Madeleine McCann detectives ‘given dramatic new evidence against prime suspect’

Investigators have been given new evidence on the prime suspect.

Detectives investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have said that they have been given dramatic new evidence on prime suspect Christian Brueckner. Convicted paedophile Brueckner was arrested last summer, in what was a potentially significant breakthrough in the investigation. He is currently in jail in Germany for raping a 72-year-old American woman in 2005 and allegedly confided in a friend during a drinking session that ‘knew all about’ what happened to Maddie. But the police did not have enough evidence to charge the German over the abduction of Madeleine, who disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Portugal in May 2007. However, German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters has now said that investigators have received promising new evidence on Brueckner. Speaking to the Sun, he said: "We are still building the case and at some time in the future we shall share the details with the suspect and his lawyer — but now is not the time. "I cannot disclose the type of evidence we have been given. It is not forensic, I can tell you that, but it is new circumstantial evidence which all adds to the working theory that he is the man responsible. "We have always insisted that the man we identified as the main suspect is the man we believe committed the crime and we are not looking for anyone else. I am optimistic that we will solve this case." Authorities apparently hope to be able to charge Brueckner by the end of the summer. Madeleine's parents have said that they "hang on to hope, however small" that they will see their daughter again as they marked the 14th anniversary of her disappearance. The anniversary will have added meaning and importance for Gerry and Kate McCann as Madeleine would have turned 18 this year.