German prosecutors are racing against time to charge the prime suspect in Madeleine McCann's disappearance before he is released early from prison.
Christian Brueckner, 48, is currently serving a seven-year sentence for raping a 72-year-old woman at the same Portuguese resort where three-year-old Madeleine vanished in 2007.
Investigators fear that if his early release application succeeds, he could disappear - potentially derailing the long-running investigation.
His sentence for the 2005 rape is set to end this September.
Brueckner was named as the prime suspect in Madeleine's disappearance in June 2020
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Brueckner was named as the prime suspect in Madeleine's disappearance in June 2020, nearly 13 years after she went missing.
A source close to the case in Germany told The Sun: "Normally a move like his bid for an early release would be laughed out of court. But everyone is very nervous after what happened with his rape trial last year. The court was surprisingly favourable to him."
The insider warned: "As soon as Brueckner is free he will disappear and likely never be seen again.
"We've seen it time and time again over the years with other offences — and even his own lawyers have said it. He cannot be released."
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They claimed that his release would mean "disaster" for Madeleine's parents.
In October, a German court cleared Brueckner of unrelated rape and sex abuse offences in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. However, he could still face a retrial if an appeal against this acquittal is successful.
A court is currently considering this appeal, but the concern is that if his early release application succeeds, he could be free before any decision is made.
The Penal Enforcement Chamber in Germany will rule on the early release application in a private hearing.
Although they currently lack forensic evidence, German prosecutors claim to have physical evidence that Madeleine is dead.
Kate and Gerry McCann have been searching for their daughter for almost 20 years
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Brueckner's associate - described as a petty crook known as Helge B - claims he all but confessed to the killing at a festival in Spain in 2008.
According to this associate, Brueckner told him: "She didn't scream."
Investigators in Germany have also claimed to have additional witnesses but have not yet disclosed their identities or what information they possess.
Brueckner has consistently denied any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance.
The source close to the case stated: "Charging over Madeleine would be the only ace left up their sleeve for keeping Christian B behind bars. Let's hope they don't need it."
