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Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Mystery woman who paid fine to free Madeleine McCann suspect is ex-cop
Christian Brueckner was facing extra time behind bars because he could not pay a fine. But now a former technician in Germany's BKA - their equivalent of the FBI - has paid the cash A former police officer has paved the way for the release of Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner by secretly paying his court fines. German authorities hoped outstanding levies for an offence in jail would keep the 48-year-old rapist and paedophile behind bars until January. But they were dealt a blow when a mystery woman paid the £1,300 fines needed for him to be freed on the earliest possible date in September. And now it has emerged the anonymous donor is a former employee of the Bundeskriminalamt - Germany's equivalent of the FBI. Her actions means investigators will miss out on crucial extra time to bring charges over Madeleine's 2007 disappearance. Brueckner is nearing the end of a seven-year jail term for raping an American pensioner in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz. German prosecutors named him as their prime suspect in the Madeleine case in June 2020 but have yet to charge him. In May he was convicted for verbally assaulting prison guards and also has outstanding fines for assault. The mystery woman, a former technician from the BKA, transferred €1,447 (£1,238.27) to pay the fines earlier this month. According to Der Spiegel she is a former surveillance operative who once worked in audio intelligence. She was allegedly upset after investigators bugged Brueckner's jail cell without permission. The woman claims she only meant to pay a fine relating to insulting a prison officer and did not realise the charges included assault. She described it as a 'misunderstanding'. Brueckner is now due to walk out of prison on September 17 and has boasted of planning to go into hiding. Politicians and victims' groups want an inquiry into how a woman once trusted with surveillance operations ended up helping Brueckner. 'This is not just a scandal – it's a catastrophic failure of judgement and oversight,' one MP told Der Spiegel. 'The police must explain how this could happen under their watch.' Earlier this week it was reported Brueckner is planning to move to Germany's 'billionaire playground island' when he is released from jail. His lawyer Friedrich Fuelscher has claimed Brueckner plans to stay in Germany after his release - and has already chosen a new home. 'According to my information, he plans to settle in Schleswig-Holstein,' Fuelscher told Bild. And Brueckner has a very specific location in mind - the exclusive North Sea island of Sylt. 'Sylt has appealed to him in the past,' Fuelscher added. Sylt is Germany's northernmost island, nestled in the North Sea just off Schleswig‑Holstein. It has been connected to the mainland by the Hindenburgdamm causeway since 1927. In the 1960s Sylt reinvented itself into a jet‑set playground for rich movers and shakers, and it is still this way today. Despite a lengthy police investigation, detectives appear to be no closer to charging him over Madeleine's disappearance. He was cleared last October of a string of sex crimes he was accused of carrying out in Portugal. Prosecutors are awaiting the outcome of an appeal against those verdicts lodged in Germany's Federal Court of Justice. Brueckner denies any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance. German search teams spent three days hunting for evidence in Portugal earlier this month. Brueckner was living in a ramshackle farmhouse on the edge of Praia da Luz when Madeleine vanished from the holiday resort in May 2007.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Mystery female donor who paid £1,300 fine to free Madeleine McCann suspect Brueckner is former COP who investigated him
THE woman who has paid for the prime Madeleine McCann suspect's early release has been revealed as a cop who had been investigating the paedophile. The mystery donor settled a £1,300 outstanding court fine which means Christian Brueckner, 48, will walk free in less than three months, on September 17. 6 6 Reports have now identified her as a former officer with the German FBI - known as the BKA - who claims to have been involved in wire-tapping his jail cell. She confirmed to respected Hamburg-based publication Der Spiegel she paid the funds directly to the justice system - allowing the fiend out early. Convicted rapist Brueckner had only been able to pay off £210 of the total fine and faced being kept behind bars until January. That scenario would have granted cops four precious extra months to hunt down forensic evidence and finally charge him over Maddie's disappearance. As it is, the ex-cop's intervention undermined the same force she previously worked for - all as they tirelessly dug for new clues in Portugal two weeks ago. The woman - who has not been publicly named - claims she worked in the field of 'Operative Technology Audio'. She says she was involved in bugging Brueckner's prison cell - allegations that emerged in court last year as the disturbed German was cleared of fresh rape charges. The female fine-payer did confirm: 'I never had personal contact with Christian B.' And when confronted over the fine payment, the woman bizarrely told Spiegel it has been a 'misunderstanding' and she had tried in vain to reverse the payment. She reportedly believed the fine was due to Brueckner insulting a police officer, something she said "wasn't justified". When she learned that the penalties were actually to do with a number of infractions, including bodily harm, 'it was already too late,' she said. Spiegel reports it has been able to verify she transferred £1,300 to an account of the Braunschweig public prosecutor's office at the Comdirect bank. It cleared a 2016 Helmstedt District Court fine for drunkenness in traffic and forgery of documents and a 2017 Braunschweig court levy for assault. Brueckner will now walk free when his sentence for raping an American woman, 72, in Praia da Luz, in 2005, ends. He has been named publicly as the prime suspect over the May 3, 2007 disappearance of Maddie, of Rothley, Leics., since 2020 but has never been charged. He has used letters to deny the claims but has refused to answer police questions or provide an alibi. His phone was in Praia da Luz on the night Madeleine vanished and made a 30-minute call from the area. 6 6 His Jaguar was re-registered into a name the day after the disappearance. A Sun investigation this year revealed bombshell new evidence - including Brueckner's obsession with snatching and abusing small, young, blonde girls. We also placed him at key police locations of interest, including a lake where cops dug for evidence, And we showed evidence he was at the scene of an al-but-confession when he allegedly said Maddie 'did not scream,' in 2008. Our probe - aired on Channel 4 - revealed the existence of a hard-drive and laptop containing crucial picture evidence on the