Julia Wandelt, 24, has been accused of stalking the McCann family while allegedly pretending to be the missing girl – and the 24-year-old told a court she was still ’50/50′ on whether she is Madeleine
15:47, 29 Oct 2025Updated 16:11, 29 Oct 2025
Julia Wandelt said she is still 50/50′ about whether she is Madeleine McCann(Image: help-for-julia-wandelt/gogetfunding)
A woman accused of stalking Madeleine McCann’s family said she is still “50/50” about whether she is their missing daughter.
Polish national Julia Wandelt, 24, has allegedly claimed to be the missing girl, who vanished on a family holiday in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007. The alleged stalker told jurors at Leicester Crown Court that she would “walk away” if she saw the full paperwork proving she was not Madeleine. Prosecutors alleged Wandelt, from Lubin in south-west Poland, peddled the myth she is Madeleine while stalking Kate and Gerry McCann by sending emails, making phone calls and turning up at their address.
The Polish woman has allegedly claimed she is Madeleine McCann(Image: PA)
During cross-examination on Wednesday, prosecutor Michael Duck KC asked Wandelt: “As we stand here, do you still entertain the belief that you could be Madeleine McCann?”
Wandelt told the court: “It’s neither yes nor no. Because it is very easy to provide me with the documentation, so if I am not her, and it really is negative, I would like to see the documentation. Now, I would say I’m 50/50. What’s the issue with providing the whole paperwork?”
Mr Duck asked again: “Do you, Julia Wandelt, believe you may still be Madeleine McCann?” Wandelt replied: “It will be neither yes nor no. It is not yes, and not no. I am in between.”
The 24-year-old has also been accused of stalking the McCann family(Image: PA)
Asked what would satisfy her, Wandelt raised her voice and tearfully told the jury: “An investigation into my disappearance, into what happened to me, why am I here?”
Mr Duck asked Wandelt: “If you had seen a negative DNA test result, would you have walked away?” Wandelt replied: “If I received the entire paperwork, yes, I would walk away.”
Mr Duck also asked Wandelt about a letter she addressed to Mrs McCann, which said “Dear Mum (Kate)” and was signed off “Madeleine”. In the letter, the jury heard, Wandelt wrote: “I’m so sorry for causing you so much distress.”
He asked: “That’s you apologising for distressing her, isn’t it?” Wandelt replied: “She said I was causing her distress, I didn’t apologise because I recognise it as distress.”
Asked whether her appearance at the McCanns’ home in December, 2024, was intimidating, Wandelt said: “No, I don’t think it’s intimidating. If I was looking for my daughter missing for 18 years, I would be OK speaking with the person saying they were my missing child.”
Polish national Wandelt is on trial accused of stalking the McCanns for more than two-and-a-half years while allegedly claiming she was the missing girl.
She is on trial alongside co-accused Karen Spragg, from Cardiff, who has been accused of one count of stalking involving serious alarm or distress, after she allegedly made calls, sent letters and visited the McCann’s home address. The trial continues.