in the Algarve’s Praia da Luz in May 2007.
The interview came on the same day that investigators resumed searches in Lagos linked to Maddie’s disappearance.
“As I told you, of course, the fact that I have been in prison for many years for something that I cannot have committed… half the world considers me a cruel rapist,” he said, blaming media coverage for public perception of him.
Brueckner, who is currently serving a seven-year sentence, claimed he speaks fewer than ten words a day while in voluntary solitary confinement, where he has been held after being assaulted by another inmate. He also remarked that he had “forgotten how to use facial expressions,” describing a psychological toll he says imprisonment has taken on him.
In the interview, Brueckner also said he looks forward to his release in September, saying his first priorities would be “a steak and a beer.” He did not address ongoing suspicions about his alleged involvement in the McCann case beyond reiterating his denial, nor did he explain why he has repeatedly refused to cooperate with investigators.
German authorities, meanwhile, have remained firm in their belief that Brueckner is responsible for Madeleine’s disappearance. Although he has not been charged in connection with the case, prosecutors have publicly stated they are confident in his involvement.
There are concerns among investigators that Brueckner may attempt to flee once released. He has previously indicated he would seek to relocate to a country without an extradition agreement with Germany. His own lawyer, Philipp Marquort, recently suggested to the press that Brueckner might attempt to alter his appearance to avoid recognition.
The timing of the interview coincides with a new search for Madeleine’s remains, launched by German police in collaboration with Portuguese authorities. Ground-penetrating radar and other technology are being used in areas surrounding the Ocean Club resort where the child was last seen. Investigators say the current operation may focus on trenches or construction areas in use at the time of her disappearance.
