Alleged McCann stalker told police she was ‘victim’, trial hears

A woman accused of stalking the family of Madeleine McCann told a police interview she was “the victim”, a trial has heard.

Julia Wandelt, 24, and her co-accused Karen Spragg, 61, were both arrested in February on stalking charges after the Polish national flew into Bristol and both were taken to Leicester where they were interviewed.

A trial at Leicester Crown Court where both deny the charges heard Miss Wandelt, who has claimed to be Kate and Gerry’s missing daughter since 2022, told police: “I have asked for a DNA test, and I’m the victim here.

“They don’t care about Madeleine, they don’t care about me, they only care about themselves. I’ve provided evidence and they don’t care.”

The jury was previously told a DNA test was taken following Miss Wandelt’s arrest which “proved” she was not Madeleine McCann.

Miss Wandelt was read statements during interviews at Euston Street station in Leicester from Kate and Gerry McCann, their twins Amelie and Sean and family friends David and Fiona Payne about her contact with them, and played CCTV recordings from 7 December 2024 when she and Mrs Spragg visited the family home in Rothley, Leicestershire.

She largely gave no comment responses, but said she “didn’t mean to cause them distress” and repeatedly told the interviewing officer the family’s reactions to her alleged harassment left her feeling “very sad”.

Miss Wandelt claimed to police her Polish parent’s daughter had “drowned” and they “replaced” her with an abducted child.

She also said her interactions with the Met Police had led her to suspect police corruption.

Miss Wandelt also gave no comment responses to questions about her social media presence and having a million followers online – but did tell the officers: “I didn’t do it for attention.”

In police interviews, Mrs Spragg spoke about having Miss Wandelt visit, staying with her in a hotel in Birstall and visiting the McCanns’ address.

She told police Miss Wandelt was “like a daughter” to her and would “talk for hours sometimes” on the phone “most days” and said: “I support Julia.

“What about my feelings, for Julia my friend. I can’t see that is a crime, trying to help a friend out.”

But she said to police she advised Miss Wandelt to use a “legal route” but said “she’s a grown adult” and decided to go to the address.

“I just took her there,” she said. “I didn’t see I was encouraging her, I was helping.

“I didn’t intend to cause distress and I’m sorry if I did. I’m not a nasty person, I’m not a violent person.”

In a later interview, Mrs Spragg told police: “I believe Julia is telling the truth and police didn’t listen to her. If police had listened to Julia there wouldn’t have been any stalking.”

Julia Wandelt, 24, of Jana Kochanowskiego in Lubin, Poland, and Karen Spragg, 61, of Caerau Court Road, Cardiff, are on trial at Leicester Crown Court accused of stalking the family of missing Madeleine McCann.

Miss Wandelt claimed to be Madeleine, whose disappearance on a family holiday to Portugal in 2007 has never been solved, and pursued the McCann family with messages, calls, and visits, including turning up at their home and demanding a DNA test.

Prosecutor Michael Duck KC said Mrs Spragg struck up a relationship online and supported Miss Wandelt’s claims and conspiracy theories, and alongside the Polish national confronted the McCanns directly in December 2024.

Both women deny stalking the McCanns causing serious alarm and distress between June 2022 to February 2025.

The trial continues.