An individual accused of stalking and claiming to be Madeleine McCann expressed her lack of surprise at the police’s inability to locate the missing child. Testifying in court, Julia Wandelt, a 24-year-old Polish national from Lubin, alleged that the McCann family had been misled by law enforcement regarding Madeleine’s case. Wandelt, who is currently in prison for eight months, disclosed that she empathizes with the McCanns as they search for their daughter while she seeks her own parents.
During her testimony at Leicester Crown Court, Wandelt conveyed her sympathy for the McCanns and emphasized that despite her own struggles, she could not fathom the enduring pain of having a missing child. She affirmed that she harbors no ill will towards the McCanns and has always supported them, clarifying that her intentions were never malicious towards the family.
Wandelt criticized the police’s alleged lack of interest in finding Madeleine and suggested that the authorities had misled the McCanns. She highlighted her efforts to seek assistance from various agencies before approaching the McCanns directly, emphasizing that her actions were driven by a desire to uncover her true identity and heal from past trauma.
Recounting her traumatic experiences, Wandelt revealed that she had faced hate and threats, including a bounty placed on her, as a consequence of her claims. She detailed her troubled childhood and the impact of abuse, pointing out similarities between her abuser and a suspect sketch in Madeleine’s case that led her to believe she was the missing girl.
Wandelt admitted to struggling with her identity and recounted her attempts to persuade her parents to undergo DNA testing, which they declined. She continued to question her origins and defended her decision to present evidence to Operation Grange in support of her belief that she is Madeleine.
Wandelt, along with her co-defendant Karen Spragg, denies the charge of stalking during the specified period. Her testimony will resume on Tuesday as the trial unfolds.