The prime suspect in the high-profile case of Madeleine McCann's disappearance has declined to be interviewed by the Metropolitan Police, the force has said.
The Met stated an international letter of request was sent to Christian Brückner ahead of his imminent release for a separate offence, which he later rejected.
German national Brückner, 48, has never been charged with any crime in relation to the McCann case and denies any involvement.
Madeleine vanished in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in 2007. She and her siblings had been left sleeping in a holiday apartment while her parents, Kate and Gerry, went for dinner at a nearby restaurant.
They had checked in on the children periodically until Kate discovered Madeleine was missing around 22:00.
Brückner is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence in Germany for the rape of a 72-year-old woman at her home in Praia da Luz in 2005.
German authorities have said he will be released by Wednesday.
Det Ch Insp Mark Cranwell indicated that Brückner remains a suspect in the Met Police's investigation into Madeleine's disappearance. He has been the prime suspect in both the German and Portuguese investigations since 2020 and 2022, respectively.
We have requested an interview with this German suspect but, for legal reasons, this can only be done via an International Letter of Request which has been submitted, Det Ch Insp Cranwell said. It was subsequently refused by the suspect. In the absence of an interview, we will nevertheless continue to pursue any viable lines of inquiry.
Madeleine's disappearance has become one of the most notable unsolved missing person cases globally.
Despite evidence suggesting Brückner may have been present in Praia da Luz at the time of her vanishing, law enforcement has yet to find conclusive evidence for charges.
Brückner's troubling history, including prior convictions for sexual offences against children, raises concerns within the investigation. Authorities conducted searches near the McCann family's accommodation and locations associated with Brückner in 2023 but have yet to make significant discoveries.
Due to discrepancies in legal systems, German authorities suspect Brückner of murder regarding McCann, while British police continue to categorize her disappearance as a missing persons case. Financial support for the Met's investigation, Operation Grange, has exceeded £13.2 million since 2011, with additional funding received recently.
