The prime suspect in the case of Madeleine McCann's disappearance launched into a bizarre outburst at the sight of the missing British girl, a new documentary has uncovered.
Christian Brueckner descended into rage upon seeing Madeleine on a German news programme while he was working at a kiosk.
The astonishing accusation was brought to light by a former colleague of convicted paedophile Brueckner, who alleged he shouted "the girl is dead" when she flashed across the television screen.
He was also heard making a peculiar comment in which he said that "pigs can eat human flesh".
Christian Brueckner erupted into rage upon seeing Madeleine on German news as he was working at a kiosk
|GETTY
An expat who used to cross paths with the German national in Portugal at the time of the three-year-old's vanishing labelled him as a "pervert".
After Brueckner was named the prime suspect by authorities five years ago, Germany-based journalist Rob Hyde has examined the life of the convicted paedophile.
Mr Hyde revealed in a new ITV documentary: "He [Brueckner] would always walk around in a suit jacket, even though he was hanging around with petty criminals and low lives.
"He wanted to look like the important person.
The paedophile's alleged partner-in-crime admitted to him to have been part of plan to kidnap a child in the holiday resort Ms McCann went missing
| PA"A person who worked there told me about the news piece, about the Madeleine McCann case - it was running on the TV.
"Brueckner then flips out, starts shouting the 'Madchen is tot' - the girl is dead.
"And he makes a really odd comment, which is, 'yes pigs can also eat human flesh'".
Ken Ralphs, a man who knew Brueckner, told GB News that a person he believes was the paedophile's partner-in-crime admitted to him to have been part of plan to kidnap a child in the holiday resort Ms McCann went missing.
Mr Ralphs told The People's Channel: "He cried that he needed the money to get out the country with his family and children and that's why he got involved."
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Brueckner could be released from prison in Germany on Wednesday
|REUTERS
Brueckner is slated to be released from prison in Germany on Wednesday, a move that the British detective who investigated Ms McCann's abduction in 2007 said should leave the public "very worried".
Graham Hill told the ITV documentary: “He is a man that has multiple deviant sexual behaviours. He is a sexual risk to adult women, children of both genders. He is a very dangerous man.
“We have got an offender here who is interested in the whole spectrum, he is an exhibitionist, he likes watching, we know that he is a sexual sadist, we know he’s tortured people.
"You have got him living in Praia da Luz a four-minute drive away from where Madeleine McCann went missing.
“There is evidence to suggest that a phone linked to him received a call at the time just before Madeleine went missing.
"So when you start overlaying the geography, when you start overlaying what we know, he would be on any suspect list you generated.”
Brueckner was arrested by German authorities in 2014 following an investigation into an online child sex abuse ring which mentioned abducting and abusing a child.
The investigation revealed the convicted paedophile boasting: “I will make a lot of films... and document exactly how she is tortured”.