The main suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has been moved from his safe house a week after being released from jail. Christian Brueckner was swept into a police van flanked by officers in the German town of Neumunster

The convicted sex offender was seen exiting from the ground-floor apartment he had been staying in, wearing a green hoodie and smirking before the waiting media. Brueckner, 48, has been living in the town for nine days, having been released from Sehnde prison, near Hanover, on September 17, where he was serving a seven-year sentence for the 2005 rape of an American pensioner in Portugal. Hours after his arrest, he was seen tucking into a McDonald's before being seen buying a mobile phone, where he is believed to have teased that he had information that “could bring the scandal of the century to an end”.

Prosecutors still believe Brueckner was responsible for the girl’s disappearance.

Christian Wolters, prosecutor for the city of Braunschweig, told the PA news agency Brueckner’s release from prison has “no direct impact” on the probe.

“The release of Christian B has no direct impact on the McCann case,” Mr Wolters told PA.

Brueckner has not been charged in the case, in which he is under investigation on suspicion of murder.

He has previously denied any involvement in her disappearance.

Authorities also say he is still dangerous, following a recent psychiatric report that concluded he is likely to commit further crimes after he failed to undergo any therapy while in custody, according to reports.

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.

Earlier this month, the Metropolitan Police said it had sent an international letter of request to 48-year-old German national Brueckner for him to speak with them upon his release, which he later rejected.

Force chief Sir Mark Rowley said that the British investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine remains a missing person inquiry.

He told journalists that the force is “taking stock” of the German and Portuguese investigations now that the prime suspect 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.

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.

In October last year, the suspect was cleared by a German court of unrelated sexual offences, alleged to have taken place in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.

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.