Madeleine McCann’s sister has disclosed the extreme action her family resorted to in response to the purported ‘stalking’ they were subjected to. Amelie, aged 20, testified in the trial of Julia Wandelt, a 24-year-old Polish citizen, and Karen Spragg, a 61-year-old woman from Wales, who stand accused of stalking the family of the missing girl. Amelie informed the court that she received unsettling messages via social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, while her mother, Kate McCann, recounted an encounter with the two women at their residence.
Amelie revealed in Leicester Crown Court that her family installed a security device at their home following the alleged stalking incidents. She explained that they set up a panic alarm connected to the local police, which would trigger an alert if activated, enabling law enforcement to respond promptly.
Describing the impact of the situation, Amelie expressed her distress, stating, “That’s not normal. That’s impinging on your life. The thought of her potentially turning up is very scary for me.” She detailed to the jury that Wandelt, accused of impersonating Madeleine, initiated contact with her on social media in January 2024.
Amelie recounted that Wandelt claimed to possess childhood memories from the McCann family home, which Amelie found disturbing given that Wandelt is not Madeleine. She affirmed that she opposed a DNA test for Wandelt because she was certain of her identity.
During the trial, prosecutor Nadia Silver inquired if there was any desire to conduct a DNA test on Wandelt, to which Amelie firmly responded in the negative. She clarified that she, along with others, deemed a DNA test unnecessary as they were confident in Wandelt not being Madeleine.
Wandelt, the Polish national, is facing charges of stalking the McCann family for more than two and a half years while asserting she was the missing girl. She is jointly on trial with Karen Spragg from Cardiff, who is accused of stalking involving serious alarm or distress by making calls, sending letters, and visiting the McCann’s residence. The trial is ongoing.
