The freed suspect in the Madeleine McCann case has spoken publicly for the first time since his release – but refused to discuss the mystery of the missing British toddler.
In an exclusive Sky News interview, he hit out after trying to confront the prosecutor who has accused him of abducting and murdering Madeleine.
Christian B, who cannot be fully identified under German privacy laws, travelled more than a hundred miles from a secret address to prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters’ office, but was stopped from going in.
The suspect said: “I want them to stop this witch-hunt against me and give me back my life.
“I’m not feeling free. I have this ankle tag and I’m followed around by police 24/7, so I’m not feeling free.”
Mr Wolters has stated publicly that he has evidence, which he has not revealed, to show Christian B abducted and killed Madeleine, who vanished from her bed during a Portuguese holiday in 2007.
But he said he doesn’t have enough evidence to arrest or charge him.
The suspect, who was released from a rape sentence two weeks ago, said: “The prosecutor refused to meet me, but I told his representative I wanted his help to get my life back.
“I’m being hounded by the media and it’s his fault. I want him to take responsibility.
“I was told there was nothing they could do to help. They said I had been convicted and released and I wasn’t their responsibility.”
As he spoke, the electronic tag that has monitored his movements since his release was clearly visible above his right ankle. He has also had to surrender his passport and report regularly to probation staff.
The suspect has not been arrested, charged or even questioned by German authorities about the Madeleine case. He’s also refused to talk to Scotland Yard and Portuguese police, who are also involved in the investigation.
Asked directly if he had abducted and killed Madeleine McCann, he said: “My defence lawyers have told me to say nothing on this topic and unfortunately I have to abide by that.”
Christian B, 49, was driven from jail by his lawyer, Friedrich Fulscher, on 17 September and, since then, has lived in local authority accommodation in the town of Neumunster, north of Hamburg.
Journalists quickly tracked him down and exposed his new address, prompting anger in the community from people worried about his convictions for child sex crimes.
Local councillor Karin Mundt, of the hard-right populist movement Heimat Neumunster (Homeland Neumunster), took to Facebook to warn locals to be vigilant, not go out alone, and make sure that their children and elderly were safe.
She also called for a public protest under the slogan ‘Christian B out of Neumunster – tougher measures against child abusers and rapists to protect all citizens!’
Germany operates draconian privacy laws, whereby even the media must get the consent of someone they photograph, or disguise their features.
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Yet the group even decided to publish photos of Christian B, arguing that the danger he presents meant he was a public person of interest, and that they had to make sure that elderly people were able to recognise him.
Two separate chat groups were set up, one dedicated to campaigning for Christian B to be booted out of Neumunster, the other to discuss alleged sightings of him.
‘Out for a steak’
Some claimed that Christian B had turned up near schools and that the police were called round, though other people said they worked at these schools, and that no police had been there.
A woman at Domino’s pizza claimed he had turned up in a false beard, yet just days later her colleague said she had seen the pictures and she was unsure that it was Christian B.
Throughout all this, a source close to Christian B’s defence claimed he had not been out at all apart from to sort out his phone, and also once for a steak.
On Wednesday, one chat even discussed gathering at the town hall in the evening, and police vans then turned up to try to prevent this.
The language of the chat became ever bolder – with people openly posting addresses they were convinced he was living at – and, at one point, all people with English-sounding surnames were ejected from the group as people suspected they were journalists.
Read more from Sky News:
What we know about Christian B
Christian B celebrates release with burger and cigarette
Sky News tracks down woman at centre of hit-and-run theory
Police moved Christian B out of Neumunster, and reports say he’s since been spotted at a hotel in an unnamed town.
In a recent interview with Germany’s Stern magazine, Christian B’s main lawyer, Dr Fulscher, said: “The Braunschweig public prosecutor’s office has fuelled this media campaign of prejudgement.
“It has told the public that it is certain it has the right person. Without presenting sufficient evidence or even allowing my client to inspect the files.
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“I find this highly questionable from a constitutional point of view. In my opinion, the Braunschweig public prosecutor’s office has made rehabilitation impossible.”
Prosecutor Mr Wolters told Sky News he’d been tipped off about the suspect’s visit to his office in Braunschweig, near Hanover, and refused to speak to him.
Christian B denies any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.
