I feared Maddie suspect would rape me

Tourist tells court of night she stayed in Brueckner's squat

- VJEREMY ARMSTRONG

A HOLIDAYMAKER feared she was going to be raped by Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner when she met him through a friend, she told a court yesterday.

Andrea Barth, 49, went on holiday to Lagos in Portugal in 2003 with Yvonne Baumann and they were collected from the airport by him.

She told the court in Braunschweig, Germany, where he stands accused of a string of sex offences, that they were taken to a remote property where he was squatting.

The court also heard claims from former associates of Brueckner that he had been involved in a "porno mafia" and filmed videos in which he was engaged in sex attacks.

Ms Barth said: "He had occupied the house and he said that was usual in Portugal.

"I did not feel good about that. We went to the shops so that we could cook and we paid.

"When we got back, we tidied and cleaned up and he showed us his bedroom. There was a video camera with video cassettes lying around.

"We ate together and Herr Brueckner said that he was going into town around 9pm, we didn't want to go as we were tired after the flight. When he went, I had a strange feeling and I did not feel safe. I had said to Frau Baumann, was it a good idea to stay here?