Madeleine McCann’s younger sister has disclosed the extreme action her family resorted to in response to the purported harassment they endured. Amelie, aged 20, provided testimony during the trial of two individuals, Julia Wandelt, a 24-year-old Polish national, and Karen Spragg, a 61-year-old Welsh woman, who stand accused of stalking the family of the missing girl.
Amelie informed the court at Leicester Crown Court that her family implemented a security device at their residence following the alleged stalking incidents. She detailed that they installed a panic alarm connected to the local police in Leicestershire, which would trigger an alert to authorities if activated.
Expressing the impact of these events on her life, Amelie conveyed her unease, stating that the situation was far from normal and had intruded on their daily lives. The prospect of the stalkers potentially showing up filled her with fear.
During the trial, Amelie recounted how Wandelt, also accused of impersonating Madeleine, initiated contact with her on social media back in January 2024. Wandelt’s messages, claiming to possess childhood memories associated with the McCann family home, deeply unsettled Amelie, who found it disturbing that someone not related to Madeleine would fabricate such memories.
Amelie firmly stated that she opposed the idea of Wandelt undergoing a DNA test, as she was always certain of the imposter’s true identity. The prosecutor inquired if she ever considered a DNA test for Wandelt, to which Amelie responded in the negative, asserting her conviction that such a test was unnecessary as she, along with those around her, believed it was not warranted.
The trial revolves around the allegations that Wandelt stalked the McCann family for an extended period, masquerading as the missing girl. Karen Spragg, the other defendant, faces accusations of stalking for causing distress by making calls, sending letters, and visiting the McCann family’s residence in Cardiff. The legal proceedings are ongoing.