Christian B: Former cellmate said Madeleine McCann suspect ‘bragged about a Portugal abduction,’ German court hears
The prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case boasted he had abducted a young girl in Portugal, a German court has heard.
Christian B – whose surname cannot be published due to German privacy laws – is suspected by German investigators of having abducted and killed then-three-year-old Madeleine McCann from her parent’s holiday apartment in Portugal in 2007.
Christian B is currently on trial for a range of non-related sex offences committed in Portugal, including three rapes and two cases of exposing himself and masturbating in front of children.
Speaking at Braunschweig Regional Court on Tuesday, Romanian national Laurentiu Codin, 50, who shared a prison cell with Christian B in 2020, told a story which resembled the night when Madeleine disappeared.
“He told me that in Portugal, that he had stolen there… he was in a region of hotels where people are there, not sure how you say, rich people, where rich people live,” he said.
“And when he was in the area of the hotels where the rich people live, there was somewhere an open window, he told me this, and this was the reason he asked me whether fingerprints could be left when he went out of the window.
“He said he went into the flat because of money and said that he didn’t find any money, but found a kid, and took the child, and that two hours later, the place he was, it was then surrounded by police and dogs.
“And he then went away, out of the area, I am just saying what he told me… and he took the child in Portugal in his car, and in the time when the police and dogs were there at the house, he drove away, and he was gone, he asked me if the DNA from a child can be found as evidence and I answered yes.”
Madeleine McCann was last seen at her parent’s holiday apartment in Portugal in 2007. Pic: AP
In court, Codin also said Christian B had told him how he had used a van to have sex with young girls near Hanover.
The Romanian national said: “There was the talk of a girl… he said that he had a bus and that he had taken her with it, and the kids, he kept some of them, but not others, but he never said that he had killed them.
“He had sex with her… but he didn’t kill her… He had her, and had done her business with her.”
The judge then asked how old the girl was, to which he replied: “I don’t want to say anything wrong, but she was very small.
“And I told him that it was out of order – what he had done. With small, I mean young, nine, 10, 13, I don’t know.”
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Codin went on to make several other claims, including that Christian B had sex with an elderly woman who he had hit and strangled, as this was his sexual preference.
He also said that Christian B had asked him whether a strand of hair was something that could be traced back to him and used as evidence, and that he had also said he needed a “large house” burning down.
Speaking outside of court, the defendant’s lawyer Philipp Marquart refuted the testimony and said: “All of these claims are completely new. All of them. He has never said anything like this before, and they all contradict each other.”
Laurentiu Codin told the court Christian B, pictured, said he ‘found a kid, and took the child’ during a hotel invasion. Pic: Reuters
In court, Codin also claimed that Christian B had asked him how much it would cost to get a fraudulent passport so he could get back into Portugal, saying: “I can remember that he asked, that he needed a passport and also a driver’s licence.”
Presiding judge Ute Insa Engemann then asked: “And if I put it to you that in 2020, in your witness statement, there was talk about prices, a falsified one costs 1,500 euros and an original costing 2,500 euros, and he said he needed it for Portugal, to go to Portugal.”
“Yes, yes I remember. Yes, he said that,” Codin replied.
It has previously been reported that Codin is supposed to have heard that Christian B had boasted to him that he had committed rapes in Portugal and got away with it.
But in court, Codin refused to be drawn concerning the report, constantly repeating that he “did not want to incriminate” the defendant.
After being pushed on the matter, he said: “We had a few drinks and we walked but that is it” but refused to give any details.
He tried twice to say that he was not prepared to answer any questions. The judge reminded him he was under a legal obligation to do so.
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Madeleine McCann was three years old when she disappeared. Pic: Handout/ PA
In court, Christian B also watched as a video clip was displayed on two large screens at Braunschweig Regional Court, showing the scenes of the apartment in Portugal where Madeleine disappeared in 2007.
The footage included interviews with Kate and Gerry McCann, as they described their horror on realizing that Madeleine was no longer in her bed on the night of 3 May 2007.
