German court drops trial of suspect in Madeleine McCann case - Bild

[April 20, 2023]  BERLIN (Reuters) - A court in the German city of Braunschweig has rejected a possible rape trial for Christian Brueckner, who was formally identified as an official suspect in the Madeleine McCann case, the Bild daily reported in Thursday. 

A candle burns to mark the 10th anniversary of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann from a holiday flat in Portugal, near her home in Rothley, Britain May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Darren Staples

The possible trial of Brueckner collapsed because the court deemed itself not to have jurisdiction over the case and lifted the arrest warrant against him, Bild cited Brueckner's lawyer Friedrich Fuelscher as saying.

German prosecutors last year said they had charged Brueckner with several sexual offences they believe he committed in Portugal between Dec. 28, 2000, and June 11, 2017.

The court did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Writing by Madeline Chambers, Editing by Friederike Heine)

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