Nearly two decades after the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in the Algarve, investigators are facing a fresh legal obstacle. British authorities are seeking to bring the case’s sole suspect, German national Christian Brueckner, to trial in the United Kingdom, but his extradition has been blocked as a consequence of Brexit.
According to information provided by a spokesperson for the German government to The Telegraph, Germany’s constitution prevents the extradition of criminal suspects to countries outside the European Union. Article 16 stipulates that German citizens cannot be extradited beyond the EU framework.
When asked specifically whether suspects such as Brueckner could no longer be transferred to the UK following Britain’s withdrawal from the EU, approved by referendum in 2016, the spokesperson confirmed that Brexit represents the key legal barrier. Prior to Brexit, extradition procedures could be carried out automatically under the European Arrest Warrant system.
At a time when British police are attempting to demonstrate progress in the long-running and unresolved investigation, and with the 20th anniversary of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance in Praia da Luz approaching next year, the development has raised fears that Brueckner may “never face justice” in the United Kingdom.
Brueckner, a convicted paedophile, is also facing fresh criminal accusations in Germany relating to an alleged assault that could result in a further prison sentence of up to five years.
He remains the only official suspect identified by British police in the investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance, a status also confirmed by German prosecutors in 2020. However, the suspect told the Daily Mirror he is unconcerned, saying he has “good lawyers” who believe the situation is unlikely to change and that he will not be prosecuted in Britain.
The German national has consistently denied any involvement in Madeleine McCann’s disappearance. In September 2025, he called for what he described as a “witch hunt” against him to end and asked to be allowed to rebuild his life.
After serving a seven-year prison sentence for the rape of a woman in the Algarve, Brueckner was released last year and has since lived in various locations across Germany. His movements continue to be monitored by police through an electronic tracking device.
Source: DN
