Christian Brueckner is reportedly being guarded by two women and a pit-bull terrier as he camps out in a woodland in Germany. The prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann was freed from jail in September after serving a sentence for the rape of an elderly woman at her home in Praia da Luz, Portugal in 2005.

Brueckner, 49, was reportedly forced into hiding by furious locals in his native Germany. He is reported to be living in a tent and to have grown close to two women, identified as “Mona” and “Mandy”, who described themselves as his “helpers”.

The two women told The Sun, which exposed Brueckner’s current bolthole, that they aren’t romantically involved with the convicted rapist and paedophile.

News of his woodland hideout comes after it emerged Brueckner is allowed to leave Germany after a legal restriction was lifted.

A German court overturned a condition which had been placed upon him that obliged him to live in his native country.

Brueckner has never been charged over Madeleine’s disappearance. He remains the prime suspect in both the German and UK investigations into what happened to her.

Madeleine, then aged three, vanished in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in 2007, shortly after she was left sleeping by her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, who went for dinner in a nearby restaurant.

Brueckner has previously denied any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.

A number of searches have been carried out by German, Portuguese and British authorities since Madeleine’s disappearance – with the latest taking place near the Portuguese municipality of Lagos in June.

At the time of his release on September 17, Brueckner was placed under conditions which meant he would have to wear an electronic ankle tag for the next five years and maintain contact with probation staff.

He was also told to notify officials of his home address and give up his passport.

A court lifted the obligation on Brueckner to reside in Germany, but kept the other conditions in place. However, police are said to fear the ankle tag won’t work outside Germany.

Investigators will reportedly ask a court for a temporary travel ban until technical glitches with his ankle tag are fixed.

Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters told The Sun if he leaves Germany it will be “incredibly difficult” to continue monitoring him.

But he said German authorities don’t need Brueckner to stay in Germany to keep investigating him and he doesn’t speak with them anyway.

Mr Wolters vowed to keep going as long as there is a belief there is still evidence out there. He added: “One piece of forensic evidence or a new witness could crack the case instantly.”