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'EVIL PSYCHOPATH'
Madeleine McCann suspect Christian B nicknamed ‘The Climber’ as he was so good at breaking into holiday apartments
THE Madeleine McCann prime suspect was nicknamed “The Climber’’ as he was so good at breaking into holiday apartments, a former partner-in-crime has revealed.
Christian B was also described by Manfred Seyferth as an “evil psychopath” who is “capable of taking a small child”.
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Drifter Seyferth, 64, believes Christian, 43, is guilty of abducting Brit Madeleine in Portugal.
Reflecting on their life of crime together, drifter Seyferth said: “We called him ‘The Climber’ because of his skills.
“He was an expert at getting into apartments and hotel rooms.
“Christian was athletic and he was strong. I saw him many times climb up to first and second-floor apartments and break in.
“He would take watches, passports, money and anything electronic that he could sell. He was a great burglar.”
'HE'S A PSYCHOPATH'
But he insisted: “Christian is a bad, bad man. He is evil.
“I never liked him and he is a psychopath. He is obsessed with small children and I didn’t like it.
“He always had a young girlfriend with him and I think he is easily capable of taking a small child.”
Convicted paedophile Christian was identified by German prosecutors three months ago as the man responsible for Madeleine’s abduction, in a sensational development to the 13-year riddle.
Madeleine, of Rothley, Leicestershire, was three when snatched from her family’s ground-floor holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, in May 2007.
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Seyferth said he knew that Christian was robbing holidaymakers in the Portuguese resort that year.
Christian is in jail serving 21 months for drugs offences.
He also has a seven-year rape sentence hanging over him after being found guilty with the help of evidence from Seyferth, who now lives in the Italian port of Ancona.
He always had a young girlfriend with him and I think he is easily capable of taking a small child.
Manfred Seyferth
Seyferth, along with another pal Helge Busching, was the key witness in Christian's rape trial in Braunschweig, Germany, last December.
Christian was convicted of attacking a 72-year-old woman in her own home at Praia da Luz in 2005.
The two men nailed him after finding a horrific video in Christian's Portuguese apartment that showed him torturing and then raping the elderly American woman.
Other footage was said to show a young teenage girl tied to a wooden post as she begged for help while he sexually abused her.
We revealed last week that Busching was the key witness to the recent developments after telling cops Christian had confessed to him about taking Madeleine.
Seyferth continued: “He is evil because of the things I saw on the video with the old woman and the girl.
“It wasn’t a young girl like Madeleine, she was older, maybe 15 years old and that was the usual age of his girlfriends.’’
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In 2007, Seyferth lived in a caravan next to Christian's house, a few minutes drive from Praia da Luz.
Talking of that time, he admitted: “I stole some diesel and some solar panels.
“I’m a thief but I don’t do anything else — not like Christian who is sick.”
Seyferth also revealed he and Busching had found a gun in Christian's apartment but had panicked and thrown it into a nearby reservoir.
I’m a thief but I don’t do anything else — not like Christian who is sick.
Manfred Seyferth
He added: “After Maddie disappeared, I didn’t see him (Christian) for a few months until a hippy festival in Orgiva (in Spain) a year later.
“He turned up in a big American camper van and was with a young girl, she looked about 15 and he would have been double her age.
"I didn’t like it one bit so I had nothing to do with him.
“That’s why I think he may have something to do with Maddie. He broke in and saw her and because he likes young girls — he’s got lots of convictions — he took her.”
Last week, we revealed that Busching had given Christian's name to Scotland Yard but it was not clear why he waited so long before doing so.
Busching also insists Christian is guilty of Maddie’s abduction.
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Talking about how he testified against Christian's at the rape trial, Seyferth said: “When I saw him in court, he made me shiver. He has a cold hard face and evil eyes.
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“I’m glad he’s now in prison. It’s the best place for him. He should stay there for a long time.”
Christian is currently appealing his rape conviction at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg and a verdict is expected next Thursday.
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