For Hazel Behan, the news of Christian Brueckner’s release from a German prison was not a distant headline—it was a nightmare crashing back into reality. The now 37-year-old says she has lived with trauma ever since being attacked in Portugal at the age of 20, when she was working as a holiday rep. To her, there is no doubt who the masked man was: Brueckner.

On Wednesday, Brueckner walked free after serving seven years for the rape of an elderly woman. It is the first time he has been among the general public since being named as the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann—a case that continues to haunt Europe nearly two decades later. Though he strenuously denies any involvement in either case, his freedom has reignited fear, controversy, and a chilling sense of unfinished business.

Speaking exclusively to ITV News’ Sejal Karia, Behan recalled the terror of that night in Portugal—bound, attacked, and left with scars that would never heal. “I’m extremely fearful,” she admitted, describing how the prospect of Brueckner walking the streets again has unsettled her life. Her words expose the raw human cost of crimes that, for too long, have remained in the shadows of unresolved investigations.

The twist that deepens the horror: Behan only realized the identity of her attacker years later, after Brueckner was named as a person of interest in the McCann case. The parallels—Portugal, masked entry, young women living alone—were too striking to ignore. And though Brueckner has never been arrested or charged in relation to McCann’s disappearance, and continues to deny all allegations, the specter of both cases looms heavily over his release.

For critics, the decision to allow him freedom is reckless, a gamble with public safety. For survivors like Behan, it feels like betrayal. Her testimony is not just a recounting of trauma—it’s a warning that justice, for now, remains elusive, and that the past has a way of resurfacing when least expected.

As Brueckner begins his life outside prison, Europe watches with unease. For Hazel Behan, the ordeal is far from over. Her voice, filled with both fear and defiance, stands as a haunting reminder that the story of Christian Brueckner is not just about one missing child—it’s about the many lives left shattered in his shadow.