The prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has declined to be interviewed by the Metropolitan Police before his impending release from prison in Germany, Scotland Yard has confirmed. Christian Brückner, 49, is serving a seven-year sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in Praia da Luz in 2005 and could be released on Wednesday.
The Met said it had submitted a formal international request to question Brückner, who remains a suspect in the force's Operation Grange inquiry. However, the suspect refused the interview. Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell, the senior investigating officer, said officers would continue to pursue any viable lines of inquiry despite the lack of cooperation.
Madeleine McCann was three years old when she vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on 3 May 2007, while her parents dined nearby. Brückner has consistently denied any involvement in her disappearance but is considered the chief suspect by German authorities. He has not been charged in connection with the case.
Operation Grange has received over £13.2 million in Home Office funding since its launch in 2011, with an additional £108,000 secured in April. The investigation continues alongside efforts by German and Portuguese authorities, who have conducted searches in Portugal, including near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, where Brückner was known to have spent time.
