Madeleine McCann suspect celebrates freedom with McDonald’s after prison release

Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner, 48, enjoyed a McDonald’s cheeseburger hours being released from prison at the end of his sentence for raping a pensioner

Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner celebrated his freedom by tucking into a McDonald’s^[1] cheeseburger.

Wearing a burgundy striped shirt and with his hair dishevelled by the wind, he went unnoticed by other diners. Only his pale appearance – from years spent in solitary confinement – and his ankle tag gave a clue to his sordid past.

Just two hours earlier he had been whisked out of Sehnde prison after completing a seven-year sentence for rape^[2]. He headed north towards Hamburg with his lawyer Friedrich Fuelscher – stopping only to scoff a lunchtime meal^[3]. Eyewitnesses said their Audi A6 was escorted by police^[4] into the fast-food joint Buchholz in der Nordheide at around 11am.

Brueckner, 48, smoked a cigarette in the car park before heading inside to order his first meal as a free man. He then emerged clutching a cheeseburger and chicken nuggets with sweet and sour sauce, which he ate outside.

Within 15 minutes of his arrival, Brueckner and his lawyer sped off to a mystery location. He was named as the prime suspect in Madeleine^[5]’s disappearance in June 2020.

But despite claiming to have evidence he abducted and killed the three-year-old, prosecutors have still not charged him. They were powerless to stop Brueckner being released from prison at the end of his sentence for raping a pensioner.

But they convinced a judge to impose stringent conditions on his release, including the wearing of the ankle tag. Brueckner must wear the device for five years as part of his probationary supervision.

He must also remain in monthly contact with a probation officer and let them know if he plans to leave his address. Brueckner will be recalled to prison for up to three years or fined if he breaches the conditions.

He must appear in court next month in Oldenburg charged with insulting a prison officer. If convicted he faces having to pay a fine.

Despite a lengthy police investigation, detectives appear to be no closer to charging him over Madeleine’s disappearance. He was cleared last October of a string of sex crimes he was accused of carrying out in Portugal.

Prosecutors are awaiting the outcome of an appeal against those verdicts lodged in Germany’s Federal Court of Justice. Brueckner denies any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance in May 2007.

German search teams spent three days hunting for evidence in Portugal last month. Brueckner was living in a ramshackle farmhouse on the edge of Praia da Luz when Madeleine vanished.