Madeleine McCann investigation to receive £100k grant as detectives handed financial boost in search for toddler
Detectives investigating Madeleine McCann’s disappearance have received a £100,000 grant to help continue the probe into the missing toddler.
The Metropolitan Police has received £13million from the UK Government to investigate the case since 2011.
A request for further funding from the Home Office was made by Scotland Yard on behalf of Operation Grange.
It was only put forward in the last few days as the £110,000 budget for 2023/24 was due to run out at the end of March.
Then-Home Secretary Theresa May launched Operation Grange after former Prime Minister David Cameron requested detectives help in the hunt.
A source close to the McCanns told The Daily Mail: “This is very welcome news – Kate and Gerry have never given up hope and nor will they, finding Madeleine or what happened to her is paramount to them.
“They are eternally grateful to the officers from Operation Grange and are being kept in touch on aspects of the hunt and the police obviously have leads if a request for funding has been made.”
Despite the latest cash injection, the team of officers working on the case has been reduced from 40 to just four.
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Home Office figures also revealed funding fell in recent years from £300,000 in 2018 to 2021 to just £110,000 in the last financial year.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “In line with our Special Grant processes, funding for Operation Grange is approved on an annual basis.
“Funding for 2023-2024 will run until March 31 and decisions on 2024-2025 will be made in the next financial year in line with usual practice.”
A spokesperson for Scotland Yard also told The Daily Mail that a request for funding was made but declined to discuss the amount.
Invesitgators have fixated recent efforts on 47-year-old German national Christian Brueckner.
The convicted sex offender, who worked at Ocean Club tapas bar at the popular holiday destination, denies any involvement in McCann’s disappearance.
However, Brueckner was identified as the main suspect in the case back in 2022.
He is currently serving a prison sentence in Germany following a conviction for raping a 72-year-old woman.
Court documents say that he also allegedly abducted another child just days before the British toddler was taken.
He is also standing trial after being accused of more sex crimes unconnected from McCann’s disappearance.