Madeleine McCann: Lead suspect has rape charges against him dropped
The lead suspect in Madeleine McCann's disappearance has had rape charges dropped
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The lead suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann will not face trial for rape, after a ruling by a German court.
Christian B was first named as an official suspect in the regards to the missing Briton in June 2020 and last year was charged with several unrelated sexual offences that German prosecutors believe he committed in Portugal between December 2000, and June 2017.
Among the charges included the rape of an Irish holiday rep in 2004 and the sexual abuse of a 10-year-old girl on a beach.
However, the trial into the 43-year-old collapsed after the court deemed itself not to have jurisdiction over the case.
Madeleine McCann went missing in 2007PAThe arrest warrant against Christian B has now been lifted.
His lawyer, Friedrich Fulscher, said in a statement: "In its decision of April 19, 2023, the Regional Court of Braunschweig declared that it had no jurisdiction over the charge against Christian B. and revoked the arrest warrant against him.
"The defence already pointed out during the preliminary proceedings that the Braunschweig judiciary should not have local jurisdiction.
"For reasons that are not understandable here, the public prosecutor's office in Braunschweig clung to its jurisdiction and thus risked being overturned by the Federal Court of Justice if it were opened.
"This is very questionable, in particular given the fact that a large number of witnesses would have had to appear in court again (on very incriminating issues) in the event of an annulment.
"The court's decision also means that the Braunschweig judiciary is not responsible for the 'Maddie' case."
He is currently serving a seven-year sentence in Germany over the rape of a pensioner.
The sexual assault was committed in Praia da Luz, same area in Portugal where Maddie went missing in 2007.
In a letter written from his prison cell he said the decision to link him to more crimes beyond the one he was currently serving time for was part of a "fairy tale" indictment.
Kate and Gerry McCann were informed Christian B was a formal suspect last year
PAGerman police first announced they were investigating him in connection with Madeleine's disappearance in 2020.
He was then made a formal suspect - an "argued" -by Portuguese prosecutors in Faro in April 2022.
A statement from Gerry and Kate McCann at the time said that they had been informed Christian B had been made "an arguido in relation to the disappearance of our beloved daughter, Madeleine".
"This reflects progress in the investigation, being conducted by the Portuguese, German and British authorities.
"We are kept informed of developments by the Metropolitan Police," they added.
"Even though the possibility may be slim, we have not given up hope that Madeleine is still alive and we will be reunited with her."
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