Madeleine McCann investigator ‘HUNDRED percent’ sure Christian B abducted and murdered her

PROSECTORS are "100 per cent" sure rapist Christian B abducted and murdered Madeleine McCann.

The sex offender, 44, was identified as the prime suspect by German authorities last year and now investigators say they have evidence to charge him.

As they continue to build a case against him, investigators are now "100 per cent convinced" Christian B is the man responsible for the 2007 disappearance.

German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters told the : "It is now possible that we could charge. We have that evidence now.

“But it’s not just about charging him – we want to charge him with the best body of evidence possible.

“When we still have questions, it would be nonsense to charge rather than wait for the answers that could strengthen our position.

“That’s why we said we’ll investigate as long as there are leads or information for us to pursue."

Madeleine, from Leicestershire, vanished aged three from parents Kate and Gerry’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal.

Two years earlier, Christian B raped a 72-year-old American woman living nearby and is now in a German jail for the crime.

As he is in prison, detectives are using the time to gather much evidence as possible and hope to take Christian B to court next year.

Part of the evidence being probed by cops includes an alleged "confession" made by Christian B to a friend, and analysis of the phone shows he was at the Ocean Club when the tot disappeared.

But investigators have no proof Madeleine is dead, with no DNA or photo evidence linking the sex offender to the alleged murder.

Mr Wolters told the outlet: "It is circumstantial evidence – we have no scientific evidence.

"I personally think a conclusion will be reached next year. We have no body and no DNA but we have other evidence. Based on the evidence we have, it leads to no other conclusion."

Christian B is also being investigated in connection with a rape and indecent assaults that all took place in Praia da Luz when he lived there from 2002 to 2008.

An insider on the German investigation said: “The evidence is strong and puts him in the area where Madeleine vanished.

“It’s a question of time. We hope to bring charges against him for Madeleine and others.”

'IN THE DARK'

It comes after Madeleine's parents said they believe the prime suspect in their daughter’s disappearance will keep trying to evade justice and fear they may never know who snatched her.

A McCann family source told The Sun Online: “Police don’t tell us what’s going on, we’re in the dark because it's an ongoing investigation.

“But if it is him, and there’s no direct and conclusive evidence he may never say a word. He’s not saying a word now.

“He’s locked up for other crimes, so at least he’s in the best place - in jail.

“Portuguese police had looked at him before and last year they looked at him again. We don't know what this means but without a confession we may never know.

“We don't know what evidence police have.

“It may be, sadly, that we may never know what happened to Madeleine. But we hope to find out. We keep hoping after all these years.”

When prosecutors first named Christian B as a suspect Kate and Gerry released a statement supporting the appeal but didn't speak about him directly.