Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner set to ‘flee Europe’ and could get ‘plastic surgery’ to become disguised
THE prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case is considering fleeing Europe and changing his appearance when he is freed from jail, a report claims.
Convicted rapist Christian Brueckner, 48, is set to be released from jail in September and could be out on day release within weeks.
And he is in talks with his lawyers to move to a foreign country where he would not be extradited to Britain or Germany, the Mirror reports.
The Met continues to probe Madeleine’s disappearance in these countries and so Christian could still be arrested and charged.
Earlier this month, however, the case’s chief prosecutor admitted it was unlikely Christian would be charged before his expected release in September.
Philipp Marquort, one of Christian’s lawyers, told the Mirror: “Sometimes he wants to stay here in Germany, sometimes he wants to leave Europe.
“If I were him I would leave Europe and look for a state which doesn’t extradite to Europe or Great Britain, maybe like Suriname.”
Philipp said Christian has also discussed the possibility of changing his image with plastic surgery to avoid him being recognised in public.
He said: “I would get a face operation if I were him. I mentioned to him it would be nice for him to change his face or how he looks so that nobody can recognise him anymore.
“Right now he doesn’t have any money to do that. Right now he’s just the guy who tries to get a fake moustache or sunglasses or a hat.”
Christian is currently banged up at Sehnde Prison, near Hanover, Germany, where he is seeing out a seven year sentence for raping a pensioner in Praia da Luz – the southern coastal area of Portugal where Maddie disappeared in May 2007.
German detectives have publicly linked Christian, who lived in an old farmhouse nearby, with the case since 2020.
However, the inmate has always strongly denied any involvement in Maddie’s disppearance and awaits the green light from prison officials to allow him out on day release.
Philipp explained to the Mirror that it is usual for inmates to be allowed out around eight months before the end of their sentence in Germany, so he be on the streets as early as next month.
He said he believes that the BKA, Germany’s version of the FBI, is still investigating his client in relation to eight cases, including Maddie’s, for which he has never been charged, in addition to five unrelated case he was cleared of in October 2024.
Hans Christian Wolters, the cases’s prosecutor, told Sky earlier this month: “There is currently no prospect of an indictment in the Maddie case.
“As things stand, the accused Christian B’s imprisonment will end in early September.”
Philipp said that Christian, while relieved to hear there are no imminent charges, is “very angry” that Wolters “tore into him in public and told everybody that he is the prime suspect”.
He continued: “He did the opposite of what he should have done and now he has started pedalling backwards”.
Prosecutors are desperately trying to keep Christian behind bars whilst all the live investigations continue so he cannot escape for good.
They reckon the most likely way of doing that is by appealing the rape and child abuse charges he was cleared of in October – so this is what they are focusing on.
A court source said: “Prosecutors aren’t afraid of charging over Maddie – but their priority is appealing against the charges he was cleared of last year.
“They believe a retrial is the best way to keep him behind bars.
“First the judge has to deliver the verdict in writing, then Wolters continues the appeal at the German next higher court and the highest German court, the BGH Federal Court.
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