The prime suspect in the high-profile case of Madeleine McCann's disappearance has declined to be interviewed by the Metropolitan Police, the force has said.
The Met stated that an international letter requesting an interview was sent to Christian Brückner ahead of his imminent release for a separate offense, which he subsequently rejected.
German national Brückner, 48, has never been charged with any crime concerning the McCann case and denies any involvement. Madeleine vanished in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in 2007, where she and her siblings were left sleeping in a holiday apartment while their parents dined nearby.
The McCanns checked on the children periodically until they discovered Madeleine was missing around 22:00.
Currently serving a seven-year prison term in Germany for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in Praia da Luz in 2005, Brückner is expected to be released soon.
Det Ch Insp Mark Cranwell stated that Brückner remains a suspect in the ongoing investigation. He has been a primary suspect since 2020 and 2022 in the German and Portuguese investigations, respectively.
Despite the refusal to be interviewed, Cranwell assured that the investigation would continue to pursue any viable leads.
German prosecutors have cited evidence, including mobile phone data, which suggests Brückner may have been in the area during Madeleine's disappearance. However, they have yet to gather sufficient evidence for charges against him.
Brückner is known for his troubled past, including several convictions for sexual offenses against children. Authorities from both Germany and Portugal have recently conducted searches for possible evidence but have not yielded any breakthroughs.
The case remains one of the most enduring unsolved missing person investigations in the world, with ongoing support and funding for the Metropolitan Police's Operation Grange.
