A German court has acquitted a 47-year-old man, identified as Christian Brueckner by local media, in a trial on charges of unrelated sexual offenses. The Braunschweig state court cleared him of two counts of rape and two of sexual abuse.
Despite the acquittal, Brueckner will remain in prison for another year as he is serving a seven-year sentence for a separate rape case. The trial, ongoing since February, focused on offenses allegedly committed by Brueckner in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.
Defense lawyers argued a lack of evidence and questioned the credibility of witnesses, suggesting that Brueckner may not have been charged if not for his connection to the Madeleine McCann case. Prosecutors had sought a 15-year prison term and preventive detention post-sentence.
The presiding judge cited insufficient evidence and unreliable witnesses influenced by media portrayal of Brueckner as a 'sex monster and child murderer.' Prosecutors plan to appeal the ruling, deeming it incorrect.
Brueckner, not charged in the McCann case but under investigation for murder, denies involvement in the 2007 disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann. He is currently serving a seven-year sentence for the 2005 rape of a 72-year-old American woman in Portugal.
The Braunschweig state court, where Brueckner had his last German residence, holds jurisdiction in the case. The defense expressed expectation for an acquittal based on the factual and legal circumstances.
