Hazel Behan thinks her attacker may
have been Christian B, the main suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine
McCann.
Portuguese police have reopened their
investigation into the unsolved rape of an Irish woman after 16 years.
investigation into the unsolved rape of an Irish woman after 16 years.
Hazel Behan, 37, believes her attacker
may have been drifter Christian B, the main suspect in the disappearance of
Madeleine McCann.
may have been drifter Christian B, the main suspect in the disappearance of
Madeleine McCann.
He was convicted of a similar rape a
year after Ms Behan was attacked and two years before Madeleine vanished.
year after Ms Behan was attacked and two years before Madeleine vanished.
This week detectives collected their
own archived case files from the court in Portimao to see if they could build a
case against the suspect.
own archived case files from the court in Portimao to see if they could build a
case against the suspect.
One problem they will face is that
vital forensic evidence with potential DNA was destroyed on the orders of a
judge, a common practice in Portuguese cases where no suspect is identified.
vital forensic evidence with potential DNA was destroyed on the orders of a
judge, a common practice in Portuguese cases where no suspect is identified.
“Detectives are looking again for new evidence and the investigation is
reopened.”
reopened.”
Ms Behan was a 20-year-old holiday rep
who arrived in Praia da Rocha on the Algarve coast in April 2004.
who arrived in Praia da Rocha on the Algarve coast in April 2004.
Two months later, a masked man climbed
the balcony to her apartment and attacked her as she slept in the early hours.
the balcony to her apartment and attacked her as she slept in the early hours.
He held a knife to her throat, tied
her up and gagged her, then raped her repeatedly.
her up and gagged her, then raped her repeatedly.
During the attack he threatened to
kill her and left her bleeding before fleeing over the balcony.
kill her and left her bleeding before fleeing over the balcony.
Last month, when German drifter
Christian B was named as the main suspect in the Madeleine case – and Ms Behan
read about his conviction for raping an American woman in strikingly similar
circumstances – she contacted the Scotland Yard Madeleine squad.
Christian B was named as the main suspect in the Madeleine case – and Ms Behan
read about his conviction for raping an American woman in strikingly similar
circumstances – she contacted the Scotland Yard Madeleine squad.
“My mind was blown when I read how he had attacked a woman in 2005, both
the tactics and the methods he used, the tools he had with him, how well he had
planned it out.
the tactics and the methods he used, the tools he had with him, how well he had
planned it out.
“I puked, to be honest with you,
as reading about it took me right back to my experience.”
as reading about it took me right back to my experience.”
Scotland Yard detectives interviewed
Ms Behan and later told her they had contacted Portuguese police. It appears
that has prompted the reopening of her case.
Ms Behan and later told her they had contacted Portuguese police. It appears
that has prompted the reopening of her case.
She has said she was badly treated by
the Portuguese detectives, who abandoned their investigation after eight months
without identifying a suspect.
the Portuguese detectives, who abandoned their investigation after eight months
without identifying a suspect.
Ms Behan described her attacker as
white, slim, with blonde hair, blue eyes and possibly German.
white, slim, with blonde hair, blue eyes and possibly German.
According to the case files,
detectives were unable to find anyone in their records who matched the
description, but that was wrong.
detectives were unable to find anyone in their records who matched the
description, but that was wrong.
In another Portuguese police file seen, there are photographs of a young Christian B who does fit the
description.
description.
They were taken by police in 1999,
five years before Ms Behan was raped, after he was arrested and deported to
Germany for child sex crimes.
five years before Ms Behan was raped, after he was arrested and deported to
Germany for child sex crimes.
If police do find evidence against
Christian B for Ms Behan’s attack it is unlikely he would be charged as
Portugal has a 15-year statute of limitations on rape investigations.
Christian B for Ms Behan’s attack it is unlikely he would be charged as
Portugal has a 15-year statute of limitations on rape investigations.
