A woman accused of harassing the family of Madeleine McCann reportedly sent unsettling messages to a couple who were present in Portugal when the child disappeared. Julia Wandelt and Karen Spragg are currently facing charges of stalking Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, with allegations that Wandelt propagated false claims of being Madeleine and persistently contacted the McCanns via emails and calls, even showing up at their residence between June 2022 and February this year.
During the trial, it was revealed that a DNA test conducted on Wandelt definitively proved she was not the missing girl. DCI Cranwell, the senior investigating officer on Operation Grange, informed Wandelt of the results, stating, “Your sample was submitted for comparison with Madeleine McCann’s profile, confirming you are not her.”
Court proceedings unveiled that Wandelt sent distressing messages to a couple who were vacationing in Portugal when Madeleine vanished, including reaching out to the daughter of David and Fiona Payne, close friends of the McCanns for over 25 years. The Paynes testified in court, recounting multiple attempts by Wandelt to contact them and their daughter, which Mrs. Payne described as manipulative and anger-inducing.
Wandelt, hailing from Lubin in southwest Poland, allegedly suggested that a DNA test with the McCanns could exonerate members of the ‘Tapas Seven’, a group associated with the McCanns. Phone call recordings between Wandelt and Mr. Payne were presented in court, revealing her pleas to connect with the McCanns and her belief that she might be Madeleine. Mr. Payne expressed his distress over the calls and the lack of information he could provide.
Furthermore, Wandelt requested the blood groups of the McCanns and made claims about potential memory loss due to medication, insinuating attempted murder in her past. Mr. Payne also noted his surprise and concern over Wandelt possessing private photos of both families. Despite Wandelt’s assurances of not disclosing the images, the situation raised suspicions.
In a Christmas Eve message last year, Wandelt wished Mr. Payne a “Merry Christmas” and hinted at revealing the truth. Wandelt and her co-accused, Karen Spragg, deny the charge of stalking.
