Christian Brueckner, the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeline McCann, used a “paedophile chatroom” to seduce a young mother, a court has heard.
The woman from Hanover, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court in Germany that Brueckner said her three-year-old daughter was “cute” and “could be a model”.
The 47-year-old is currently facing trial in the German city of Braunschweig - unrelated to Maddie, but which sees him accused of five counts of sexual assault in Portugal between 2000 and 2007.
The mother told the court: “At the beginning I thought it was about me. But when I spoke to him, I mentioned my daughter.
Christian Brueckner used a 'paedophile chatroom' to seduce a young mother, whilst claiming that her three-year-old daughter was 'cute' and could 'be a model'
PA/Reuters
“She was almost four … He said she was cute and could be a model.”
The witness, who became Brueckner’s girlfriend, said the pair met on the site in 2013 before she discovered it was “where many paedophiles... operate”.
She also said that the 47-year-old bragged about breaking into apartments in Portugal’s Algarve resort around the time that Maddie disappeared.
He allegedly wore a pair of tights over his head, accompanied by some goggles over the top, whilst breaking into the properties.
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ReutersBrueckner would then hunt through washing baskets looking for money in pockets, the unnamed witness told the court.
Giving evidence at Braunschweig Regional Court, his ex said: “He was always drunk whenever we met, he was always drinking beer.
“He started telling me about Portugal, saying he would break-in to properties - he told me he found money in the pocket of some laundry.”
She added: “He told me he would wear tights during his break-ins. He said he would put them over his face like a mask - then put the goggles on top.”
Madeleine McCann disappeared during a family holiday in 2007PAThe convicted sex offender is on trial for the rape of a woman in her 70s in her home in the Algarve and the rape and sexual assault of a teenage girl.
He also faces allegations that he raped a young woman at knifepoint in her home in 2004 - an act he is accused of recording on video.
The court also heard that he masturbated in front of a girl at a playground in Messines in June 2017 and faces claims he did the same in front of another girl, on Salema beach, Portugal, in April 2007.
Brueckner's lawyers say his current trial faces worldwide prejudice following constant allegations he took the toddler in 2007.