Clock is ticking

Race to charge Maddie suspect after acquittal

- MARTIN FRICKER

CHRISTIAN Brueckner could flee Germany before he can be charged over Madeleine McCann's disappearance, prosecutors fear.

They admit they now face a race against time to bring him before a court after he was cleared of unrelated rape and sex abuse crimes.

Brueckner, 47, could be out by next September, when the seven-year jail term he is serving for rape ends.

But he may even be on the streets within days as part of a pre-freedom day-release programme.

Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters insisted Brueckner is still their prime Madeleine suspect. He claims he has evidence the German paedophile killed the youngster but he can only be kept behind bars is if he is charged.

He will appeal yesterday's verdicts and ask for a retrial at the Supreme Court. Mr Wolters said: "The clock is ticking. Christian Brueckner is still our only suspect. We have evidence he killed Maddie.

"We have no forensic evidence but we have evidence.