MADDIE COP OUT TO NAIL PRIME SUSPECT

New chief was driving force in convict being made 'arguido'

- GERARD COUZENS

A FORMER police chief was the key player in the decision to make Christian Brueckner a formal suspect in the Madeleine McCann inquiry.

Luis Mota Carmo, 60, has taken over day-to-day control of the long-running prosecution probe in Portugal.

Days after replacing the previous lead prosecutor, he led the move to make convicted German paedophile Brueckner an "arguido" in the case.

Mr. Mota Carmo persuaded bosses in Lisbon to agree to prepare the way for possible criminal charges against Brueckner - currently in prison in his home country - if German prosecutors find evidence linking him to Madeleine's disappearance on May 3, 2007, when she was three.