Madeleine McCann

I suppose this is possible in terms of radius at least, but it really depends on what the tower was recording, what it could record and what records were kept. If signal strength was being recorded or time delay between phone and tower, that would probably narrow down the possible range and position of Brueckner's call on the night in question. I suppose if that information were available, either the Portuguese or German police would already have it, though.

Is the cell tower capable? Yes maybe, but is that level of detail logged and stored is the question. I suspect not.

The problem is, even if you locate the phone within say 1 meter of the McCann's apartment it still wouldn't prove murder.

We are talking ~20 years ago. There'd be enough reasonable doubt to have that particular evidence thrown out.

Glimmer of hope for some kind of closure in this case, or at least to keep Brueckner in prison - the bones found during the latest search were originally thought to belong to an animal but are now being retained for further forensic analysis. Long shot, but we'll see how that develops.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/madeleine-mccann-praia-da-luz-search-b2767908.html

When I said 'long shot', I meant in general.

Regulation pinch of salt required here, I think, but thought this was worth posting.

https://news.sky.com/story/plot-to-kidnap-child-hatched-a-week-before-madeleine-mccann-disappeared-13066078

As much as we'd all want to keep Brueckner in jail there are indeed chances he didn't do this particular crime at all.

Neutrally looking at this case, we don't have anything on Bruckner on this particular case, other than a visit to Portugal, a drifter lifestyle, a few other crimes and a log to the closest cell phone tower. The pictures on that hard drive or USB stick are probably not conclusive enough, otherwise they would have dragged him to court already.

It was mentioned today on the BBC, - Radio 4 PM programme. Bruckner is to be released within the next few weeks. There is no real evidence to bring him to trial in the McCann case.

They've never had any strong evidence against Bruckner is this case. It was just one line of enquiry the Germans were following up upon. Also in order to prove murder you must have a body and they haven't found anything, not in Portugal, not in the places in Germany Bruckner frequented.

As far as I know they've had login data of his cell phone from the night of the abduction close to the abduction site, or at least to the transmitter site closest to the abduction site. They may also have had incriminating pictures on a USB stick but nothing connecting Bruckner to McCann.

There were also discussions of him being released with the condition of wearing some kind of bracelet to pinpoint his position. Not certain if that's going to happen?

In June 2020, the world's eyes turned to Braunschweig: The public prosecutor's office declared Christian B. the prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case. Investigators were confident they could hold him accountable. Five years later, hopes of a solution have evaporated—and Christian B. is a free man.

It's not often that the public prosecutor's office is "100 percent certain" of a perpetrator and yet fails to file charges for years. Thus, the announcement by the Braunschweig investigators at the end of 2021 was quite remarkable: They were "convinced" that Christian B. kidnapped and killed Maddie McCann in 2007. However, because the suspect was already in custody for another offense, they would take their time to charge him "with the best possible evidence," they continued. Given the status of the investigation at the time, the Lower Saxony investigators were a long shot with their promise to the world. Around three and a half years later, it turns out: apparently, it was too far.

Christian B. is about to be released from prison. He has served his seven-year prison sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in 2005, and as of Wednesday, he will be released from Sehnde Correctional Facility. This means that the still officially prime suspect in one of the world's most spectacular missing persons cases is now a free man.

In order to protect B., who is also known internationally as the "Maddie suspect," during and after his release, the court is in close contact with the police, says his defense attorney Friedrich Fülscher in an interview with RTL. He also reveals that B. already has concrete plans for his time in freedom. The lawyer declined to reveal what these plans are or whether the 48-year-old, who has already lived abroad for many years in the past, might be planning to leave Germany, citing the need to protect his client. However, B. has the right to leave the country. An indictment against him for further alleged rapes in Portugal ended last year with B.'s acquittal due to a lack of evidence. There are currently no further arrest warrants.

"Top league of danger"

This is precisely what the Braunschweig public prosecutor's office views with great concern. "From our perspective, we must assume that he will relapse," authorities spokesman Christian Wolters told AFP. Investigators cite a psychiatric expert in this regard, who classifies B. as "the absolute top tier of dangerousness." Furthermore, B. has not undergone any therapy while in custody, thus not coming to terms with his actions—B. has already been convicted of multiple sexual offenses.

Against this backdrop, the Braunschweig public prosecutor's office applied for so-called probationary supervision for B. If approved, he would be assigned a probation officer, would be required to have a permanent residence, and would have to report to the court as soon as he intends to leave the country. He would also be given an electronic ankle bracelet, allowing authorities to track his whereabouts at any time. Whether these measures will be implemented is a matter for the Hildesheim Regional Court to decide. And even if they are, the effect is likely to be limited given the enormous risk the investigators assume. Because the ankle bracelet only works within Germany, as Fülscher explains. "In fact, once he crosses the German border, this ankle bracelet is virtually ineffective."

