Madeleine McCann prime suspect refuses Met Police interview before German jail release

The Met Police has revealed that its request to interview a suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been rejected. 49-year-old German national Christian Brueckner remains a prime suspect in the case, and is currently serving a prison sentence in Germany for the rape of an elderly woman at her home in Praia da Luz, where Madeleine went missing, in 2005. Madeleine vanished in 2007 after she was left sleeping as her parents went for dinner in a nearby restaurant.

Brueckner has previously denied any involvement in the disappearance of Madeleine, who was last seen by her family when she was just three years old. The Met Police sent an international letter of request to Brueckner, which he rejected. DCI Mark Cranwell, Senior Investigating Officer for the Met's investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, said in an update: "For a number of years we have worked closely with our policing colleagues in Germany and Portugal to investigate the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and support Madeleine's family to understand what happened on the evening of 3 May, 2007 in Praia da Luz.

"We are aware of the pending release from prison of a 49-year-old German man who has been the primary suspect in the German federal investigation into Madeleine's disappearance."

The Met Police confirmed that "this individual remains a suspect in the Metropolitan Police's own investigation" and that their request for an interview was rejected. The force added: "We have requested an interview with this German suspect but, for legal reasons, this can only be done via an International Letter of Request which has been submitted.

"It was subsequently refused by the suspect. In the absence of an interview, we will nevertheless continue to pursue any viable lines of enquiry."

The update continues: "We can provide no further information while the investigation is ongoing. Any questions about the conditions around his release should be directed to the German authorities."

Searches have continued in Portugal since Madeleine's disappearance more than 18 years ago. The latest took place near the Portuguese municipality of Lagos in June of this year.

In 2023, searches were conducted near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 30 miles from Praia da Luz. Brueckner, who spent time in the area between 2000 and 2017, had photographs and videos of himself near the reservoir. Last year, he was cleared by a German court of unrelated sexual offences which were alleged to have taken place in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.

Since 2011, the Met Police has received more than £13.2 million for Operation Grange, the investigation's title. This includes a further £108,000 secured from the Government in April.