case. Police maintain they have physical evidence Maddie is dead - but no forensic links. German police have recently stressed the value UK authorities could provide by getting involved in the case again before Brueckner's release. He has refused to rule out leaving Germany and insisted he will go to ground on his release. If he travelled to a non-extradition country all hopes for McCann justice could disappear with him. Timeline of Maddie's disappearance May 3, 2007 Madeleine McCann disappears from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, sparking a massive police search and becoming one of the most famous missing persons cases in history. January 15, 2016 Neighbour reports a possible 'grave' at Brueckner's abandoned factory in East Germany. Cops find disturbing images on USB sticks and launch a full-scale search. February 16, 2016 Christian Brueckner is convicted for abusing a girl of five in a park after images found on his laptop. He was sentenced to 15-months behind bars but was already on the run by then. May 3, 2017 Around this time, Helge B calls an information hotline after watching a ten-year anniversary special on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. He reports an alleged confession by Christian Brueckner. September 27, 2018 On-the-run Christian Brueckner is arrested over outstanding drugs claims in Italy. He is extradited to Germany the following year. December 16, 2019 Christian Brueckner was convicted, in Germany, for the 2005 rape of an American woman in Praia da Luz, Portugal, after his DNA was matched to a hair found on her bed. He was sentenced to seven years behind bars. June 4, 2020 German prosecutors reveal to the world they have a suspect in custody under investigation for the abduction of Madeleine McCann. For the first time they claim Madeleine is dead. German media later name him as Christian B (Christian Brueckner). June 23, 2023 In his first interview, witness Helge B alleges to German newspaper Bild that Christian Brueckner all-but-confessed the Madeleine abduction to him, by allegedly saying 'she didn't scream' as they talked about the case, at a music festival, in Spain. February 16, 2024 Brueckner goes on trial accused of none-McCann allegations of rape and sex assault, in Braunschweig, Germany. Prosecutors hope for a conviction to keep him behind bars permanently and lead to McCann charges. October 8, 2024 Brueckner was acquitted of all claims. Prosecutors launch an appeal, however. Decision pending. September 17, 2025 Date on which Christian Brueckner will be released from custody without action being taken. Prosecutors require an arrest warrant for a retrial over claims from last year - or over the McCann case. June 1, 2025 Police order a renewed search for clues in Praia Da Luz on the Algarve in Portugal. It lasts for just three days. 6 6
2 days ago
- Politics
EU summons Russia envoy over attack of a diplomat in Vladivostok
BRUSSELS -- The European Union has summoned Russia's envoy to Brussels for an explanation after one of the bloc's officials was attacked in the eastern city of Vladivostok last month, an EU spokesperson said Wednesday. The diplomat was attacked on May 26. Their name, nationality and medical condition weren't provided. German news outlet Der Spiegel reported that the official was a Romanian woman who had traveled to the city on official business. Der Spiegel said that the woman was attacked after leaving her hotel for an early morning walk. It said a car pulled up alongside her, and that two men got out. She was threatened, and then beaten up. The men were believed to work for Russian security authorities, the news magazine said, citing EU diplomatic sources. 'We condemn any violence against EU diplomats. They must be able to carry out their duties free from fear and intimidation,' EU spokesperson Anitta Hipper said. 'The safety of our staff is paramount, and we will continue to review the protection of our diplomatic staff.'
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First Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
EU summons Russian envoy after diplomat assaulted in Vladivostok, seeks clarification
The European Union has summoned Russia's envoy to Brussels for an explanation after one of the bloc's officials was attacked in the eastern city of Vladivostok last month read more The European Union has summoned Russia's representative to Brussels after an EU diplomat was assaulted last month in Vladivostok, the bloc's spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday. The incident took place on May 26, though the EU has withheld the diplomat's identity and nationality. According to German news outlet Der Spiegel, the victim was a Romanian official on an assignment to the Russian Far East city. The German outlet reported that the woman was attacked during an early morning walk after two men emerged from a car, threatened her and then physically assaulted her. The attackers are believed to be linked to Russian security services, the report said, citing EU diplomatic sources. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Der Spiegel said that the woman was attacked after leaving her hotel for an early morning walk. It said a car pulled up alongside her, and that two men got out. She was threatened, and then beaten up. The men were believed to work for Russian security authorities, the news magazine said, citing EU diplomatic sources. 'We condemn any violence against EU diplomats. They must be able to carry out their duties free from fear and intimidation,' EU spokesperson Anitta Hipper said. 'The safety of our staff is paramount, and we will continue to review the protection of our diplomatic staff.' Russia's representative in Brussels was summoned 'for clarifications.' No further details were provided. With inputs from agencies
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
EU summons Russia envoy over attack of a diplomat in Vladivostok
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union has summoned Russia's envoy to Brussels for an explanation after one of the bloc's officials was attacked in the eastern city of Vladivostok last month, an EU spokesperson said Wednesday. The diplomat was attacked on May 26. Their name, nationality and medical condition weren't provided. German news outlet Der Spiegel reported that the official was a Romanian woman who had traveled to the city on official business. Der Spiegel said that the woman was attacked after leaving her hotel for an early morning walk. It said a car pulled up alongside her, and that two men got out. She was threatened, and then beaten up. The men were believed to work for Russian security authorities, the news magazine said, citing EU diplomatic sources. 'We condemn any violence against EU diplomats. They must be able to carry out their duties free from fear and intimidation,' EU spokesperson Anitta Hipper said. 'The safety of our staff is paramount, and we will continue to review the protection of our diplomatic staff.' Russia's representative in Brussels was summoned 'for clarifications.' No further details were provided.
