German police have handed over crucial files to Scotland Yard regarding Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner.
German sources confirm the files transferred to British investigators contain significant evidence concerning the 49-year-old convicted sex offender.
Whilst any potential extradition of Brueckner remains a distant prospect, the transfer of this dossier represents a notable shift in the Met's approach to the investigation.
A source familiar with the developments told the Sun: "These developments are huge — it shows the Met's interest in Brueckner is real. They are after him — like the Germans."
The dossier is understood to contain material relating to a hard-drive discovered with image files from Portugal dating to the period when Madeleine vanished.
German investigators consider these files central to their understanding of the case, though prosecutors have not commented officially.
Among the evidence are photographs depicting Brueckner unclothed at a location previously examined by detectives searching for the missing child.
The files also include deeply troubling online conversations between Brueckner and other paedophiles, in which he allegedly boasted about wanting to "take something small and use it for days".
Additionally, the material contains disturbing written fantasies about abducting children near a kindergarten.
Brueckner currently resides in a converted shipping container in the northern German city of Kiel, where he remains under round-the-clock police observation.
German authorities have issued instructions to protect him from potential threats, though officers faced criticism last week after briefly losing sight of him during surveillance operations.
Recent photographs captured the suspect cycling to an Aldi supermarket and a garden centre near his residence.
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His legal troubles continue, with a court hearing last week on his appeal against a six-week sentence for verbally abusing a prison officer postponed after his defence lawyer reported illness.
Prosecutors are also pursuing an appeal against rape charges of which he was acquitted in 2024.
Operation Grange officially remains classified as a missing person inquiry, given that Madeleine has never been confirmed dead or alive since disappearing from Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3 2007.
Any move to extradite Brueckner would require upgrading the investigation to a murder case.
German authorities have consistently maintained they possess physical evidence linking Brueckner to Madeleine's death, though nothing forensic has been confirmed.
The Met stated last night: "Our investigation into Madeleine's disappearance has been active since 2011.
"We remain in close discussion with policing colleagues in Germany and Portugal. We will continue to pursue any viable lines of enquiry."
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