Police review possibility of charging Madeleine McCann suspect in the UK

British police are examining whether the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann could be charged in the UK.

The Met revealed this week that it sent an international letter of request to 49-year-old German national Christian Bruecknerfor him to be quizzed which he rejected. Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said on Wednesday that the force's investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in 2007, remains a missing person inquiry.

He told journalists that detectives are reviewing the German and Portuguese investigations now that Brueckner has walked free from prison. "He remains a suspect for us. We are taking stock of where we are, and the German investigation and the Portuguese investigation," Sir Mark said.

• You could work and live at Buckingham Palace - with no experience needed
• BBC Morning Live presenter supported by fans after announcing break from show

Asked if this could result in Brueckner being extradited to the UK, he said: "There are hundreds of questions. One of the reasons we are involved is murder is in many situations extra-territorial and potentially a murder of a British subject can in certain circumstances be tried in the UK."

Sir Mark said the German police "have done everything they possibly can within their law" and have "worked exceptionally hard on it". Madeleine, of Rothley, Leicestershire, shortly after she was left sleeping by her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, who went for dinner in a nearby restaurant.

Brueckner was serving a seven year prison sentence in Germany for the rape of an elderly woman at her home in Praia da Luz in 2005 when he was released today. He has previously denied any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance.

Det Chief Insp Mark Cranwell, a senior investigating officer for the Met's investigation, said on Sunday that the force would "continue to pursue any viable lines of inquiry" in the absence of an interview with Brueckner.

He said: "For a number of years we have worked closely with our policing colleagues in Germany and Portugal to investigate the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and support Madeleine's family to understand what happened on the evening of 3 May 2007 in Praia da Luz. We are aware of the pending release from prison of a 49-year-old German man who has been the primary suspect in the German federal investigation into Madeleine's disappearance. We can confirm that this individual remains a suspect in the Metropolitan Police's own investigation.

"We have requested an interview with this German suspect but, for legal reasons, this can only be done via an International Letter of Request which has been submitted. It was subsequently refused by the suspect. In the absence of an interview, we will nevertheless continue to pursue any viable lines of inquiry. We can provide no further information while the investigation is ongoing."

German, Portuguese and British police have carried out a number of searches since Madeleine's disappearance - with the latest taking place near the Portuguese municipality of Lagos in June. In 2023, detectives searched near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 30 miles from Praia da Luz.

Brueckner spent time in the area between 2000 and 2017 and took photographs and videos of himself near the reservoir. In October last year, he was cleared by a German court of unrelated sexual offences, alleged to have taken place in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.

The judge said there was insufficient evidence for a conviction and some of the witnesses were unreliable. The Met's investigation, titled Operation Grange, has cost more than £13.2 million since 2011 after a further £108,000 was secured from the government in April.