German prosecutors have called for a sexual offences conviction and a 15-year prison sentence for a man who is also under investigation separately over the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann.

The 47-year-old German national, who has been identified by local media as Christian Brueckner, is on trial at the Braunschweig state court in northern Germany over offences he is alleged to have committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.

Closing arguments in the trial that opened in February started on Wednesday.

Christian B stands before the court, alongside a lawyer
The defendant is being investigated separately in the case of missing British girl Madeleine McCann (dpa via AP, Pool)

Prosecutor Ute Lindemann argued that the defendant should be convicted of two counts of rape and two of sexual abuse, and should be kept in preventive detention after he has served a 15-year sentence, German news agency dpa reported.

The prosecutor said he should be acquitted of a third count of rape.

The defence is expected to make its case on Monday, and a verdict could follow on Tuesday.

The suspect has not been charged in the McCann case, in which he is under investigation on suspicion of murder.

He spent many years in Portugal, including at the resort of Praia da Luz around the time of Madeleine’s disappearance there in May 2007. He has denied any involvement in her disappearance.

Christian B in profile in court
The suspect is accused of sexual offences allegedly committed in Portugal (dpa via AP, Pool)

The suspect is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence in Germany for a rape he committed in Portugal in 2005.

Brueckner’s lawyer said in February that his client would not respond to the charges, but that he expected an acquittal. There are no formal pleas in the German legal system and there is no obligation for defendants to respond.

In July, the court lifted an arrest warrant in the cases at stake in the current trial, citing a lack of “urgent suspicion” against the defendant. However, he has remained behind bars because of the sentence he is currently serving.