German law enforcement authorities have voiced alarm that the “dangerous” chief suspect in the 2007 disappearance of British three-year-old Madeleine McCann will soon leave prison and could flee the country.
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Prosecutors believe Christian Brueckner, 48, killed the girl in a Portuguese resort in a missing persons case that has captivated the world and remains unsolved.
But lacking sufficient evidence to lay charges, they are helpless as Brueckner – who has a history of violent sex crimes – is due to be released from a German prison by September 17.
Brueckner has denied any involvement in the Maddie case. His defence lawyer this week did not reply when contacted by Agence France-Presse.
The chief prosecutor in the case, Christian Wolters, said that he believes the man who German authorities refer to as Christian B. remains “fundamentally dangerous”. A psychiatric expert who assessed him recently concluded that “further sexual offences are to be expected”.
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“He has not undergone any therapy or similar treatment in prison, which means that, from our point of view, we must assume that he will reoffend,” Wolters said.