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.

Christian Brückner was placid and silent as he was cleared of all charges against him at a district court in Braunschweig, northern Germany this week. The 47-year-old remains the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann,

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.

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.

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