Madeleine McCann prime suspect allowed to leave Germany after restriction lifted

The prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann is now allowed to leave Germany after a legal restriction was lifted.

Christian Brueckner was freed from jail in September after serving a seven-year prison sentence for the rape of an elderly woman at her home in Praia da Luz, Portugal in 2005.

On Monday a German court overturned one of the conditions that had been placed upon him obliging him to live in his native country.

Brueckner has never been charged over Madeleine’s disappearance, but remains the prime suspect in both the German and British investigations into what happened to her.

He refused to speak to the Metropolitan Police after UK investigators sent an international letter asking to speak to him on his release.

Reports in the German media said he had refused to undergo therapy while in custody and that a recent psychiatric report concluded he was likely to commit further crimes.

Madeleine, then aged three, 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.

At the time of his release on September 17, Brueckner was placed under conditions that meant he would have to wear an electronic ankle tag for the next five years, and maintain contact with probation staff.

He was also told to notify officials of his home address and give up his passport.

On Monday a German court lifted the obligation to reside in Germany, but kept the rest of the conditions in place.

Brueckner has previously denied any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.

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.