The prime suspect in Madeleine McCann's disappearance has just been released from prison in Germany.
German national Christian Brueckner had been serving a seven-year prison sentence for the rape of an elderly woman at her home in Praia da Luz in 2005.
Brueckner left the high-security prison in Sehnde near Hanover just after 9.15am German time (8.15am BST), on Wednesday morning, German police said.
According to German media, he will have to wear an electronic tag, report to probation staff and give up his passport.
A court hearing is also listed for October 27 in Oldenburg in north-west Germany, to deal with a case in which he is accused of insulting a prison employee.
Meanwhile, the 49-year-old remains a suspect with Portuguese and German authorities who are probing Madeleine's disappearance.
Madeleine was three years old when she vanished in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in 2007.
She was left sleeping by her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, the latter of which hails from Glasgow.
The pair left Madeleine with her younger twin siblings to go for dinner at a nearby restaurant.
Earlier this week, the Metropolitan Police said it had sent an international letter of request to Brueckner for him to speak with them upon his release, which he later rejected.
He has previously denied any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.
A number of searches have been carried out by German, Portuguese and British authorities since Madeleine’s disappearance – with the latest taking place near the Portuguese municipality of Lagos in June.
In 2023, investigators carried out searches near the Barragem do Arade reservoir, about 30 miles from Praia da Luz.
Brueckner spent time in the area between 2000 and 2017 and had photographs and videos of himself near the reservoir.
The total funding given to the Met’s investigation, titled Operation Grange, has been more than £13.2 million since 2011 after a further £108,000 was secured from the Government in April.
The release from prison of the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, Christian Brueckner, has “no direct impact” on the investigation, a German prosecutor has said.
Christian Wolters, prosecutor for the city of Braunschweig, told the PA news agency: “The release of Christian B has no direct impact on the McCann case.”
On the conditions of Brueckner’s release, Wolters said: “As part of his supervision, Christian B must wear an electronic ankle tag for the next five years.
“He will also be assigned a probation officer, with whom he must maintain contact at least once a month. Christian B must also notify the court in advance of any change of residence or place of stay and obtain its approval.
“If he violates these conditions, he faces either a fine or a prison sentence of up to three years.”
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said that the force’s investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann remains a missing person inquiry.
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