Wandering Off Topic

[Joe Blogs]

Alleged Madeleine McCann family stalker said she never intended to harm them, court hears
Julia Wandelt, 24, denies stalking Kate and Gerry McCann, causing serious alarm or distress and is on trial at Leicester Crown Court. She allegedly told police: "I never wanted to cause them any distress, or make them stressed or sad, never. I just wanted them to take a DNA test."


Martin Brunt
Crime correspondent @skymartinbrunt
Thursday 23 October 2025 16:27, UK

The young woman accused of stalking Madeleine McCann's family said in police interviews she never intended to harm them, a jury has been told.

Julia Wandelt, 24, who the prosecution says believed she could be the missing toddler, allegedly said: "I never wanted to cause them any distress, or make them stressed or sad, never. I just wanted them to take a DNA test."

She was interviewed by detectives three times after her arrest in February this year and answered "no comment" to many questions.

But jurors heard that she was asked how she felt when Madeleine's younger sister Amelie became alarmed after Wandelt contacted her and was worried about what she would do next.


Wandelt allegedly told police: "What could I do next? I was only asking for a DNA test. I'm the victim here.

"They don't care. They don't care about Madeleine, they don't care about me. They only care about themselves.

"I would never do anything bad to them. I would never hurt them."

Wandelt listened to her interview transcripts being read out as she sat in a room at the jail where she is being held in custody. Occasionally, she walked away and then returned.


In her police interviews, jurors were told that Spragg said she had met Wandelt on social media and treated her as a daughter, trying to help her persuade the McCanns to take a DNA test.

"Julia's a grown adult, I couldn't stop her," she told police. She believed Wandelt had good evidence that she was Madeleine.

Julia Wandelt (left) and Karen Spragg at Leicester Crown Court on a previous occasion. Pic: Elizabeth Cook/PA
Image:
Julia Wandelt (left) and Karen Spragg at Leicester Crown Court on a previous occasion. Pic: Elizabeth Cook/PA
Spragg allegedly told police she had texted Madeleine's parents on Wandelt's behalf and accompanied her on a trip to confront the couple outside their home in Leicestershire.

Police asked her in the interview why she thought Gerry McCann hadn't wanted to speak to Wandelt.

She allegedly replied: "They know what they did to her. They arranged the kidnapping and abduction."

The trial at Leicester Crown Court continues.

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Just another crazy [ censored word ]y,  Julia Wandelt and her barmy sidekick are the depressing product of every McCann hate site there ever was.

Did you see Wandelt on the news again, Vertigo? The trial continues.
Anyway, wouldn't the real Madeleine still have that defect that was present in the iris of her eye?

[Vertigo Swirl]

Did you see Wandelt on the news again, Vertigo? The trial continues.
Anyway, wouldn't the real Madeleine still have that defect that was present in the iris of her eye?

Yes and yes I think so.  Wandelt is doing a good job of presenting herself as a victim in all this, I expect she’ll be found not guilty and given leave to remain here indefinitely, as well as free accommodation as close to the McCanns as possible so she can continue harassing them indefinitely. 

[Eleanor]

Yes and yes I think so.  Wandelt is doing a good job of presenting herself as a victim in all this, I expect she’ll be found not guilty and given leave to remain here indefinitely, as well as free accommodation as close to the McCanns as possible so she can continue harassing them indefinitely.

There's a big bush close by. She could kip in that.

[faithlilly]

Yes and yes I think so.  Wandelt is doing a good job of presenting herself as a victim in all this, I expect she’ll be found not guilty and given leave to remain here indefinitely, as well as free accommodation as close to the McCanns as possible so she can continue harassing them indefinitely.

She obviously has mental health problems. Any person with an ounce of humanity would hope that she gets the help she needs to cure her of her delusions. Surely that would be the best outcome for both her and the McCann family?

[Vertigo Swirl]

She obviously has mental health problems. Any person with an ounce of humanity would hope that she gets the help she needs to cure her of her delusions. Surely that would be the best outcome for both her and the McCann family?

Has she been diagnosed with mental health problems?  The best outcome for all is that she is found guilty, deported and any mental illness treated in her home country.

[faithlilly]

Has she been diagnosed with mental health problems?  The best outcome for all is that she is found guilty, deported and any mental illness treated in her home country.

