MADELEINE McCann suspect Christian Brueckner limped into court today with a mystery injury from jail – amid fears he could be freed on day release in just weeks.
The convicted paedophile was seen for the first time since a court revoked his arrest warrant – clearing the way for lawyers to begin applying for him to start having days of freedom in public.
The hobbled drifter was in visible pain – just a week after being wheeled into court in a wheelchair amid conflicting reports of an ankle injury suffered at JVA Sehnde prison, near Hannover.
Brueckner has been held in solitary confinement at the jail and his lawyers have not go into detail about his injury in court.
They had been expected to discuss the revoked warrant paving the way for Brueckner’s terrifying release – but were halted by a judge who refused to let the trial be distracted.
The judge blasted: “Any interruption of the main hearing would delay the main case.”
On Wednesday the court announced it no longer held “urgent suspicion” that Brueckner committed the crimes he is currently on trial for – and which are not connected to the McCann case.
They revoked his arrest warrant meaning he is no longer being held for the alleged rapes he is on trial for.
He is still behind bars, however, as part of the seven-year sentence he was hit with in 2019 after being convicted of rape.
It means he could be free for good in a matter of months if he is found not guilty in the current trial – and back on the streets even sooner.
Maddie disappeared in Praia da Luz on Portugal’s Algarve coast in 2007 while on holiday with parents Kate and Gerry, of Rothley, Leics.
Day-release is a right for prisoners in Germany approaching the end of their sentence.
Prosecutors can try and keep him behind bars by finally charging him over the disappearance of Maddie – which he has been the prime suspect for since 2020.
Brueckner denies three counts of rape and indecent exposure claims at Braunschweig Regional Court.
Just weeks ago detectives discovered an email account linking Brueckner to the death of Maddie McCann.
Detective Titus Stampa told a court the German FBI had identified two email accounts linked to the paedophile.
But Stampa said he had no clearance to discuss it because it was “related to the killing” of the tot.
MADELEINE McCann vanished on May 3, 2007 - and cops believe Brueckner could have been behind her disappearance.
Almost 17 years on, no one has been charged in connection. These are the key dates
May 3, 2007 – Kate McCann finds Madeleine missing at 10pm
May 14, 2007 – Property developer Robert Murat is named an “arguido” or formal suspect
August 31, 2007 – The McCanns launch libel action against Tal e Qual – a newspaper that claimed the couple killed Madeleine
September 7, 2007 – Kate and Gerry McCann are made “arguidos”
September 9, 2007– Madeleine’s parents return to England with their two-year-old twins
October 2, 2007– Lead detective Goncalo Amaral is taken off the case after criticising British police in a newspaper interview
July 21, 2009 – Portuguese police lift the “arguido” status of both Robert Murat and the McCanns
May 12, 2011 – On Madeleine’s eighth birthday, Scotland Yard launches a review into the case
April 25, 2012 – Scotland Yard officers say they believe Madeleine McCann is still alive
July 4, 2013 – Two years into a review of the case, Scotland Yard launched its own investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance
October 24, 2013– Portuguese police reopen their case after new lines of inquiry are found
November 27, 2013 – Met Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe called for British and Portuguese police to work together
October 28, 2015 – Scotland Yard reduces the number of officers working on Madeleine’s disappearance
March 11, 2017 – The Home Office grants Operation Grange an extra £85,000 to continue from April until September
September 28, 2017 – British police are granted £154,000 to keep the probe going until March 2018
November 2017 – Cops moved the search to Bulgaria
May 2018 – Another round of funding, thought to be in the region of £150,000 is granted
September 2018 – An extra six months of funding is requested from the Home Office
November 2018 – More funding, thought to be in the region of £150,000 is granted
November 2018 – UK police re-examine a theory Madeleine left the apartment to look for her parents
June 2019 – Another round of funding, believed to be £300,000 of government cash is granted
June 2019 – Portuguese police are probing a “new clue and suspect” after talks with British officers
June 2020 – New prime suspect revealed as a German paedo Christian Brueckner
April 2022 – Brueckner formally made an “arguido”
May 2023 – Police search remote Algarve reservoir Brueckner called his “little paradise”
