UK

What do we know about the suspect in the Madeleine McCann disappearance?

Scotland Yard will not identify the suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, but here is what we know:

– He is a German national, aged 43, currently in prison in Germany for an unrelated matter.

– At the time Madeleine vanished on May 3 2007 he was 30 years old and may have looked between 25 to early 30s.

– He is known to have frequented the Praia da Luz area between 1995 and 2007, with some short spells in Germany.

– The suspect is described as having a “transient lifestyle”, living in his camper van for days at a time.

– At the time of Madeleine’s disappearance, he had access to a distinctive VW T3 Westfalia camper van, from at least April 2007 until sometime after May 2007, which was used in and around the area of Praia da Luz.

It is an early 1980s model, with two tone markings, a white upper body and a yellow skirting, with a Portuguese registration plate.

Detectives believe he was living in the van for days, possibly weeks, and may have been using it on May 3 2007.

– The suspect has also been linked to a 1993 British Jaguar, model XJR 6, with a German number plate and registered in Germany, which is believed to have been in the Praia da Luz and surrounding areas in 2006 and 2007.

The car was originally registered in the suspect’s name but was re-registered to someone else in Germany the day after Madeleine’s disappearance, although the vehicle is believed to have still been in Portugal.

– The suspect is believed to have been using a Portuguese mobile phone, number +351 912 730 680, on the day Madeleine went missing.

The phone received a call, starting at 7.32pm and finishing at 8.02pm on May 3 2007 in the area of Praia da Luz from a second mobile number (+351 916 510 683) from a person not in the area.