Madeleine McCann suspect to be hauled before court as Germany’s top prosecutor backs RETRIAL

The result at the time reportedly stunned prosecutors who needed a guilty plea to keep him behind bars for good and a safety net to resurface charges in relation to the vanishing of McCann.

The development could bring the McCann case to court and enquiries can ensue regarding Brueckner, currently living in a tent in northern Germany.

The decision on an appeal and any retrial remains with Germany’s Supreme Court. However, legal sources say the position of the Attorney General or Federal Prosecutor can have a huge impact on proceedings.

In a leaked letter, the Federal Prosecutor claims the court handled the 2024 cases “wrongly”.

It reads: “The court looked at each clue in isolation instead of putting all the clues together.

“In real life, and in law, cases like this are often proven by many pieces forming a pattern, not one perfect piece of evidence.”

“Even if no single detail proves it on its own, taken together they could absolutely support a conviction and the trial court failed to do that properly.”

Hazel Behan was attacked in 2004, in Praia da Rocha, Portugal , around 20 miles from Praia da Luz where Madeline McCann disappeared.

A masked raider threatened her at knifepoint, then tied her to a bench and repeatedly raped and whipped her whilst recording.

The Attorney General believes the court “downplayed” Hazel’s testimony and “the judgment should be set aside and retried in a different court".

Brueckner was freed in September, with the convicted paedophile and rapist continuing to live in the woods in Germany, in a bid to “stay clear of vigilantes” he is convinced want to harm him.

Three-year-old Madeleine, of Rothley, Leicestershire, vanished from the Ocean Club, in Praia da Luz, Portugal on May 3, 2007 while on holiday with her family.

Brueckner was named as the prime suspect in the disappearance in 2020, with claims his mobile phone had been pinged in the area on the night.

Investigators say they have “physical” evidence McCann is dead.

Witness Helge Busching claims a year later Brueckner all-but-confessed to him at a music festival, in Spain, allegedly saying “she didn’t scream” as the pair discussed the McCann case.

Investigators also give credence to the prospect that Madeleine was snatched by human traffickers, potentially with links to Belgium.

Last year, the Metropolitan Police stepped up their activity on the case, including reports of a visit to Portugal last week to re-interview witnesses.

Brueckner has refused to answer police questions over the case but has insisted he is innocent in letters, whilst his lawyers continue to protest his innocence on all matters.

He was released from prison on September 17 when his seven-year sentence for the 2005 rape of a woman in Praia expired.

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