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The key person of interest in the widely publicized case of Madeleine McCann has been released from a German prison, where he was completing a sentence for an unrelated offence.

Christian Brückner was driven out of prison by his legal representative. He remained out of sight in the vehicle, but police confirmed his exit from the detention center.

He had been found guilty of sexually assaulting an elderly woman in Praia da Luz in the mid-2000s and will be fitted with an electronic monitor after his release.

The German national, in his late 40s, has not faced charges with any crime in relation to the McCann case. Brückner has denied any involvement.

Background of the Incident

The young girl disappeared in the Portuguese resort of a coastal town in 2007. The children had been asleep in a holiday apartment while her parents, the McCanns, were dining at a local eatery.

The case has grown into one of the most widely known unsolved disappearance cases globally.

Investigation and Evidence

German prosecutors have pointed to data—including mobile phone records—indicating the suspect may have been in the vicinity when she went missing, and have repeatedly maintained that they think he is responsible.

Yet, they have lacked strong enough evidence to file a case.

Brückner, who resided for long periods in the Algarve, was a transient, a minor offender, and a convicted sex offender. He has multiple previous convictions, including molesting children in the mid-90s and recent years.

Recent Searches

Authorities from both police conducted a new operation between the family’s holiday location and properties associated with Brückner in June this year, but this yielded no breakthroughs.

In 2023, investigators carried out searches near the a local water source, about 30 miles from the resort.

Brückner spent time in the Praia da Luz area between 2000 and 2017 and had photographs and videos of himself near the body of water.

Jurisdictional Differences

In October last year, Brückner was acquitted of unrelated sexual offences by a judicial body, alleged to have taken place in Portugal between over a span of years.

Due to variations between legal systems, prosecutors in Germany suspect Brückner of homicide in connection with Madeleine McCann, while UK authorities continue to treat her disappearance as a missing persons matter.

The funding allocated for the Operation Grange has totalled more than £13.2m since 2011. An additional £108,000 was approved from the UK authorities in spring.

Madeleine McCann went missing in the previous decade, at the age of three.