Major police update on Madeleine McCann as court issues bombshell ruling

A court in Germany has ruled convicted sex offender Christian Brueckner can continue to be observed by the police. The Higher Regional Court (OLG) in Schleswig, Germany, handed down its ruling on Friday (June 12).

It allows police to continue their surveillance of the 49-year-old, who currently lives in Kiel. He is considered the main suspect in the case of Madeleine McCann, who disappeared in Portugal in 2007 when she was three-years-old.

Most recently, Brueckner spent seven years in prison for the rape of a woman from the United States.

He was released in September last year and has been under police observation ever since.

Since such measures are always decided for a limited time, the observation would have expired on today’s date.

The Kiel District Court had initially rejected an extension request from the police.

There is no longer any legal basis for permanent, unlimited monitoring, it was said.

Police in Kiel then filed a complaint. The Higher Regional Court of Schleswig followed this, cancelled the decision of the district court and ordered the extension of the observation for a further four weeks.

The court said the measures are “acceptable in view of the seriousness of the offences to be expected and the high probability that this will occur on the appropriate occasion, (…) unacceptable”.

The OLG describes Brueckner as a sex offender who is at risk of relapse.

Kiel’s police department expressed satisfaction with the decision. Spokeswoman Stephanie Lage said: “This confirms the necessity of our measures.”

The force said it will continue to be in close contact with the authorities and continuously re-evaluate the situation.