Christian B, a convicted child abuser, has been made an official suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Yesterday, a statement was issued by prosecutors in Faro, who stated that a person had been made a "formal suspect".Christian B is currently in prison in Germany after being convicted of raping a 72-year-old woman in 2005, in the same area where Madeleine went missing.It is understood that the suspect travelled between Praia da Luz and Germany in a camper van for several years before Madeleine vanished. Investigators are now focusing their forensic work on the vehicle.The decision to investigate Mr B has said to have been promoted by the 15-year limit for prosecuting serious crimes in Portugal.

Authorities have been said to be looking to "keep their options open".A Portuguese source informed Sky News that: "The legal grounds for making [Christian B] an arguido [formal suspect] include the fact that he allegedly confessed to a friend he had snatched Madeleine and mobile phone records placed him in Praia da Luz the night she vanished."This is the first time that Portuguese prosecutors have identified an official suspect since Kate and Gerry McCann, Madeleine's parents, were named as suspects back in 2007. There names were later cleared.

A Lisbon-based lawyer has said that: "Police and prosecutors in Portugal will be acutely aware of the time limits hanging over the Maddie case."Our statute of limitations brings with it the probability that within a matter of weeks, the person responsible for her disappearance may never be brought to justice in the country where she vanished even with an arrest and confession."Jim Gamble, a former police officer who led a 2010 review of the case commented: "This seems like a really strong case and that's why I don't think it is a procedural tick in a box to make sure they don't miss out because of the statute of limitations."I think there's been a growing case and we should not underestimate the confidence of the German police"The suspect has not been charged and denies any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance.The Portuguese prosecutor's office has confirmed that "a defendant was appointed this Wednesday".