Madeleine McCann’s Sister Details ‘Creepy’ Stalking Campaign in Court
The family of Madeleine McCann is enduring further distress as a trial in Leicester, England, reveals disturbing details of a years-long stalking campaign allegedly perpetrated by Julia Wandelt. Amelie McCann, Madeleine’s sister, testified that Wandelt relentlessly pursued her and her family with unsettling messages and manipulated images, fueled by a persistent and demonstrably false claim that she is Madeleine McCann.
The case, unfolding at Leicester Crown Court, centers on the alleged actions of Wandelt, 24, of Lubin, Poland, who denies stalking the McCann family. The alleged harassment began in January 2024, with Wandelt reportedly sending numerous messages via social media and letters to Amelie McCann, now 20. One of the first messages, according to testimony, read: “I know so many things. I don’t know if this is the real account for Amelie McCann but I can tell you my memories.”
Ms. McCann described the messages as “quite disturbing,” emphasizing that Wandelt was fabricating memories and attempting to emotionally manipulate her. “It makes me feel quite uncomfortable because it is quite creepy she is giving those details and trying to play with my emotions,” she told the court. The prosecution alleges Wandelt went to extreme lengths to convince the McCanns of her false identity, including repeatedly requesting DNA tests and digitally altering photographs.
Wandelt allegedly printed images of herself alongside Amelie McCann and sent them to the family’s home, attempting to visually “prove” a resemblance. “She’d clearly edited the pictures to make me look more like her, which was disturbing,” Ms. McCann stated. “I didn’t look like that and I knew it had been changed.” Ms. McCann further testified that Wandelt’s insistence on a familial connection was illogical, noting, “She is Polish and has Polish family who are her parents. It didn’t make any sense to me.”
The court heard that the alleged stalking extended beyond digital communication. Following an alleged visit to the McCann family home in December, security measures were increased. Ms. McCann explained that upon returning home from university, her parents informed her of “an alarm we could press and alert the police.”
The distress caused by Wandelt’s actions was not limited to Amelie McCann. Her twin brother, Sean McCann, provided a written statement describing the “great deal of stress” caused by Wandelt’s claims. While acknowledging the possibility that Wandelt may be struggling with a mental health condition, he expressed deep concern, stating, “If she is fully aware she is not Madeleine, yet makes these claims she is, that will be very upsetting for me.” Sean McCann also reported receiving unwanted messages on Instagram, which he promptly blocked.
A friend of the family, Ellie McQueen, testified that Wandelt sent her “relentless” messages on Facebook beginning in June 2024, seeking assistance in contacting the McCanns. Ms. McQueen recounted that Wandelt appeared “upset and aggravated” and attempted to provide fabricated “DNA evidence” to support her claim. Wandelt allegedly questioned why Kate and Gerry McCann did not attend a vigil for Madeleine in her village, demonstrating a disturbing level of obsession with the case. She also allegedly claimed to share physical characteristics with Madeleine, including a specific “spot in my right eye” and “lots of the same moles.”
The alleged harassment culminated in a message from Wandelt stating she would “do whatever to prove my identity,” a statement that Ms. McCann found particularly frightening. “It shows you the lengths she would go to, to try and get heard, which is a bit scary because you don’t know what she would do next,” she said. Ms. McCann also revealed that her mother, Kate, was particularly affected by the constant stream of messages from Wandelt, which significantly impacted her wellbeing.
The trial continues, with the prosecution presenting evidence against both Wandelt and her co-defendant, 61-year-old Karen Spragg of Cardiff, who also denies stalking the McCann family. The case underscores the devastating and enduring impact of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007, and the lengths to which some individuals will go in connection with the unresolved mystery.
