It will come as a blow to the McCann family, who have never given up hope of finding out what happened to Madeleine, who went missing just days before her fourth birthday.
DCI Mark Cranwell, senior investigating officer for the Met’s investigation into her disappearance, said: “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 May 3, 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.
“We can confirm that this individual remains a suspect in the Metropolitan Police’s own investigation.
“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 inquiry.”
Brueckner has been held at Sehnde jail near Hanover since being sentenced to seven years for the rape of a pensioner close to Praia da Luz in 2005.
But he has now served his sentence and has therefore become eligible for release.
In a recent statement, German prosecutors admitted that while he remained their prime suspect in the McCann case and was still likely to be dangerous, they had no choice but to release him by September 17.
In a statement, the prosecutor’s office said: “There are no other grounds for incarceration. In Maddie’s case, there will be no charges filed prior to his release, nor will there be any application for an arrest warrant.
“A psychiatric expert determined at the last trial that he is likely to commit further crimes, particularly sexual offences.
“This risk continues because the accused has not received any therapy while in custody.”
German prosecutors are concerned Brueckner could flee the country after his release and have applied to the courts for him to be fitted with an ankle tag and have his passport removed.
It is not clear whether the measures have yet been approved.
The statement went on: “In five years of investigation, we have found nothing that could refute the suspicion against Christian B[rueckner], no exculpatory evidence, no alibi, no indication that he could not have been at the crime scene.
“We continue to believe that Christian B[ruckner] is responsible for Madeleine’s death. He is the sole suspect. There is and was no other suspect.”
It is understood mobile phone evidence confirms that Brueckner was in Praia da Luz on the night Madeleine was abducted from her parents’ holiday apartment.
He has always denied any involvement in her disappearance.
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