It also featured a clip from Aktenzeichen XY, the German equivalent of the UK’s Crimewatch television show, where the German Federal Criminal Police (BKA) launched a public appeal for info on Christian B, showing photos of his house and the cars he drove.
The videos and photos were shown at the request of Christian B’s lawyer, Dr Friedrich Fulscher, who argued it was important to understand that the witnesses may have been egged on by such media reports to misinterpret the defendant’s behaviour as a sex offence.
The video was played straight after the court read out the testimony of the Portuguese girl who claimed that Christian B had been in a playground, pulled down his trousers and masturbated while calling out to her.
However, the prosecution objected to the video being shown in court and said that they could not see the relevance of it.
Codin’s testimony against Christian B comes as there are indications the defendant could be acquitted.
The presiding judge, Uta Inse Engemann, who the prosecution has already tried to have removed on the basis that she is allegedly biased in favour of the defence, has already stated that there is no longer “sufficient suspicion of guilt for all of the charges”.
World
UK joins NATO operation to bolster Europe’s eastern flank after Russian drone incursions into Poland
NATO is to bolster Europe’s eastern flank, including the use of UK military resources, after Russia’s “reckless and unacceptable” violation of Polish airspace.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced operation ‘Eastern Sentry’ on Friday, involving the deployment of equipment on the border with Belarus, Russia and Ukraine to deter potential Russian aggression.
Poland shot down Russian drones which flew over the country on Wednesday, something the military alliance has portrayed as an attempt by Moscow to test NATO’s military response.
It underlines long-held concerns about the potential expansion of Russia’s three-year war in Ukraine.
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Michael Clarke: Russia looking to frighten NATO
Russia said its drones went astray because they were jammed, but European leaders believe the incursions were a deliberate provocation by Russia.
“It’s reckless and unacceptable. We can’t have Russian drones entering allied airspace,” Mr Rutte told a news conference.
Mark Rutte described Russian drones entering Polish airspace as ‘reckless’. Pic: Reuters
He added that allies, including the UK, France, Germany and Denmark, have so far committed to the mission with others set to join.
In a statement, the UK’s Ministry of Defence said: “The UK is fully committed to playing our part in NATO’s Eastern Sentry following the reckless and dangerous airspace violations by Russia”. It added that the details of the UK’s contribution would be announced soon.
Yvette Cooper visited Ukraine on Friday, her first visit to the country since becoming foreign secretary after a cabinet shake-up by Sir Keir Starmer.
Ms Cooper described her trip, which included a meeting with the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as a demonstration of solidarity with Ukraine.
“The UK will not stand idly by as Putin continues his barbaric invasion of Ukraine,” Ms Cooper said, noting what she said was the Russian president’s “complete disregard for sovereignty” by sending drones into NATO airspace.
Yvette Cooper met Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Friday. Pic: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters
Pic: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters
Prince Harry also made a surprise visit to Kyiv on Friday, where he met with wounded service members.
NATO already has substantial forces in eastern Europe, including thousands of troops, but the alliance did not explain how many additional forces would be involved in the new operation.
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Prince Harry’s surprise visit to Ukraine
Speaking at the alliance’s Brussels headquarters, US General Alexus Grynkewich told reporters the additional resources will enable the alliance to “plug gaps in the line” and concentrate forces wherever they’re needed while improving communications across NATO’s entire eastern flank.
NATO detailed a modest number of additional military assets – including two F-16 fighter jets and a frigate from Denmark, three Rafale fighter jets from France and four Eurofighter jets from Germany.
The announcement also coincided with a joint military exercise involving thousands of Russian and Belarusian troops, which began on Friday.
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Meanwhile, new measures were announced by the UK against Russia on Friday.
They included bans on 70 vessels the UK says are part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” that transports Russian oil in defiance of sanctions.
Some 30 individuals and companies – including Chinese and Turkey-based firms – were also sanctioned for their part in supplying Russia with electronics, chemicals, explosives and other weapons components.
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Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, dismissed Donald Trump’s suggestion that the drone incursion into Poland may have been “a mistake”.
“We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake,” Mr Tusk wrote on X. “But it wasn’t. And we know it.”
