Two women are facing trial for allegedly harassing the family of missing child Madeleine McCann. Julia Wandelt, a Polish national, is accused of sending various forms of communication to Kate and Gerry McCann claiming to be Madeleine, despite prosecutor Michael Duck KC confirming she is not the missing girl. Alongside Wandelt, Karen Spragg from Cardiff is facing charges of stalking involving serious alarm or distress by contacting the McCanns between June 2022 and February 2025. The trial, now on its second day, is taking place at Leicester Crown Court.
During the proceedings, it was revealed that Wandelt contacted a charity called Missing Years Ago, coinciding with her assertion of being Madeleine McCann. The prosecutor highlighted Wandelt’s persistence in claiming to be Madeleine and her attempts to engage with the McCann family despite their refusal to interact with her. Additionally, it was mentioned that Wandelt sent messages to Amelie McCann, claiming memories and experiences with the family that were deemed untrue.
The court heard that Wandelt repeatedly contacted Kate McCann through calls and messages, with one day in April last year involving over 60 attempts to reach her. The prosecutor emphasized that Wandelt and Spragg were part of a group perpetuating conspiracy theories around Madeleine McCann’s disappearance in 2007. Despite Wandelt’s claims of having memories and similarities to the McCann family, the prosecution presented scientific evidence refuting any familial link between her and the McCanns.
The trial also revealed that Wandelt forwarded altered images of herself to Amelie McCann in an attempt to establish a connection. The judge, Mrs. Justice Cutts, clarified early on in the trial that Wandelt is not Madeleine McCann. The prosecution stressed the distress caused to the McCanns by the defendants’ actions and their persistence in harassing the family. The trial continues with further evidence expected to be presented, including testimonies from Madeleine’s siblings.
