German man made 'formal suspect' in disappearance of Madeleine McCann
Madeleine disappeared while on holiday with her family in Praia De Luz in 2007
Last updated 22nd Apr 2022
A German prisoner linked to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been made a "formal suspect" by Portuguese authorities.
Christian Brueckner was identified as a murder suspect by German prosecutors in June 2020, but since then, he hasn't been charged.
Investigators believe the 44-year-old convicted sex offender killed Madeliene, then three, after abducting her from a holiday apartment in Paria de Luz in May 2007.
He has always denied any involvement.
Time running out for Portuguese investigators
It's believed the move could be linked to Portugal's statute of limitations, which does not generally allow crimes which carry a maximum prison sentence to be prosecuted more than 15 years after they were committed.
This would mean Brueckner could no longer be charged in Portugal after May 3.
A statement issued on Thursday by investigators in Portugal said a person had been named an "arguido"- which translates as "named suspect" or "formal suspect".
The statement does not name Brueckner, but says the person was made an "arguido" by German authorities at the request of Portugal's public prosecution service.
It could allow Portuguese authorities to move Brueckner from his prison cell in Germany to the Algarve for formal questioning.
Christian B already serving time for sex offences
Brueckner, referred to as Christian B in Germany due to the country's strict privacy laws, was found guilty in 2019 of the 2005 rape of a 72-year-old American woman in Praia da Luz, and sentenced to seven years in jail, at a court in Brunswick, Lower Saxony.
A federal court in Karlsruhe, a city in south-west Germany, rejected an appeal against the conviction in November 2020.
In Portuguese law, an arguido status can be a preliminary move ahead of an arrest being made or charges brought.
The Metropolitan Police continue to treat Madeleine's disappearance as a missing persons inquiry.
Timeline of Madeline McCann disappearance
May 2007: Alarm is raised
May 2007: Alarm is raised after Madeleine disappears from holiday apartment in Praia De Luz
