Suspect may be linked to savage murder of girl, 11

POLICE investigating the murder of a girl aged 11 will probe any links to Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner.

Claudia Ruf was kidnapped in 1996 while walking a neighbour’s dog in the German town of Grevenbroich near Cologne.

Her body was found two days later. She had been sexually assaulted, strangled, doused in petrol and partially burned.

Yesterday, it emerged police in Bonn had requested more information from federal police on Brueckner. A Bonn police spokesman said there was currently no evidence to implicate him, but added: ‘We do not want to leave anything unturned.’

Brueckner, 43, has been linked to several missing children since he was named as a McCann suspect. It was reported yesterday that he denies any involvement.