© picture alliance/dpa/dpa Pool | Michael Matthey
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police are actively working to bring Christian Brueckner, a 49-year-old German sex offender, to justice in Britain for the kidnapping and murder of Madeleine McCann.
A senior Scotland Yard official is leading the effort to build a file strong enough for the prosecution to proceed, in the hope of a trial at the Old Bailey in London, The Times reports.
Madeleine was three years old when she disappeared in 2007 from a hotel room in Praia da Luz, Portugal, where Brueckner was living nearby at the time. She was never found. Brueckner was designated the prime suspect while serving a seven-year prison sentence in Germany for the rape of an elderly woman. He was released last year without being charged in connection with Madeleine's disappearance.
Legal obstacle
However, a major legal obstacle stands in the way: the German constitution prohibits the extradition of its citizens to countries outside the EU. That article of the constitution may take precedence over the mutual extradition agreement between Britain and Germany that came into force in 2021. Should Germany refuse, British police remain determined to have Brueckner prosecuted in Germany or Portugal.
Detectives would aim to bring charges before the 20th anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance on May 3 next year. Germany's chief investigator, Hans Christian Wolters, has repeatedly stated that he is certain of Brueckner's guilt and that concrete evidence exists, although no charges have yet been filed. The German investigation is ongoing, with Brueckner still the sole suspect.
Picture: © picture alliance/dpa/dpa Pool | Michael Matthey