US-led efforts to steer Moscow and Kyiv toward a peace settlement have so far failed to progress.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said talks to end the war were currently on “pause” even though channels of communication remain open.
Thousands of troops are taking part in a joint military exercise between Russia and Belarus, as tensions with the EU run high following a Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace earlier this week.
The Zapad joint military exercise which began on Friday will involve drills in both Russia and Belarus as well as in the Baltic and Barents seas, the Russian defence ministry said.
Belarusian defence officials initially said about 13,000 troops would participate in the drill, but in May, its defence ministry said that would be cut nearly in half.
It comes just two days after Poland, with support from its NATO allies, shot down Russian drones over its airspace.
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Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Friday morning hit back at a suggestion by US President Donald Trump on Thursday that the incursion may have been a “mistake”.
He said in a post on X: “We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake. But it wasn’t. And we know it.”
Russia said its forces had been attacking Ukraine at the time of the incursions and that it had not intended to hit any targets in Poland.
Friday also saw Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper travelling to Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv on the same day the UK announced fresh sanctions against Moscow.
Prince Harry was also in Kyiv for a surprise visit to help with the recovery of military personnel seriously injured in the three-year war with Russia.
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Prince Harry arrives in Kyiv
Ms Cooper, who was appointed foreign secretary last week, posted about her visit on X saying: “The UK’s support for Ukraine is steadfast. I am pleased to be in Kyiv on my first visit as Foreign Secretary.”
The UK’s new sanctions include bans on 70 vessels that Britain says are part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” that transports Russian oil in defiance of sanctions already in place.
Yvette Cooper with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. Pic: Valentyn Ogirenko/PA
Some 30 individuals and companies – including Chinese and Turkey-based firms – have also been sanctioned for their part in supplying Russia with electronics, chemicals, explosives and other weapons components.
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Meanwhile on the frontline, Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s oil-loading Primorsk port overnight, an SBU official said.
The attack caused fires and suspended oil-loading operations, the official added.
Russian defence systems also intercepted and destroyed 221 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Prince Harry has made a surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, a spokesperson for the royal has said.
Harry, who served 10 years in the British Army, visited the city at the invitation of the Ukrainian government.
The Duke of Sussex travelled to the capital to help with the recovery of military personnel seriously injured in the three-year war with Russia.
Pic: Railway of Ukraine Ukrzaliznytsia/AP
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will also be travelling to Kyiv on Friday in what will be her first foreign trip since being appointed to the job last week.
Her visit coincides with the UK launching a new package of Russia-related sanctions targeting ships carrying Russian oil as well as companies and individuals supplying electronics, chemicals and explosives used to make Russian weapons.
It comes as Russia and Belarus began a major joint military exercise on on NATO’s doorstep on Friday, just two days after Poland, with support from its NATO allies, shot down suspected Russian drones over its airspace.
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Drones shot down in Poland
The Zapad-2025 exercise – a show of force by Russia and its close ally – will involve drills in both countries and in the Baltic and Barents seas, the Russian defence ministry said.
Meanwhile on the frontline, Russian defence systems intercepted and destroyed 221 Ukrainian drones overnight,
including nine over the Moscow region, the ministry said on Friday.
The duke told the Guardian while on an overnight train to Kyiv: “We cannot stop the war but what we can do is do everything we can to help the recovery process.
“We can continue to humanise the people involved in this war and what they are going through.
“We have to keep it in the forefront of people’s minds. I hope this trip will help to bring it home to people because it’s easy to become desensitised to what has been going on.”
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Harry, who served two tours in Afghanistan, previously travelled to Ukraine in April, when he visited war victims as part of his work with wounded veterans.
The prince visited the Superhumans Center, an orthopaedic clinic in Lviv that treats and rehabilitates wounded military personnel and civilians.
Earlier this week, Harry said the King is “great” after he reunited with him at Clarence House for a private tea.
It was their first meeting in 19 months and lasted just 54 minutes.
The last time the father and son saw each other was in February 2024 when the prince flew to the UK after the monarch announced his cancer diagnosis.
Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have lived in California since they quit roles as senior working royals in March 2020.
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