The prime suspect in the high-profile case of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance has been released from prison in Germany, where he has been serving a sentence for an unrelated offence.
Christian Brückner was driven out in a black Audi by his lawyer with a police escort shortly after 09:00 local time (07:00 GMT). Brückner wasn’t visible in the car but police confirmed he left Sehnde prison.
He had been convicted of raping a 72-year-old American woman in Portugal in 2005, and will be fitted with an ankle tag after his release from the prison near the northern city of Hanover.
The German national, 48, has never been charged with any crime in relation to the McCann case. He denies any involvement.
Local police spokesman Lars Dehnert told the BBC: “We said before that we wanted this to happen as smoothly as possible”, adding that Brückner would be escorted for a short distance.
“With this our police operation has terminated.
“We don’t have any knowledge about where Christian B is going to go. This is happening in co-operation with his lawyers,” the spokesman added.
One of Brückner’s lawyers, Philipp Marquort, told the BBC: “I think Mr Brückner is just relieved that all of the release process is over and that he is now out”.
He said that “all the drama of today has gone”, adding: “I know where he is – but I can’t say because he needs to now settle down… before his next court appearance”.
Madeleine vanished in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in 2007. She and her siblings had been left sleeping in a holiday apartment while her parents, Kate and Gerry, went to a nearby restaurant.
Madeleine’s disappearance has become one of the highest-profile unsolved missing person cases in the world.
German prosecutors have pointed to evidence – including mobile phone data – indicating Brückner may have been in the area when she vanished, and have consistently insisted that they think he is responsible.
However, they have not found strong enough evidence to bring charges.
Brückner, who spent many years in the Algarve, was a drifter, a petty criminal and a convicted sex offender. He has several previous convictions, including for sexually abusing children in 1994 and 2016.
Portuguese and German police conducted a fresh search between where the McCanns had been staying and addresses linked to Brückner in June this year, but this yielded no breakthroughs.