The Braunschweig investigators hope to maintain the greatest possible control over B. Out of concern for public safety – and to prevent the 48-year-old from going into hiding. This would significantly complicate what is probably the most complex and internationally significant investigation conducted by the Lower Saxony police. Even five years after their announcement, they have not yet been able to conclusively determine what Christian B. has to do with Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

World looks to Braunschweig

It was a memorable press conference in June 2020 when investigators announced they were investigating a German man in the Maddie case – specifically for murder. For years, the case surrounding the disappearance of the then three-year-old seemed to be progressing very little. Hopes were high that the little girl's fate would finally be resolved and her family would finally have some certainty. Suddenly, the mysterious case shifted from the Portuguese Algarve and Leicestershire, where the family lived, to Braunschweig. This was where Christian B. had his last residence, at least within Germany.

B. had lived abroad on and off throughout his life – including on Portugal's Algarve coast. It was here that little Maddie disappeared from her family's holiday resort on May 3, 2007, while her parents were having dinner at a nearby restaurant. B., who financed his life in Portugal through burglaries in hotels and holiday resorts, came under the investigators' scrutiny primarily because of his local proximity to crime.

panorama05.06.25Investigators stay on the caseExcavators now in use in the search for Maddie

At the time of Maddie's disappearance, he was living not far from Praia da Luz, where the British McCann family also rented their vacation home. On the night of May 3, his cell phone connected to a cell tower near the vacation resort. This is likely the strongest evidence linking B. to the Maddie case, but not the only one. B. has multiple criminal records – including for child abuse and possession of child pornography. According to British media, investigators found numerous children's photos, children's toys, and 75 children's swimsuits on the premises of a factory that B. had purchased. Chat histories were also allegedly seized there in which B. shared his child rape fantasies with other pedophiles. Furthermore, the Braunschweig public prosecutor's office repeatedly emphasized that B. had no alibi for the evening of Maddie's disappearance. All of this makes B. undoubtedly a suspect. However, the circumstantial evidence does not establish a concrete connection to Maddie.

Weak chain of evidence

This is contrary to witness statements. Acquaintances of B. say he admitted the crime to them. According to "Spiegel," Helge B. claims to have once spoken to B. about how strange the girl's disappearance without a trace was. B. replied: "Yes, she didn't scream." The statements are the first concrete leads on B. – but there's a catch. In court, they are the weakest evidence, especially if the crime happened 18 years ago. Memories fade, actual experiences blur with what is heard later, and descriptions are often barely accurate.

In short: There is evidence linking B. to Praia da Luz, possibly even to Maddie. However, investigators have nothing to put their announcement from back then into action. Maddie's body, if she really is dead, has still not been found. There are no DNA traces, or possibly even fibers, that would conclusively link B. to the crime scene. Therefore, charges are out of the question.

While investigators continue to believe that B. kidnapped and killed Maddie, they only have one chance to hold him accountable. If they indict B. and he were acquitted due to the weak evidence, there would be no possibility of prosecuting him in Maddie's case. This would be impossible even if—hypothetically—the girl's body were found, along with traces of B.'s DNA. The reason for this is the prohibition of double jeopardy enshrined in the Basic Law: No one may be punished or prosecuted more than once for the same crime.

Authorities placed great hope in several investigations surrounding the Arade reservoir in southern Portugal. B. is said to have enjoyed spending time at this location. The area was last searched last May. Previously, the reason for the search was "recent developments," as prosecutor Wolters told ntv at the time. However, investigators remained tight-lipped about the results both in 2023 and after the most recent searches. At the latest, however, it can be ruled out that there was a breach at the lake. Otherwise, the Braunschweig public prosecutor's office would have used it to issue an arrest warrant—and prevented Christian B. from becoming a free man.

Which countries would allow him in? He won't get a visa due to his rape conviction and if Interpol decide to flag this guy, they won't allow him in as a tourist. Due to his high-profile status and history of evading the law, I can't see him leaving the EU without a new identity.

He's a paedophile, most harden criminals despise paedophiles; which is they're usually sent to prisons with other sex offenders. We put ours in Arbour Hill Prison. How many folks would be willing to do business with this guy knowing that he's the most infamous paedophile in the world and I don't see what advantage corrupt countries will gain allowing someone like him in.

The German authorities also have the option of electronically tagging him, which effectively ends his chances of leaving Germany.

I cant help thinking that a lot of the CB speculation is simply blame the local bogeyman stuff.

We don't know if he did that actual crime; but he is absolutely, undoubtedly, a serious danger to any child.

An amoral, dangerous, heartless predator and lifetime criminal.

A bogeyman indeed.

Tampering with ankle tags triggers an alarm and can be very difficult to remove, depending on the type. What will happen if the authorities decide to post 24-hour police surveillance outside of his home and follow him every where he goes?

Whether the German public want him in the country or not is irrelevant, the police have a job to do. Very few people care about Del Boy Hutch but there's still a patrol car parked near his house on Champions Avenue to protect him from the Kinahans.