Christian Brueckner, a suspect in the Madeleine McCann case, was acquitted by a German court of raping holiday rep Hazel Behan as well as another woman and a 14-year-old girl in Portugal

A court in northern Germany cleared a drifter of rape and child sex abuse with knock-on effects on a separate criminal investigation into his alleged involvement in the abduction of three-year-old Madeleine McCann.

There has been speculation for years that Christian Brückner, who was arrested for the rape of an elderly woman, is behind the kidnapping of Madeleine McCann. He has just been cleared of five separate charges of sexual offences,

The main suspect in the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann was acquitted of unrelated sexual abuse charges by a court in the German city of Brunswick on Tuesday, raising the possibility that he will be released from jail next year.

Christian Brueckner, 47, was cleared at a court in Brunswick of three charges of aggravated rape and two of sexual abuse of children.

A German court has acquitted Christian Brueckner, who is also under investigation in the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann, in a trial over unrelated sexual offenses.

Defence lawyers claimed their client would not have been charged but for the McCann investigation.View on euronews

The main suspect in the disappearance of three-year-old British girl Madeleine McCann, has been cleared of a series of sexual offences in an unrelated trial.

STORY: Christian Brueckner, a suspect in the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann, was acquitted of unrelated sexual abuse charges by a German court on Tuesday ().A convicted child abuser and drug trader,

There has been speculation for years that Christian Brückner, who was arrested for the rape of an elderly woman, is behind the kidnapping of Madeleine McCann. The man has just been cleared of five separate charges of sexual offences.