A mysterious woman has paid £1,232 in outstanding fines owed by Christian Brueckner, the prime suspect in Madeleine McCann's disappearance, securing his release from prison on September 17.
The payment has thwarted prosecutors' attempts to extend his detention until the end of January, which would have provided investigators with additional time to bring charges related to the missing British toddler.
Brueckner's lawyers disclosed the mystery payment to German newspaper Bild, though the identity of the female benefactor remains unknown.
The 48-year-old convicted sex offender's confirmed release date arrives exactly three months from Tuesday, despite ongoing efforts by authorities to keep him imprisoned whilst they continue their investigation into the 2007 disappearance.
Madeleine McCann disappeared during a family holiday in 2007PABrueckner's legal team has revealed plans for the convicted criminal to reside on Sylt, a German island known as a millionaire's playground, where he previously engaged in drug dealing.
However, prosecutors harbour concerns that he intends to flee Germany entirely.
Should he travel to a nation without extradition agreements, authorities would face insurmountable challenges in returning him for trial.
Adding to investigators' concerns, Brueckner has reportedly undergone significant cosmetic surgery previously to modify his appearance, raising the possibility of similar alterations upon release.
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Christian Brueckner is the prime suspect in Madeleine McCann's disappearance
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The suspect has demonstrated a pattern of evading both court sentences and law enforcement throughout his criminal history, further intensifying fears about his potential disappearance.
Recent searches near Brueckner's former cottage in the Praia da Luz area have yielded a gun, according to reports, with the German sex offender known to have carried firearms during his time in the Algarve.
The three-day operation, initially deemed unsuccessful when officers appeared to depart empty-handed, has since revealed tiny fragments that investigators speculate could be connected to Madeleine, the Berlin Morning Post reported.
These samples have been dispatched to Germany for analysis, with authorities hoping for the forensic breakthrough they desperately need.
Detectives in Portugal focused on groundworks, wells, ruins and water tanks
PAPolice discovered clothing and animal bones during their extensive search of scrubland in what was described as Brueckner's "rat run", though no items could be definitively linked to the missing child.
The operation deployed 60 police officers alongside heavy machinery, including JCB-style diggers and ground-penetrating radar devices capable of mapping underground terrain to approximately 33 feet deep.
Teams cleared shrub from abandoned villas and derelict farmhouses across 20 plots of private land in the Atalaia region, less than a mile from Brueckner's former residence.
British officers were not present at the latest searches, the Metropolitan Police said.
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