Crime · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
Christian Brueckner Says He Was 137 Meters From Madeleine McCann’s Room, Selling Drugs
Christian Brueckner was about 137 meters (approximately 150 yards) from the McCanns’ apartment. He says police stopped him in a drug-filled van three times that night.
18 outlets, one story, no spin found.
7 of 8 outlets skipped it: exact distance differs: 450 feet reported by AOL.ca.
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Drug claim near apartment
Christian Brueckner, the main suspect in the Madeleine McCann case, said he was 137 meters from the girl's room the night of her disappearance and told the Mail on Sunday, "I was on the beach, not far from Maddie's hotel, selling drugs." Brueckner said he had traveled from Spain and carried marijuana that he had brought into Portugal, and he claimed Portuguese police stopped him up to three times while they were searching for Madeleine.
Brueckner also said he tried to leave Praia da Luz quickly when he encountered police checkpoints and emergency lights deployed in the town after the girl's disappearance. German prosecutors publicly identified Brueckner as the main suspect in June 2020, saying they believe he kidnapped and killed the girl, but they have not managed to gather sufficient evidence to bring formal charges against him in connection with the case.
Memoir and surveillance
Christian Brueckner contacted a professional writer and began drafting a book aimed at proving he had no involvement in Madeleine McCann's disappearance. A source close to Brueckner told the Daily Mirror that he is "desperate to tell his version of the facts" and that he believes writing about his innocence will help.
Brueckner remained under strict monitoring after his release from prison in September 2025, and the conditions of his parole include an electronic bracelet for four more years and a requirement to notify social services of any change of address. The sources also described Brueckner living in a fenced container accommodation in northern Germany, where he is under constant surveillance, and they said any violation of parole conditions could result in his immediate return to prison.
Criticism and next court
Kevin Moore, a retired British detective, rejected Brueckner's planned book and told the Mirror, "I won’t buy it. It’s abominable."
Brueckner's book plans also drew attention as the suspect faced a new judicial phase in Germany, with a court appearance scheduled for January that could lead to a retrial.
The sources said Brueckner was released from prison in September 2025 after serving a seven-year sentence for raping a 72-year-old woman in Praia da Luz in 2005, and they said German prosecutors have reiterated they have "concrete evidence" against him in the Madeleine case.
The sources also said the investigation remains open nearly two decades after Madeleine disappeared on May 3, 2007 in Praia da Luz, and they described the Metropolitan Police's intention to apply for Brueckner's extradition so he can face a potential judicial proceeding in the United Kingdom.