The agent admitted she was motivated by revenge after falling out with her colleagues at the German FBI

A GERMAN FBI agent who paved the way for the Madeleine McCann prime suspect to walk free says she knew he was a rapist and paedophile — but feared that his human rights were being violated.

Rebecca K, 39, is today revealed as the mystery donor who paid a £1,300 court fine owed by Christian Brueckner as she “felt sorry” for him.

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A German FBI agent who helped free Christian B said she knew he was a rapist and paedoCredit: Dan Charity

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Cop Rebecca K, 39, has been revealed as the mystery donor who paid a £1,300 court fee owed by Christian BruecknerCredit: Dan Charity

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There are fears Brueckner could go to ground after being released, scuppering chances of charging him over Madeleine’s disappearanceCredit: Alamy
Her baffling act of charity means the German fiend could be released as early as this week, rather than in January next year.

There are fears he could go to ground, scuppering the efforts of investigators as they race to charge him over three-year-old Madeleine’s disappearance from Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007.

Rebecca K was part of the covert team monitoring Brueckner before a fall-out with colleagues saw her career fizzle out.

Extraordinarily, she said of the convicted paedophile and rapist, whose fine related to cases of assault, document forgery and drunkenness from nearly a decade ago: “I felt sorry for him.

“He claimed he had been tortured and I believed his human rights might have been infringed.

“I thought his human rights had been violated in the same way I felt my human rights had been violated by my former colleagues.”

She went on: “When I paid the fine I knew Brueckner was a convicted, violent rapist and child abuser but his lawyer told me that he denies everything, and it was maybe wrong.”

Rebecca K also divulged secrets about the Madeleine investigation to Brueckner’s legal team, though she claims it was an innocent error.

She said: “This was a completely honest mistake. I thought they already knew.”

Rebecca K had said paying the fine was “a mistake” when she was first confronted by The Sun and she planned to get it withdrawn.

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Madeleine McCann: the secret evidence on prime suspect Christian B | Sun Documentary
However, she later changed her mind, ensuring Brueckner’s early release. The latest he could be kept in jail is September 17.

Rebecca K admitted selfishly being motivated by revenge after falling out with her team at the Bundes-kriminalamt (BKA) — Germany’s equivalent of the FBI.

She claims she was asked not to come back from maternity leave — which the BKA denies.

Rebecca K said: “If Madeleine’s parents asked me why I did this I would say to help find out the truth about my own case.”

Brueckner was jailed for raping an American woman, 72, in Praia da Luz in 2005 — two years before Leicestershire tot Madeleine disappeared from the resort.

He has been named publicly as the prime suspect since 2020 but has never been charged.

In letters, he has denied the claims but has refused to answer police questions or give an alibi.

His phone was in Praia da Luz on the night Madeleine vanished and he made a 30-minute call from the area.

His Jaguar car was re-registered to a friend the day after.

A Sun probe this year revealed bombshell new evidence — including Brueckner’s obsession with snatching and abusing young blonde girls.

We also placed him at key locations, including a lake where cops dug for evidence.

And we showed he all but confessed in 2008, when he allegedly said Madeleine “did not scream”.

It was hoped that Brueckner’s outstanding court fine would delay his release, giving investigators vital time to bring charges.

Bizarrely, Rebecca K tried to defend her decision to pay it — reasoning that if her old team had less time, they might hurry up and charge him.

This in turn, she said, would lead to files released which could help with her own dispute. She told The Sun: “I thought if he was being released early it would put pressure on my supervisors.

“I thought rather than let him disappear they would charge him over the McCann case. I thought that would mean all the information would come out and prove my case against German police.”

Police maintain they have evidence Madeleine is dead — but no forensic links.

“Our probe, aired on Channel 4, also revealed the existence of a hard-drive and laptop containing crucial picture evidence.

Last night the BKA said Rebecca K left voluntarily, and her allegations were being reviewed.

Staff were expected to maintain confidentiality surrounding their roles by law, they added, warning: “The BKA also takes legal action if false accusations are made.”

Last night, Rebecca K appeared to change her mind again, claiming she regrets paying the fine which has had a huge impact on her life.

She said: “I wanted to withdraw the money but I was told it wasn’t possible. This isn’t what I wanted.”

German prosecutors on the Madeleine case declined to comment.

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The fiend’s Jaguar was re-registered the day after Madeleine disappearedCredit: Dan Charity

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Maddie vanished on May 3, 2007 in PortugalCredit: Alamy