The prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann will be allowed to leave Germany, a court has ruled.
Christian Brueckner, who was freed in September after serving a seven-year sentence for raping a pensioner, was barred from leaving the country under the terms of his release.
The convicted pedophile was also ordered to wear an electronic tag, surrender his passport, and establish a permanent residence.
But an appeals court in Celle in northern Germany overturned the conditions, acknowledging this could mean he will no longer be under police supervision.
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In an interview in June, Brueckner admitted he intended to flee to a country without an extradition treaty with Germany and go into hiding.
He said: “The fact is that I have been in prison for many years for something that I cannot have committed and therefore, through the participation of the media, half the world considers me a cruel rapist.”
The 48-year-old was named in 2020 as the prime suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance in Praia da Luz during a family holiday in Portugal in 2007.
But German prosecutors are yet to bring charges against Brueckner on her disappearance, despite being “very confident” of his involvement.
Brueckner has denied any connection to her disappearance.
He has previously also been convicted on unrelated counts of drug trafficking and child sexual abuse, theft, assault, and child pornography.
The court’s latest ruling now says the requirement for Brueckner to remain confined to Germany is not supported by law.
He previously faced a fine or imprisonment of up to three years for violating the conditions of his release.
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“It is time that authorities realize that they have to respect fundamental citizen rights,” Brueckner’s lawyer told Bild.
Bild reports that despite the ruling, Brueckner will not get his passport back.
But travel within Europe is largely possible with only an identity card, meaning the prime suspect in the disappearance may be able to roam around the Continent.
The change in his legal status could take effect in a few days, although German courts intend to provide further details on Monday, which may stall the process.
Brueckner is currently under police protection in Kiel after being the subject of complaints from neighbors.
The suspect previously told the Daily Mail that “as soon as I save some money, I’m gone” about his plans to leave Germany, accusing German police of keeping him in the country to “break” him.
The crowdfunding website GoFundMe removed his campaign to raise money for his departure.
German lawyers have been unable to produce enough evidence to formally charge Brueckner over Madeleine’s disappearance but said in August that he was the only suspect involved.
Hans Christian Wolters, the spokesman for the Braunschweig public prosecutor’s office, previously described Brueckner as a highly dangerous sexual delinquent who will probably go on to commit further offenses.
In an interview with the French radio channel France Inter, he said: “His victims are young children and women of all ages. He underwent no therapy in prison. So we believe the risk of repeat offenses is high. This worries us.”
He added: “It would be a nightmare if he committed another serious crime. But the presumption of innocence applies until proven otherwise. That’s how the rule of law works.”
During their five-year investigation into Brueckner in relation to Madeleine’s disappearance, nothing has emerged that refutes the suspicion against him, Mr. Wolters said.
In 2019, Brueckner was convicted of raping and beating a 72-year-old American woman in Praia da Luz in 2005.
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