Julia Wandel, 23, has appeared at Leicester Crown Court after being charged with stalking the parents and two siblings of Madeleine McCann, who vanished during a holiday in Portugal in 2007
A woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann has appeared in court accused stalking the missing Brit’s family.
Julia Wandel, 23, appeared via video link before Leicester Crown Court today where she was refused bail by a crown court judge. She is accused of stalking Madeleine’s mum and dad, Kate and Gerry, and their children Sean and Amelie McCann over the past year.
The Polish national, also known as Julia Wandelt, was arrested at Bristol Airport last month. Charges on the the court list state that Wandel is accused of stalking Kate, Gerry, Sean and Amelie McCann between January 3 2024 and February 15 2025.
Wandel, from Lubin in south-west Poland is alleged to have attended the family home on May 2 and December 7 last year.
She is also accused of sending a letter, calls, voicemails and WhatsApp messages to Kate and Gerry McCann.
The defendant is alleged to have sent Amelie and Sean McCann Instagram messages between January 3 and December 29 last year.
All four stalking offences carry a maximum penalty of 12 months in custody and/or an unlimited fine.
A lawyer acting for Julia Wandel made an unsuccessful 15-minute bail application at Leicester Crown Court on her behalf today (March 28).
Judge Timothy Spencer KC ruled that no details from the bail application can be reported, ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing listed to take place at the same court on April 22.
Meanwhile, a 60-year-old woman is due to appear at Leicester Magistrates’ Court later today charged as part of an investigation into the alleged stalking of the McCann family.
Karen Spragg, of Caerau, Cardiff, has been charged with one count of stalking involving serious alarm or distress between May 3 2024 and February 21 this year, Leicestershire Police said.
Spragg was also arrested at the airport with Wandel.
Madeleine was just three-years-old when she vanished without trace while on holiday with her parents Gerry and Kate in Portugal in 2007. Her disappearance sparked a global manhunt and left her distraught parents and detectives baffled for 18 years.
Wandel hit global headlines in 2023 after making a bombshell claim that she was in fact Madeleine, which later turned out to be false.
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