A key figure linked to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been granted permission to travel abroad following a legal ruling in Germany.
Christian Brueckner, who recently completed a seven-year prison term for a 2005 rape in Praia da Luz, Portugal, was released in September. The German court decision on Monday removed a prior requirement for him to stay in Germany.
Although Brueckner has not faced charges related to Madeleine’s case, he is a primary suspect in both German and British investigations. Despite international requests to speak with UK authorities, he declined cooperation with the Metropolitan Police.
Madeleine went missing in 2007 from Praia da Luz when she was three years old. When Brueckner was released in September, he was mandated to wear an ankle monitor for five years, report to probation staff, disclose his address, and surrender his passport.
While Brueckner’s obligation to reside in Germany was lifted, the other conditions remain in effect. He has consistently denied involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance. Various searches have been conducted by German, Portuguese, and British officials in ongoing efforts to find Madeleine.
In a recent development, investigators searched near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, an area where Brueckner had been between 2000 and 2017. In a separate case last year, Brueckner was acquitted by a German court of alleged sexual offenses in Portugal during the same timeframe.
Government funding for Operation Grange, the Met Police’s investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance, has surpassed £13.2 million since 2011, with additional funding secured in April.