Maddie case Arrest warrant for suspect quashed
The warrant for the arrest of Christian B., who is also a suspect in the Maddie case, has been quashed.
03.07.2024, 14:57
03.07.2024, 16:10
dpa
The German Christian B., a suspect in the case of the British girl Madeleine "Maddie" McCann, who disappeared in Portugal in 2007, is no longer suspected of any other crimes. The responsible criminal division of the Braunschweig Regional Court revoked the arrest warrant in proceedings that have been ongoing since February for three rapes of women and two counts of sexual abuse of children, as the court announced on Wednesday. However, as B. is currently in prison due to another conviction for rape, he will remain in prison.
In the indictment, Christian B. was accused of raping three women during break-ins in vacation apartments and similar properties in Portugal. The public prosecutor also accused him of sexually abusing two girls on a beach and in a playground. All of the acts are said to have taken place between 2000 and 2017.
During the reading of the indictment in February, the representative of the public prosecutor's office described how B. had acted brutally and violently during the three rapes, including tying up and whipping the victims. He had done this in order to "enjoy" their pain and fear. He had also acted in a "brutal and hateful" manner.
At the request of the defense, the district court has now revoked the arrest warrant in this regard. The court stated that the chamber denied an urgent suspicion "with regard to all charges".