Press
In the case of the missing Maddie McCann, the arrest warrant against the suspect Christian B. has been lifted. However, he is still not free.
Braunschweig – In the case of the British girl Madeleine “Maddie” McCann, who went missing in Portugal in 2007, there are no longer any urgent suspicions against the German suspect Christian B. for further alleged crimes, as the German Press Agency announced on Wednesday (July 3).
The responsible criminal division of the Braunschweig Regional Court has lifted the arrest warrant in a case that has been ongoing since February for three rapes of women and two counts of sexual abuse of children. However, he remains behind bars due to other charges.
Child abuse defendant linked to Madeleine McCann?
Christan B., a native of Würzburg, has been on trial since February on charges of three rapes and two cases of sexual abuse of children. The defendant was accused of raping three women during break-ins into holiday homes and similar properties in Portugal. He is also accused of sexually abusing two girls on a beach and in a playground. The crimes are said to have occurred between 2000 and 2017.
However, the case is attracting attention because the defendant is also suspected of murder in the case of three-year-old Madeleine McCann, who disappeared from a Portuguese holiday resort in 2007. However, this case is not the subject of the current trial and the presumption of innocence applies. Nevertheless, his car is to be examined for clues.
Ongoing proceedings against Christian B. – arrest warrant no longer valid
The trial was adjourned right at the start. After more than 20 days of proceedings, Christian B. was brought to the dock in a wheelchair on Friday, June 28. A court spokeswoman was unable to provide any information about the defendant’s state of health. Due to the illness of a lay judge, several days of the trial had previously been cancelled.
The trial for five serious sexual offenses did not make any significant progress in the almost hour-long hearing. A few days ago, the defense had requested that the arrest warrant be lifted in order to request an interim report from the criminal court. After the course of the evidence so far, the arrest warrant could no longer be valid, defense attorney Friedrich Fülscher explained the request.
Suspect in Maddie case remains behind bars
Now, on July 3, 2024, the responsible criminal division of the Braunschweig Regional Court lifted the arrest warrant in the ongoing proceedings for three rapes of women and two counts of sexual abuse of children. However, since Christian B. is incarcerated on the basis of another rape conviction, he will remain behind bars. He is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old American woman in Portugal in 2005. (dpa/nr)
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