NEARLY 20 years have passed since three-year-old Madeleine McCann disappeared from her family’s holiday apartment in Portugal.

It is the most heavily reported missing person case in history, but has had few credible leads.

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It has been almost 20 years since three-year-old Madeleine McCann disappeared from her family’s holiday apartment in PortugalCredit: PA

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The main suspect, Christian Brueckner, is due to walk free from prison without facing a single question about what really happened to that innocent childCredit: Dan Charity
And despite it being a hugely costly police operation across Europe, her parents Gerry and Kate have been let down time and time again by a series of hideous and shocking oversights and blunders.

But is the biggest and most sickening mistake of all about to happen now?

Because the most credible lead this tragic case has ever had is about to disappear.

The main suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance is due to walk free from prison without facing a single question about what really happened to that innocent little child.

How disgraceful.

It just doesn’t seem possible after all this time, does it?

For the past five years paedophile and convicted rapist Christian Brueckner has been suspected of being the man behind Madeleine’s disappearance.

In just 19 weeks time he is due to leave a prison in Germany, where he is serving a sentence for rape, and could travel to a country with a non-extradition treaty.

Police in Germany are convinced he kidnapped and murdered that poor child but have never been able to charge him.

Now they are hoping our Metropolitan Police will reopen their live investigation into the case and share evidence and expertise.

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No time can be wasted — but apparently our detectives haven’t knocked on the door of the German cops offering their services.

Which to my mind defies belief.

Evidence published by The Sun and turned into a Channel 4 documentary this week shows he may have direct links to the case.

His phone was in Praia da Luz on the night Madeleine vanished, he has an obsession for snatching young girls and there are reports he allegedly confessed to her abduction.

German cops found a hard drive at his lair containing disturbing material including child-abduction stories written by Brueckner, plus chilling Skype chats with other paedophiles.

Remember, he is behind bars for raping a woman just streets from where the McCanns stayed and Madeleine went missing.

Tip-offs

It would be madness for this man to walk free without interrogation about Maddie and it would make sense for British cops to be involved.

The Met Police have already spent £13million on Operation Grange trying to track down Madeleine’s abductor.

If they stopped now it would seem like that was an utter waste of taxpayers’ money.

There are currently just three officers working in Operation Grange, who have been given £108,000 for the next year, to staff hotlines and monitor tip-offs.

Which seems pointless when the man they really should be speaking to is counting down the days to freedom.

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Devastated parents Gerry and Kate have been let down time and time again by a series of hideous and shocking oversights and blundersCredit: AFP
Tragically, Gerry and Kate McCann will be counting down the hours today too, but for a very different reason — tomorrow is Madeleine’s birthday.

They will remember what their daughter might have been doing as she turned 22; finishing university perhaps, having boyfriends, thinking of a career and a family of her own.

They have carefully brought up their remaining twins Sean and Amelie, who were just two years old when Madeleine went missing, away from the spotlight to protect them.

Gerry and Kates’s continual anguish must be unbearable.

But still, somehow, they have continued to fight for answers, always saying they are hoping for a “breakthrough”.

It would be unthinkable if they were let down yet again.