“`html
The primary suspect in the Madeleine McCann disappearance case has declined a request for an interview by the Metropolitan Police, the force has confirmed.
According to the Met, an international letter of request was dispatched to Christian Brückner ahead of his anticipated release for an unrelated offense, which he subsequently rejected.
Brückner, a 48-year-old German national, has not been formally charged in connection to the McCann case and maintains his innocence.
Madeleine McCann vanished from the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in 2007. She and her siblings were left unattended in a holiday apartment while her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, dined at a nearby restaurant.
The McCanns had been periodically checking on the children until Kate discovered Madeleine missing at approximately 22:00.
Brückner is currently incarcerated in Germany, serving a seven-year sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in her Praia da Luz home in 2005.
German authorities have indicated that he is expected to be released by Wednesday.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell stated that Brückner remains a suspect in the Metropolitan Police’s ongoing investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance. He has been identified as the primary suspect in the German and Portuguese investigations since 2020 and 2022, respectively.
“We sought an interview with the German suspect, but due to legal protocols, this necessitates an International Letter of Request, which has been submitted,” stated Detective Chief Inspector Cranwell.
“The request was subsequently denied by the suspect. Despite the absence of an interview, we remain committed to pursuing all viable lines of inquiry.”
“We are unable to provide further details while the investigation remains active.”
The disappearance of Madeleine McCann has become one of the world’s most widely known unsolved missing person cases.
German prosecutors have cited evidence, including mobile phone data, suggesting Brückner’s presence in the area at the time of Madeleine’s disappearance, and have consistently asserted their belief in his culpability.
However, they have not yet gathered sufficient evidence to file formal charges.
Brückner, who resided in the Algarve for several years, was described as a transient individual with a history of petty crime and prior convictions as a sex offender. His criminal record includes convictions for sexually abusing children in 1994 and 2016.
Portuguese and German law enforcement conducted a renewed search between the McCanns’ accommodation and addresses linked to Brückner in June of this year, but this did not yield any significant breakthroughs.
In 2023, investigators conducted searches near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, situated approximately 30 miles from Praia da Luz.
Brückner spent time in the Praia da Luz area between 2000 and 2017 and possessed photographs and videos of himself in the vicinity of the reservoir.
In October of the previous year, Brückner was acquitted by a German court on unrelated sexual offense charges, alleged to have occurred in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.
Due to disparities in legal frameworks, German authorities suspect Brückner of murder in connection with Madeleine McCann, whereas British police continue to classify her disappearance as a missing persons case.
Funding allocated to the Met’s investigation, Operation Grange, has surpassed £13.2 million since 2011. A further £108,000 was secured from the government in April.
Ionut-Cristian Bold of no fixed address, appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
The prime minister said the flag represents “our diverse country” and he will not allow people to feel intimidated.
The 37-year-old man has been charged with racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage, the Met Police said.
The accusations include excessive use of force, discriminatory and misogynistic comments.
Bruno Fernandes sits down with Kelly Somers to discuss his family and why people are entitled to their opinions on him.
“`