Madeleine McCann suspect ‘could face charges within weeks’ claim

Jon Clarke claims he has been informed of the development by a source in the office of the team of German investigators probing the jailed sex offender Christian Brueckner.

Mr Clarke, a journalist who has been investigating the disappearance of Madeleine in 2007 aged three, told GB News that Brueckner is likely to face a number of charges relating to a number of serious crimes.

“I can tell you that there’s lots of circumstantial evidence, but today I was made party to some evidence to suggest that there may be traces of Maddie’s DNA in one of the cars that Christian was driving on the night that she went missing,” Mr Clarke told presenter Alex Philips on the 15th anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance from the Portuguese resort of Praia Da Luz.

“He was living very close to the resort, regularly burgled homes and... has a long track record of child sex abuse.

“He’s currently in prison serving seven years for rape and will be charged later this month.

“I’m told by my sources from the German prosecutor’s office he will be charged with three if not four cases in the next couple of weeks with the Madeleine charge likely later in the year,” Mr Clarke added.

Brueckner has denied being involved in Madeleine’s disappearance.

The Metropolitan Police, which continues to treat Madeleine’s disappearance as a missing persons’ inquiry, said it is “committed” to finding the truth 15 years on.

In July 2013, Scotland Yard launched its own investigation, Operation Grange, into the Madeleine case

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell from the Met, who leads the operation, said: “Fifteen years on from Madeleine’s disappearance in Praia Da Luz our thoughts, as always, are with her family.

“Officers continue to investigate the case and our dedicated team are still working closely with law enforcement colleagues from the Portuguese Policia Judiciaria as well as the German Bundeskriminalamt.

“At this time, the case remains a missing person’s inquiry and all involved are committed to doing what we can to find answers.”