Now Portugal Maddie cops hit out at ‘arrogant’ German probe
A GERMAN request to retest evidence from the first days of the Madeleine McCann investigation has been refused by police in Portugal.
In a further souring of relations between the two forces, prosecutors in Germany have been told they cannot re-examine a saliva sample found in the Algarve holiday apartment from where the threeyear-old vanished in 2007.
An appeal to find out more about new suspect Christian Brueckner, in the hope of finally solving the mystery of Madeleine’s disappearance, faces being derailed after a week of sniping on both sides.
Portuguese police say they have already carried out forensic tests on the sample and say it is impossible to extract a DNA profile to compare against that of convicted paedophile and rapist Brueckner, 43.
Sources close to the Policia Judiciaria said it was ‘typically arrogant’ of their German counterparts to make such a request.
‘We have already tried and it’s insulting to be asked to do this again,’ the source said.
‘This is a total waste of time. What’s even worse, is that they now want to do it in their labs, as if ours aren’t good enough.
‘Why do they think their DNA testing centre is any better than ours? This is typically arrogant of them.’
Peter Bleksley, a founder member of Scotland
Yard’s undercover unit, said: ‘DNA science has galloped on a long way since 13 years ago when Madeleine first went missing, so there are far more complex tests that can be applied now.’ After Madeleine vanished in May 2007, forensic tests were carried on evidence found in her family’s apartment in Praia da Luz. Many of the samples matched the DNA of the McCann family and therefore could not have been from her abductor.
A saliva sample found on a bedspread on a spare bed near Madeleine’s sparked huge interest – until it was eventually matched with the DNA of a young boy whose family had stayed in the apartment the week before the McCanns.
But police have never been able to extract a full DNA profile from another saliva sample. Reports yesterday claimed this tiny piece of evidence was found on Madeleine’s pillow. After German police started
Officers ‘take a long time’ to respond
investigating Brueckner as a potential suspect in 2017, much of the evidence was tested again, without producing a match.
But the Germans are now anxious to carry out fresh tests on the ‘partial sample’ to see if they can extract a full DNA profile from it – and to establish if it came from Brueckner.
Yesterday, the Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha said the two police forces had ‘reached an impasse’ over this issue.
It is understood the German authorities would apply the same forensic techniques as the Portuguese. There may also be legal restrictions that would not allow the sample sent abroad for retesting.
It is not the first time that Portugal has refused an appeal for help from another force in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine.
In 2012, Scotland Yard detectives visited a Portuguese forensic laboratory and asked them to retest hairs found in Madeleine’s apartment. Their application was turned down.
Fresh tensions between the police forces surfaced last week and have threatened to derail hopes for justice.
A week ago, German state prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said working with police in Portugal was ‘cumbersome’ and officers ‘take a long time’ to respond.
In an apparent breakdown of trust, he admitted his team had not shared all their evidence with their counterparts in the Algarve.
Mr Wolters also believes Portuguese officials ‘still think that Maddie’s parents are responsible for her disappearance’.
Portuguese detectives were said to be ‘livid’ at the criticism and accused their German counterparts of ‘pretending to know it all’.
Last night German prosecutor Mr Wolters said he was unaware of the request to have the DNA retested.