Met Police ‘taking stock’ of Madeleine McCann inquiry after prime suspect freed from prison
Met Police commissioner Mark Rowley said the force is 'taking stock' of the Madeleine McCann inquiry after prime suspect Christian Brueckner was freed from prison.
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Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said that the force's investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann remains a missing person inquiry.
He told journalists that the force is "taking stock" of the German and Portuguese investigations now that the prime suspect Christian Brueckner has walked free from prison.
"He remains a suspect for us. We are taking stock of where we are, and the German investigation and the Portuguese investigation," Sir Mark said.
Christian Brueckner was released today and driven out of jail by his lawyer after serving a rape sentence.
Read more: Prime suspect in Madeleine McCann disappearance refuses Met Police interview amid fresh probe
He had been convicted of raping an elderly woman in Praia da Luz in Portugal in 2005 and will be fitted with an ankle tag after his release from Sehnde Prison near Hanover.
He denies any involvement in the Madeleine McCann case and has never been charged with any crime in relation to her disappearance.
Scotland Yard said the 49-year-old remains a suspect in its own investigation - with Portuguese and German authorities also probing Maddie's disappearance.
A German prosecutor said Brueckner's release has "no direct impact" on the McCann investigation.
Christian Wolters, prosecutor for the city of Braunschweig, told the PA news agency: "The release of Christian B has no direct impact on the McCann case."
On the conditions of Brueckner's release, Mr Wolters said: "As part of his supervision, Christian B must wear an electronic ankle tag for the next five years.
"He will also be assigned a probation officer, with whom he must maintain contact at least once a month. Christian B must also notify the court in advance of any change of residence or place of stay and obtain its approval.
"If he violates these conditions, he faces either a fine or a prison sentence of up to three years."
Madeleine vanished in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in 2007, shortly after she was left sleeping by her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, who went for dinner in a nearby restaurant.
Brueckner left the high-security prison in Sehnde near Hanover just after 9.15am German time (8.15am BST), on Wednesday morning, German police said.
Earlier this week, the Metropolitan Police said it had sent an international letter of request to 49-year-old German national Christian Brueckner for him to speak with them upon his release, which he later rejected.
A number of searches have been carried out by German, Portuguese and British authorities since Madeleine's disappearance - with the latest taking place near the Portuguese municipality of Lagos in June.
In 2023, investigators carried out searches near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 30 miles from Praia da Luz.
Brueckner spent time in the area between 2000 and 2017 and had photographs and videos of himself near the reservoir.
In October last year, the suspect was cleared by a German court of unrelated sexual offences, alleged to have taken place in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.
The total funding given to the Met's investigation, titled Operation Grange, has been more than £13.2 million since 2011 after a further £108,000 was secured from the Government in April.