Isn’t it obvious that she has mental health problems? If not, why do you think that she is doing this?

[Vertigo Swirl]

Isn’t it obvious that she has mental health problems? If not, why do you think that she is doing this?

No idea, if she’s mentally ill her defence should be using that particular angle.  Are all deluded stalkers mentally ill?  And even if they are does that mean they cannot be held accountable for their actions?  I don’t know why you are intent on having yet another pointless argument with me, I don’t think anything I have written about this particular case is that controversial is it?

[faithlilly]

No idea, if she’s mentally ill her defence should be using that particular angle.  Are all deluded stalkers mentally ill?  And even if they are does that mean they cannot be held accountable for their actions?  I don’t know why you are intent on having yet another pointless argument with me, I don’t think anything I have written about this particular case is that controversial is it?

I don’t think what you’ve written is controversial…it does however lack humanity. I have simply pointed that out. That’s not taking in any way away from the distress that the woman’s behaviour must have caused the McCann family.

If you don’t want anyone to challenge you can I respectfully suggest that you keep your opinions off the board. Playing the victim really doesn’t suit you.

[Vertigo Swirl]

I don’t think what you’ve written is controversial…it does however lack humanity. I have simply pointed that out. That’s not taking in any way away from the distress that the woman’s behaviour must have caused the McCann family.

If you don’t want anyone to challenge you can I respectfully suggest that you keep your opinions off the board. Playing the victim really doesn’t suit you.

Lack humanity?  I didn't suggest she sleep in a bush but I didn't notice you dumping your self righteous opinions on Eleanor, any reason for that?  In any case I have already expressed "humane" opinions about the girl on other threads and don't feel the need to keep on signalling my virtue at every opportunity. 
As one of the McCanns chief denigrators over the last 18 years with countless unkind comments aimed at the parents of a missing child, your hypocrisy never fails to amuse and disgust in equal measure. 

[Vertigo Swirl]

Why has no one put this woman out of her misery and established by testing that she is indeed the biological daughter of her parents?  Have they refused a DNA test?  I think that is a far more relevant question that to the best of my knowledge has not been either asked or answered by anyone in this sorry mess.

[Lace]

To end this I don't know why Julia's parents don't just have a DNA test.  Humour her.  I would imagine they feel hurt that she insists they are not her parents but try and put that to one side.  Sit her down with them do the test in front of her let her post the tests, let her open the letter when the results arrive.  Only then will she finally believe they are her parents. Without doing that they are giving her suspicions that they have something to hide.  As long as they refuse to do this she will never give up the idea that she is someone else's daughter in my opinion.

[Vertigo Swirl]

Interestingly been reading quite a few comments on various news sites about this case by people who are CONVINCED to this day that Wandelt is Madeleine despite the evidence presented in court and are claiming "Cover up! Conspiracy!" I guess I should view them with compassiona and humanity and wish they would all receive the mental health care they so desperately and obviously require. 

[Eleanor]

I was being facetious about The Bush.  Sorry.

I don't know if she's got mental health problems;  It could have been just a scam on her part that didn't work and then she got shirty.  And sad to say I do not feel even remotely sorry for her.  There are several things she could do to resolve this, but she doesn't want to.

I don't know about her parents either but they appear to have tried to help her, but to no avail.  She now appears to me to be a self entitled little brat who doesn't care who she hurts.

[Vertigo Swirl]

I was being facetious about The Bush.  Sorry.

I don't know if she's got mental health problems;  It could have been just a scam on her part that didn't work and then she got shirty.  And sad to say I do not feel even remotely sorry for her.  There are several things she could do to resolve this, but she doesn't want to.

I don't know about her parents either but they appear to have tried to help her, but to no avail.  She now appears to me to be a self entitled little brat who doesn't care who she hurts.

Oh Eleanor where’s your HOOMANITY??  Shame on you, so much la. Tut tut.  Appalling.  Sheesh.

[Vertigo Swirl]

She still believes she could be Madeleine and that the DNA results were faked or wrong, and this is a new one:

Mr Duck KC has told Miss Wandelt her "DNA would match" Madeleine's if they were the same person.
"Your profile bears no relation to Madeleine's," he added.
In response, Miss Wandelt said: "If parents are related, there can be more mismatches."
Mr Duck KC asked the defendant if she was suggesting Mr and Mrs McCann were related.
She replied: "Yes."