Amelie McCann, the sister of Madeleine McCann, testified in court about the unsettling messages she received from an alleged stalker. The trial involves two women, Julia Wandelt, 24, and Karen Spragg, 61, who are accused of stalking the McCann family. Amelie shared that Wandelt contacted her through Facebook and Instagram, causing her discomfort with her “scary” messages.
During her testimony, Amelie revealed that Wandelt declared, “I will do whatever it takes” to prove her supposed identity as Madeleine. Wandelt, a 24-year-old Polish national, claims to be the missing girl who disappeared at the age of three during a family vacation in Portugal in 2007.
Describing her feelings about Wandelt’s messages, Amelie expressed fear, stating, “It shows you the lengths she would go to, to try to get heard. It was scary as you don’t know what she would do next.” She also noted that Wandelt firmly believes she is Madeleine and is frustrated by the lack of support in verifying her claims.
Amelie McCann clarified in court that she opposed a DNA test for Wandelt because she was certain the woman was not Madeleine. Similarly, Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry, testified that they did not believe Wandelt to be their daughter. Kate admitted feeling pressured by Wandelt’s persistence but ultimately did not see the need for a DNA test due to her certainty about the woman’s identity.
The trial involves Wandelt, who is accused of stalking the McCann family for over two and a half years while asserting she is the missing girl. She is being tried alongside Karen Spragg, who faces charges related to stalking the family through phone calls, letters, and visits to their residence. The legal proceedings are ongoing.