Madeleine McCann suspect Christian B to stay in prison until at least 2026
MADELEINE McCann suspect Christian B is set to stay in prison until at least 2026 after judges yesterday rejected his appeal on a rape conviction.
Christian B, 43, was jailed for seven years last December for his attack on a 72-year-old American woman in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2005.
German prosecutors say he is responsible for the kidnap and murder of Madeleine, three, in the resort two years later.
Convicted paedo Christian B had appealed the rape conviction on a technicality. His parole will be an option only from 2023.
He had appealed against the conviction on a technicality but yesterday judges dismissed it and confirmed the seven-year sentence which left Madeleine investigators delighted.
One said: "It's great news. It means he won't be going anywhere for a very long time and so we can carry on building up our case against him."
Earlier this week Christian B suffered two broken ribs in a mystery incident in his cell just before making a parole application, which was rejected.
Reports suggested he received the injuries in a scuffle with guards after throwing a "tantrum" because he wasn't allowed to smoke in the courthouse.
Pictures later showed him being led out of the building to be taken to hospital for emergency treatment.
Christian B had appealed against the rape conviction at the European Court of Justice in July claiming his arrest warrant had been incorrectly applied but they also dismissed his claim.
'JUDGEMENT FINAL'
In a statement Germany's Federal Court said: "The Braunschweig Regional Court sentenced the accused to a total imprisonment of seven years for serious rape.
"According to the findings of the regional court, the defendant attacked a 72-year-old American woman in September 2005 at her house in the Portuguese holiday resort of Praia de Luz.
"He threatened the woman with a scimitar, handcuffed her and raped her. Then he forced his victim to hand over money.
"The 6th Criminal Senate of the Federal Court of Justice had submitted the legal question to the European Court of Justice as to whether the principle of mutual legal assistance as defined in European law opposed the specialty of conviction.
"The Court of Justice denied this with a judgment of September 24, 2020.
"Since the appellate review of the judgment of the Regional Court of Braunschweig - apart from a clarification of the sentence formula - did not reveal any legal error to the detriment of the accused, the Senate rejected his appeal as unfounded in accordance with the motion of the Attorney General.
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"The aforementioned judgment is therefore final."
German prosecutors named Christian B as a suspect in the McCann case in June.
He is believed to have been living in Praia de Luz around the time of the toddler's disappearance, and later allegedly told a friend that he had abducted her.
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