Woman on Trial Accused of Stalking McCanns, Claiming to Be Madeleine
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A Polish woman is on trial in the UK, accused of a sustained campaign of stalking against Kate and Gerry McCann, the parents of missing child Madeleine McCann. The defendant, Julia Wandelt, 24, allegedly contacted the McCanns hundreds of times over two and a half years and even claimed to be their daughter, Madeleine, who disappeared from Portugal in 2007.
The case, unfolding at Leicester Crown Court, reveals a disturbing pattern of harassment and delusion. Prosecutors presented evidence Tuesday detailing how Wandelt sent a letter to Kate McCann signed “Madeleine x,” asserting she remembered being abducted from their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz. She also reportedly told police she had been “abused” and “injected with something that made me feel paralysed.”
The court has been told that Wandelt is not, in fact, Madeleine McCann, but a conspiracy theorist who understands the distress her actions are causing. This assessment came from the jury’s initial briefing, setting the stage for a trial focused on the alleged stalking and the psychological impact on the McCann family.
Harrowing Confrontations at the McCanns’ Home
Audio recordings played in court paint a picture of increasingly aggressive encounters. In December of last year, Wandelt and her co-defendant, Karen Spragg, 61, visited the McCanns’ home. The recording captured Kate McCann pleading with the pair to leave, stating, “You’re causing us a lot of distress, now stop it.”
The recording, made by Wandelt herself, reveals a tense scene where both defendants allegedly shouted at Madeleine’s mother as she attempted to enter her home. Following Kate McCann going inside, the pair reportedly began banging on the door.
Shortly after, Gerry McCann was confronted upon his return home. He firmly told the pair, “You are not Madeleine … I don’t want this, please do not hassle us and leave the premises.” When Spragg demanded a DNA test, Gerry responded, “The police are well aware of Julia and her situation. We are not having a discussion. Please leave, you are not welcome.”
“A Final, Cruel Signature” and Escalating Harassment
The following day, the defendants posted a letter addressed to “Mum (Kate)” and signed “Madeleine x” – a detail described by prosecutor Michael Duck KC as “a final, cruel signature.” Wandelt also allegedly expressed a desire to “hug” Kate McCann and the couple’s two adult children, a prospect Duck noted the family would find deeply upsetting.
Text messages exchanged between Spragg and a friend revealed a chilling lack of remorse. In one message, Spragg reportedly stated, “Kate cried and Gerry was horrible.” Another message, sent to Wandelt, read “lol we do our stakeout again,” indicating continued plans to harass the family.
The prosecution detailed increasingly bizarre attempts to obtain Kate McCann’s DNA, including plans to search the family’s bins and collect discarded cutlery from restaurants they had visited.
Arrest and Charges
Wandelt and Spragg were arrested at Bristol airport on February 19th, as Wandelt was making another visit to the UK and Spragg waited in the car. Both defendants deny a count of stalking causing serious alarm and distress.
The trial continues, with the court expected to delve further into the motivations behind the alleged harassment and the extent of the emotional toll it has taken on Kate and Gerry McCann.
