Madeleine investigation could be halted, says prosecutor
German police lack evidence to charge suspect who may soon be out of jail
THE investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine Mccann could be dropped if the “missing evidence” needed to charge the prime suspect is not found, a German prosecutor has said.
In a stunning admission, Hans Christian Wolters, the Braunschweig state prosecutor, said people have to be realistic about the prospect that the investigation “could be stopped” and charges may never be brought against the German paedophile suspected of abducting the young girl.
The statement is a fresh blow to the Mccann family, who have become embroiled in a public spat with Mr Wolters over the sending of letters about the status of the case. He has publicly said that he has proof that Madeleine is dead, but they insist he has not said that to them.
In the three weeks since Christian Brückner was identified as the prime suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance, police in Britain and Germany have received hundreds of tip-offs, but none have been compelling enough to take him to court.
Speaking to a local newspaper, Mr Wolters said: “You also have to be realistic that the investigation may not lead to a charge for the murder of Madeleine Mccann. It could be stopped if we fail to find the missing evidence.
“I am unable to predict the outcome of our investigation, but we are still convinced of the guilt of the accused and hope for further promising investigative approaches.”
Mr Wolters told the Braunschweig Zeitung he was “hopeful of finding other victims, who have been sexually assaulted by the suspect”.
Earlier this month, British, Irish and American tourists who had been assaulted in the Algarve were urged to share details of their attacker with police.
This week, Germany’s highest court, the Bundesgerichtshof, confirmed it would decide whether Brückner will be granted parole for a drugs offence he is imprisoned for in Kiel, northern Germany.
The ruling was expected from the local courts in Kiel and Brunswick, where the 43-year-old last lived in Germany, after he finished two thirds of his sentence on June 6. But both institutions ruled the case was outside of their jurisdiction.
If the Bundesgerichtshof rules in Brückner’s favour, he could be a free man by July 17, depending on a separate legal challenge before the European Court of Justice.
Brückner is appealing against his conviction of raping a 72-year-old American woman after German police extradited him from Portugal on a drugs charge, but then put him on trial for rape.
Mr Wolters said: “Of course, it is always good to know where a suspect is to be able to access them if necessary. And, of course, detention always offers a certain guarantee that the detainee will not commit any further crimes.”
The Mccann family say they will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive.