Maddie suspect to call McCanns' cop as witness for his defence

Lawyer bids to discredit accuser

- JEREMY ARMSTRONG

THE detective hired by the family of Madeleine McCann may be called to give evidence in support of the man suspected of abducting her.

Christian Brueckner is on trial over a string of sex attacks in Portugal, one of which happened just weeks before the three year-old vanished.

His lawyer, Friedrich Fuelscher, wants detective David Edgar to help him try to discredit key prosecution witness Helge Busching.

In 2017 Busching told Scotland Yard of Brueckner's alleged links to Madeleine.

He claims that when they discussed the case in 2008, Brueckner told him Madeleine "didn't scream".

Mr Fuelscher told the court that Busching claimed to have contacted Mr Edgar.