MADELEINE McCann prime suspect Christian Brueckner wrote horrifying fantasies about abducting and abusing a blonde toddler — and how this would leave him “in paradise”.
He also boasted in online forums about his desire to “capture something small and use it for days”.
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A Sun investigation, broadcast tonight at 9pm on Channel 4, reveals how German police uncovered the twisted stories in email accounts traced to convicted paedophile and rapist Brueckner, 48.
They believe some were written around 2010, three years after Madeleine, then aged three, vanished in Praia da Luz, Portugal.
In one story, too graphic to publish in full, Brueckner wrote: “I look excitedly at the door. A very small girl enters the room. She’s definitely not older than five.
“Blonde, long hair tied in pigtails bounces cheekily back and forth as she comes towards me. This is maid Annelie, she is four years old. I feel like I’m in paradise right now.”
READ MORE ON MADDIE MCCAN
In a second story, Brueckner describes waiting outside a daycare centre to kidnap a mum and child.
Our findings will be broadcast in Channel 4 documentary Maddie: The Unseen Evidence at 9pm tonight, or stream via Channel4.com
He wrote: “When she came to the car with her little daughter in her hand and opened the back door, I was already standing behind the two of them, holding a rag soaked in (chemical) ether.
“I forcefully pushed it into the woman’s face. At first she fought hard, but I held her tight. The girl sat in the car and watched me with wide, horrified eyes.
“When everything was done and the two bodies were hidden in the darkness, I got my van, loaded up my prey and drove away.
“I jump in and pick up the shaking bundle. Big, scared eyes look at me. I carry her out of the car, close the doors and walk her into the house. After I closed this door too, I thought to myself: Welcome to paradise.”
Cops also have records of Skype chats from 2013 revealing Brueckner’s apparent obsession with snatching children.
In one, he tells a fellow paedophile things are going “bad” for him because he really wants “a little one”.
I’ll make a lot of films.. I’ll document exactly how she’s being tortured. Well let’s see, don’t just talk do it too! Hehe
Brueckner’s message to another paedo
He says he wants to “capture something small and use it for days” even threatening it would not matter “if the evidence is destroyed afterwards”.
At one point Brueckner asks the paedo: “Has that put you off now? You didn’t get in touch.”
After being reassured by his sick pal, Brueckner boasts: “I’ll make a lot of films . . . I’ll document exactly how she’s being tortured. Well let’s see, don’t just talk do it too! Hehe.”
Investigators fear Brueckner was speaking from experience and was potentially ready to strike again.
German journalist and Madeleine expert Jutta Rabe, who appears in the Channel 4 documentary, said: “This evidence could be so crucial. It gives us an understanding for the first time of exactly why police hold Christian B under suspicion.
“When you read those horrific stories — and see what he has written in messages to other paedophiles — it makes you question what he could be capable of.”
Much of the evidence was uncovered in a chance police search of Brueckner’s abandoned box-making factory in Neuwegersleben, Germany, in 2016.
Under a grave for Brueckner’s dog officers found six USB sticks and two memory cards.
They called in 100 officers to search his compound.
The Sun has also seen images of a car similar to that used by Brueckner in Portugal and which contained unknown chemicals.
Police destroyed the substances without testing them.
A hard drive is also being held by German investigators containing images from Portugal believed to be relevant to the Madeleine case.
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They are said to link to Brueckner and, along with a laptop, are thought to be central to persuading police the toddler is dead.
German cops have always maintained they have physical, but no forensic, evidence she has died.
Among other bombshell evidence seen by The Sun is an insurance document that proves Brueckner WAS at the location of his alleged Maddie confession.
His ex-pal Helge B claims they were at the Dragon Music Festival in Spain on April 21, 2008, when they discussed three-year-old Madeleine’s disappearance.
Helge claimed Brueckner allegedly let slip “she didn’t scream” — before fleeing the festival.
Question marks remain over the reliability of Helge B — but this document shows Brueckner was where Helge claims.
Meanwhile, a satnav found by detectives has shown Brueckner’s movements around the Arades Dam, 35 miles from Praia da Luz, in the years after Maddie vanished.
Images reveal him posing naked at the remote location — and show why cops searched it in 2023.
In one image from the site, Brueckner superimposed a mask over his face to see how he might look.
The search at Brueckner’s factory also yielded a safe containing folders believed to belong to him.
He is currently serving a seven- year jail term for raping a US tourist in Praia da Luz in 2005.
He is due to stay in prison until September but his lawyers are seeking early release, potentially this month.
Their bid appears to have been prevented by prosecutors demanding psychiatric reports.
Prosecutors are seeking a retrial over separate rape claims for which he was acquitted late last year.
If that bid fails they may charge him over the Madeleine case to try to keep him in jail.
But they remain reluctant to do that as they are missing key forensic evidence they believe they need for a conviction in Germany.
Prosecutors have already made earlier evidence public.
Police pinpointed Brueckner’s phone within Praia da Luz on the night Madeleine vanished.
Parents Kate and Gerry McCann, of Rothley, Leics, were made aware of our latest findings ahead of publication.
An insider said they continued to welcome any progress on the case.
Operation Grange, the Met Police department overseeing the case from the UK, had £100,000 extra funding approved last month.
The force said yesterday: “We continue to support the family. This includes working with colleagues in Germany and Portugal.”
Brueckner has never answered police questions over Madeleine.
He has still not provided an alibi for his whereabouts that night.
His lawyers in Germany continue to maintain he did not kidnap and murder her.
His legal team were approached for comment.
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TIMELINE OF EVENTS
Here’s a timeline of the case which has gripped the world.
May 3, 2007
Madeleine McCann disappears from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, sparking a massive police search and becoming one of the most famous missing persons cases in history.
January 15, 2016
Neighbour reports a possible ‘grave’ at Brueckner’s abandoned factory in East Germany.
Cops find disturbing images on USB sticks and launch a full-scale search.
February 16, 2016
Christian Brueckner is convicted for abusing a girl of five in a park after images found on his laptop.
He was sentenced to 15-months behind bars but was already on the run by then.
May 3, 2017
Around this time, Helge B calls an information hotline after watching a ten-year anniversary special on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
He reports an alleged confession by Christian Brueckner.
September 27, 2018
On-the-run Christian Brueckner is arrested over outstanding drugs claims in Italy.
He is extradited to Germany the following year.
December 16, 2019
Christian Brueckner was convicted, in Germany, for the 2005 rape of an American woman in Praia da Luz, Portugal, after his DNA was matched to a hair found on her bed.
He was sentenced to seven years behind bars.
June 4, 2020
German prosecutors reveal to the world they have a suspect in custody under investigation for the abduction of Madeleine McCann.
For the first time they claim Madeleine is dead.
German media later name him as Christian B (Christian Brueckner).
June 23, 2023
In his first interview, witness Helge B alleges to German newspaper Bild that Christian Brueckner all-but-confessed the Madeleine abduction to him, by allegedly saying “she didn’t scream” as they talked about the case, at a music festival, in Spain.
February 16, 2024
Brueckner goes on trial accused of none-McCann allegations of rape and sex assault, in Braunschweig, Germany.
Prosecutors hope for a conviction to keep him behind bars permanently and lead to McCann charges.
October 8, 2024
Brueckner was acquitted of all claims.
Prosecutors launch an appeal, however. Decision pending.
September 17, 2025
Date on which Christian Brueckner will be released from custody without action being taken.
Prosecutors require an arrest warrant for a retrial over claims from last year – or over the McCann case.