Alarm as ‘dangerous’ Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner to be freed in Germany

German law enforcement authorities have voiced alarm that the “dangerous” chief suspect in the 2007 disappearance of British three-year-old Madeleine McCann will soon leave prison and could flee the country.

Prosecutors believe Christian Brueckner, 48, killed the girl in a Portuguese resort in a missing persons case that has captivated the world and remains unsolved.

But lacking sufficient evidence to lay charges, they are helpless as Brueckner – who has a history of violent sex crimes – was due to be released from a German prison by September 17.

Brueckner has denied any involvement in the Maddie case. His defence lawyer this week did not reply when contacted by Agence France-Presse.

The chief prosecutor in the case, Christian Wolters, said that he believeed the man who German authorities refer to as Christian B. remained “fundamentally dangerous”. A psychiatric expert who assessed him recently concluded that “further sexual offences are to be expected”.

“He has not undergone any therapy or similar treatment in prison, which means that, from our point of view, we must assume that he will reoffend,” Wolters said.