Overview

• Christian Brückner, 48, left Sehnde prison on Wednesday after serving a seven-year term for the 2005 rape of a 72-year-old American in Portugal’s Algarve.
• He must wear an electronic bracelet for five years, seek court approval before changing residence, and maintain monthly contact with a probation officer, with violations punishable by fines or up to three years in prison.
• German authorities say the investigation into Madeleine McCann’s 2007 disappearance continues and material from June searches in Portugal has not yet been fully analyzed.
• Brückner denies any role in the McCann case, while prosecutors say they have found no exculpatory evidence and publicly state their belief that he is responsible for her death.
• His release came earlier than initially expected after an unidentified individual paid an outstanding fine, and prosecutors’ appeal of his late-2024 acquittals is pending with no new trial expected before 2026.