Discredited witnesses still key to Maddie case

'It goes on' despite suspect acquittal

- PATRICK HILL

MADELEINE McCann lawyers plan to use evidence dismissed by a judge in their race to prosecute the prime suspect over the girl's disappearance.

Paedophile Christian Brueckner, 47, was cleared of rape charges this week in an unrelated trial after two ex-convicts who testified against him were deemed "unreliable".

Helge Busching and Laurentiu Codin are also understood to be key witnesses in the McCann investigation.

But McCann case prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said: "The ruling has no impact on the McCann case.