Lawyers for McCann suspect seek acquittal in his German trial on unrelated sexual offense charges

BERLIN (AP) — Lawyers for a man who is also under investigation in the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann have called for him to be acquitted in his trial on charges of unrelated sexual offenses. Prosecutors last week urged the Braunschweig state court to convict the 47-year-old German national of two counts of rape and two of sexual abuse. They argued that he should be given a 15-year-prison sentence and kept in preventive detention once he has served it, though they said he should be acquitted of a third rape charge. But the defendant’s defense team said on Monday that an acquittal would be the right outcome. A verdict is expected on Tuesday.